The Ultimate Syncing w/Outlook (not Exchange) thread

[spile]

I used to use MyPhoneExplorer but it has too many limitations for me. It handles too few data fields.

The only fields the latest version doesn't support are those not present on the Android OS itself so hardly a limitation of MPE. Plus the latest version even supports tasks and notes.

 

[Xerses]

I used to use MyPhoneExplorer but it has too many limitations for me. It handles too few data fields.

The poster above is correct. The current version supports pretty much everything.

I run my business in Outlook (Business Contact Manager) and I have contacts with 2 or 3 addresses. Some have 4 phone numbers, many have 3 e-mails and I have yet to encounter an issue with this. MyPhoneExplorer is excellent in its current release.

 

[aysiu]

So, guys, as someone who hasn't bought an Android based phone yet, is it your opinion that it would be a mistake for me to buy one if I don't use Google services and want to sync only to Outlook?

Yes, it would be a mistake. As you can see from this thread, there are workarounds and troublesome solutions to try to sync Android to a local Outlook client (not Exchange server). It may be possible, but it's not what Android was built for (it's like using an iPhone with Ubuntu's Banshee instead of with iTunes).

If you want the most seamless and painless experience with Android, you should use Google services.

First of all, thanks to all those that have taken time to provide information here! I'm frustrated and haven't even purchased an Android phone yet lol. I'm considering the Galaxy S II 4G Epic Touch from Sprint and I'm having a hell of a time finding a straight answer on what good LOCAL syncing options exist for this phone...and Android in general.

Here's my story: I do not plan to use any cloud services what-so-ever. I need an Outlook2007 <-> Android v2.3.4 sync solution that is 100 percent LOCAL, reliable, and well-integrated with Android (either populates native contacts and calendar or replaces them with this solution). I've read a lot about Companionlink, Missing Sync and a few others, but they all seem to fall short in some significant way. Please help!

See what I wrote above. If you're frustrated and haven't even purchased the Android phone yet, don't purchase it. I'll tell you that using Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Reader, you'll have a very pleasant experience with Android. Trying to sync to a local Outlook will not give you a pleasant experience. Get a different phone if you want to avoid Google services.

 

[Xerses]

Yes, it would be a mistake. As you can see from this thread, there are workarounds and troublesome solutions to try to sync Android to a local Outlook client (not Exchange server). It may be possible, but it's not what Android was built for (it's like using an iPhone with Ubuntu's Banshee instead of with iTunes).

If you want the most seamless and painless experience with Android, you should use Google services.

See what I wrote above. If you're frustrated and haven't even purchased the Android phone yet, don't purchase it. I'll tell you that using Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Reader, you'll have a very pleasant experience with Android. Trying to sync to a local Outlook will not give you a pleasant experience. Get a different phone if you want to avoid Google services.

I disagree with you 100%. The Andoid phone with MyPhoneExplorer offers a near seamless experience with no adverse effects on the data that has been synced between the phone and Outlook (2003, 2007 or 2010). All you need to do install a 4MB application on your PC and a very small app from the Market, both from MyPhoneExplorer.

The sync (in my case) is via WiFi and all I need to do is press Sync when I have made changes to either the phone or Outlook. There is no Auto-sync when a change is made, but I find this to be no big deal because I get the best of both worlds... Android power and Outlook compatibility.

I come from a Windows Mobile Pro 6.1 phone (2 years of use) and the Outlook sync experience was no more seamless than what I have now with Android and MyPhoneExplorer because the Windows phone needed to be connected via USB cable in order to sync, no WiFi option.

I say if you are using Outlook and want an Android phone, don't be hesitant, there is a totally free option that works perfectly well via USB, Bluetooth, or WiFi with MyPhoneExplorer. In my first post in this thread I indicated that the first sync can be tedious, but that is only if you want to not sync certain contacts. If you simply want to sync them all then it is a process that will only take a few minutes.

 

[dvhttn]

... See what I wrote above. If you're frustrated and haven't even purchased the Android phone yet, don't purchase it. I'll tell you that using Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Reader, you'll have a very pleasant experience with Android. Trying to sync to a local Outlook will not give you a pleasant experience. Get a different phone if you want to avoid Google services.

I'm with Xerses on this one as I also totally disagree with you.I sync my Outlook calendar and contacts with two Android phones (mine and my wife's) and have no problems. So, it doesn't sync automatically and immediately but that is no problem, to me anyway.

Dave

 

[RazzMaTazz]

The only fields the latest version doesn't support are those not present on the Android OS itself so hardly a limitation of MPE. Plus the latest version even supports tasks and notes.

The poster above is correct. The current version supports pretty much everything.

The last time that I tried MyPhoneExplorer, it didn't support as many fields as the Outlook/Hotmail contacts solution, which is one of several reasons that I find the Outlook/Hotmail solution to be far superior to MPE. I can find no information on MPE's website listing the supported fields. Which fields does MPE now support?

Aside from the lack of supported fields, the fact that it deleted some of my Outlook data was a showstopper for me (and others who reported the same problem). MPE also had no intelligent conflict resolution, thereby forcing tedious manual intervention. And MPE requires that you be near your PC in order to synchronize. It's OK. I just greatly prefer the Hotmail/Contacts synchronization method.

I'll tell you that using Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Reader, you'll have a very pleasant experience with Android. Trying to sync to a local Outlook will not give you a pleasant experience. Get a different phone if you want to avoid Google services.

I use a Hotmail account to synchronize my Outlook contacts & calendar with Android. It works perfectly, while keeping my data off of Google's servers.

 

[KX4SAM]

+2 gsync, works great, and can sync multiple google accounts.

 

[eddieras]

gsyncit users - have you upgraded to 3.0 ? just curious as to its benefits.

 

[nabour]

I haven't upgraded yet, but I have been very happy with gsyncit. I've got a Motorola Droid 3 and two pcs with Outlook, which I use for calendar and tasks. I've been syncing happily for several weeks now, with no problem. Plus the developer was very helpful getting things set up. As far as the upgrade goes, I'm thinking that I'll just keep things as is -- "If it ain't broke, then don't fix it!"

 

[eddieras]

good point!

 

[Croc52]

Hi. I'm new to this forum and Android. I was extremely disappointed and frustrated that there is no native support for directly syncing Outlook with my Galaxy S II X.

I spent a couple of days screwing around with Kies both via USB and Wi-Fi and never once even got it to connect with my phone. Kies is useless.

I'm also not comfortable sending my contact and calendar info into a "cloud" via my Google account although I think forcing you to do this is what Android has on its agenda.

I found a reference in a forum to "MyPhoneExplorer" by FJSoft and tried it. BRILLIANT!! Very easy, intuitive and free.

Load PC software from the FJSoft site. (I'm too new to poste a link here but simply Google "myphoneexplorer" and it should be your first hit.)

Load Android software by using same search in the Market.

Within minutes I had migrated ALL my contact and calendar info from Outlook 2007 to my Galaxy WITH NO PROBLEMS on the very first try.

It works so well that I donated to the developer considering how much frustration I suffered prior to finding MyPhoneExplorer.

Kies is Krap.

 

[sjmilone]

I've also started looking at MPE. I'm mainly looking at the Calendar for now. If/when I've played with MPE and I'm satisfied, I'll be looking to dive into contacts. Lots of questions as you can understand.

Here are the most important ones to me:

• Can MPE perform a direct sync Calendar/Contacts between standalone outlook 2007 on a Vista Home Premium laptop, and an unrooted Gingerbread Epic 4G? (actually I'll take answers for rooted w/CyanogenMod as well, just please specify which you are referring to.) I won't consider options involving online intermediates.
  
• Do you have MPE installed with any similar apps like CalenGoo or Calendar Snooze? (ask me or google them if you want a reader's digest of functions I'm using in them)
  
  
  [**] Do they play nice together? ​
  [**] Do they complement each other, or is there lots of butting of heads?​
• On the Android side, can you configure it to use the native (or CalenGoo) database and gui for calendar, contacts... or are you tied exclusively to MPE's system and gui?
  
• Does it handle syncing multiple calendars to/from multiple Outlook calendars, with intact color coding on both sides?
  
• Does it handle syncing to/from shared calendars
  
• Does it handle syncing from downloadables (holiday, sports, etc)
  
• Is it possible to import/export iCal/ICS etc on either or both sides

And finally does anyone have experience with another solution that would fit the bill laid out above, without going through an online intermediate point?

Many thanks in advance,

Steve

___________________
~May the road rise to meet your feet; May the sun always shine on your face; May you always walk up-wind from elderly dogs ~

May those who sit in judgement, get splinters in their @-$-$.

 

[dvhttn]

@sjmilone:

I have MPE to sync between Outlook (2010) on a Windows XP Pro PC and my (rooted) HTC DEsire HD. It's rooted now but wasn't until recently and nothing changed by way of functionality. I use wifi to connect but did use a cable - I just find the wifi a lot more accesible. For example, I can sync whilst the phone is in another room and I can't be ar5ed to go and get it ...

MPE does not have it's own contact/calendar database, it just "loads" the standard Android ones. So you can use any 3rd part app that also used these. I use Business Calendar and Contapps Contacts app. I have used Gemini Calendar and aTakephone previously, but the stock HTC apps also work.

Don't believe the colour coding from Outlook is preserved - can't remember why, but then I don't use that myself anyway. I also don't use shared or multiple calendars, except I do sync two phones with the same Outlook calendar and contacts.

iCal - you'd have to check if Outlook or Android can import this.

Go check out ... FJ Software :: Forum anzeigen - English section ... .

Oh. Just saw that you did when I went to get the link for you ....

A 'search' on there will bring up a lot of the answers you want I believe.

HTH

Dave

 

[sjmilone]

Thanks dvhttn for your response. Quite helpful. As you saw from my OP I'm very calendar-intensive. Not so much on the contacts side. Although I'd love a way to mail-merge straight from Outlook to the Christmas Card mailing lables It may even be there - I've just never been so into contacts to even look for it.

As far as coloring on the CalenGoo side, a different calendar gets a different color. It seems to me that if we're syncing from/to the android's CalenGoo collective calendars which are a rainbow of different color coded calendars, it seems that even if Outlook did not recognize/acknowledge the color assignments, that the color would be reinstated on the Android side at next sync. Or am I over-thinking this one... I do that a lot.

Time to try & get some sleep. Up in 4 hrs to bring the boy to school then crank out three self-employed tax clients before picking him up from school. Gotta love Calendar Qtr #1 in the USA, those dreaded tax forms. With all the yearly changes and mandatory training for preparers, I have no idea why anyone would even think about filling them out on their own. I'm pretty sure the number of returns I've handled in 23 years is in the high four-digit range. I barely need both hands to count the number of times I couldn't get a "self-prepare" client some money back from last (actually 3 previous) year's papers being incorrect.

Regards,

Steve

___________________
~May the road rise to meet your feet; May the sun always shine on your face; May you always walk up-wind from elderly dogs ~

May those who sit in judgement, get splinters in their @-$-$.