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We can now synchronize Outlook & Android without a 3rd party app or Exchange Server!

Razz,
Like so many others I want to thank you for your diligence and for sharing this with us all. I am a bit of a dinosaur here. I finally had to part with my HTC touch Pro II after it's last nervous break down. I have been a windows smart phone users since they came out. So ALL of this is new to me and I just realized what a pain it is to sync to Outlook AFTER I received my Evo Lte. My main concern is that I want to sync my personal information without any third party involvement. I want my info kept between me, my pc and my phone. If I use hotmail I would still be using a third party ,correct? Sorry if the question is just stupid, but I want to be sure before I go messing around with things. I have found soft ware that says it will do what I want. But I want some experienced users opinions before I go that route too.
The software I am looking at is here Android-Sync | Sync Android with Outlook via USB it costs, but I would rather pay than put even more of my personal info "out there".
Also, if I should be posting somewhere else please advise...Thanks.
Comments anyone? They would be appreciated.
 
RazzMaTazz said:
I am not experiencing that behavior. When I create a calendar event on on my Android device, or when I change a calendar event on my Android device that was originally created in Outlook, the new or edited event is synchronized back to my Outlook PCs. (I'm using the stock calendar app on an LG Optimus S, with stock Android 2.2.)
Click to expand...
I am having the same problem with my calendar. When I create an appointment on Outlook, it syncs perfectly to my Tab. If I change the date, time etc on Outlook, that too syncs over to the Tab. However, if I change the time of an Outlook-created appointment on the Tab, it does not sync across either to Hotmail or hence to Outlook. If I delete the appointment, that does sync across. But minor changes, like the timing, often do not.

On the other hand, if I create the appointment on the Tab, it syncs everything including minor changes.

Can you cast any light on this? Could it be related to the many repeated 'sync error' messages I find on Outlook, when syncing has partly failed (the bulk of the syncing still works perfectly).
 
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scubatrinni said:
My main concern is that I want to sync my personal information without any third party involvement. I want my info kept between me, my pc and my phone. If I use hotmail I would still be using a third party ,correct?...

The software I am looking at is here Android-Sync | Sync Android with Outlook via USB it costs, but I would rather pay than put even more of my personal info "out there".
Click to expand...
If you sync via Hotmail, then your contact info will be on Hotmail's (Microsoft's) servers. If you sync via Gmail (through a program like gSyncIt) then your contact info will be on Gmail's (Google's) servers.

There is a free program called, "My Phone Explorer" by FJ Software that you can use to sync your phone directly with Outlook over USB or WiFi without having to put your contact info on anybody's servers. You have to install an Outlook add-in on your PC and a small app on your phone. You have to manually invoke the synchronization when you get back to your PC.

The nice thing about the Hotmail solution is that it syncs in real time, no matter where you are. I'm not too worried about Microsoft having my contact info. They have publicly stated that they won't use that info to target you with adverstising, etc. Google has publicly stated that they will. Of course, Microsoft could change its policy at some point, but Microsoft has proven itself trustworthy for decades.
 
Az Utazo said:
...However, if I change the time of an Outlook-created appointment on the Tab, it does not sync across either to Hotmail or hence to Outlook. If I delete the appointment, that does sync across. But minor changes, like the timing, often do not...

Can you cast any light on this? Could it be related to the many repeated 'sync error' messages I find on Outlook, when syncing has partly failed (the bulk of the syncing still works perfectly).
Click to expand...
I thnk it may be related to the recent changes (mentioned above) in the Hotmail servers. Since the problem occurs between the phone and the Hotmail servers, it probably has nothing to do with the Outlook errors. I don't know how to solve the problem, except possibly downloading the Hotmail app.
 
I'm running a Samsung Galaxy S2 recently upgraded to ICS. My company's push e-mail solution Smartmail (smartphonesolutions.fi) previously allowed sync of calendar and contacts. Having upgraded to ICS ealier in the week I've just realised that I no longer have the abaility to edit contacts on my phone ("Not editable from this application"). Having searched for a workaround to the problem in this forum I came across RazzMaTazz's excellent solution and followed the instructions. This gave me another possible contacts list to display (Contacts>Contacts list to display) and I chose to display only the Hotmail contacts. This part worked fine. When I try to create a contact I only have the option of creating a SIM, Phone or Google contact. Obviously, any of these newly created contacts will then not sync. The synced Hotmail contacts are not editable (see message above). If I display multiple synced contacts lists - Google, Hotmail and SmartMail - then I can only edit the Google contact.

Has anybody come across this? Am I missing something obvious? Any help would be much appreciated!
 
Knockavullig: Hotmail contacts appear as "Corporate Contacts" on my phone. From within my stock Contacts app, if I hit Menu button -> "New Contact" the phone makes me choose whether to create the contact under my Hotmail account, Google Account, etc. I have no problem creating or editing Hotmail contacts.

If you've created a Hotmail account on your phone as detailed in my original post, as a Corporate Account, not as a POP mail account, then you should be able to create and edit contacts. I suspect that you may not have created a Hotmail acccount as a "Corporate Account".

From the home screen, if you press the settings button, then go to Settings-> Accounts & Sync, and you tap on your Hotmail account, at the top it should list it as a "Corporate" account. If it's a "Corporate" account it will have a square symbol in front of it (but the square has a break in the middle of each side). Is it a "Corporate Account"?
 
Hi Crowntown!
Sorry for the tardy response - several things going on, but the Outlook Exchange now works again - - Thanks!
A couple of items to pass along...
1. Trying to "re-establish" the original link by the process in the first post here repeatedly gave the error "invalid e-mail account" (despite the fact that it worked fine the first time???)
2. I loaded an updated MS outlook connector (new version -07/12/2012)
3. Despite this updated connector, still the same error message
4. Closed outlook 2010, went to control panel, e-mail settings and MANUALLY set up the exchange account - - this time it worked fine!!!

Syncing e-mail, calendar and contacts as before - life is good!! (Go to H*** Google Sync)

btw...
using Droid Razr - - just updated to ICS from verizon download. The new OS did not appear to make any difference in sovling the connectivity problem - I think it was configuring the e-mail account with Outlook closed.

Thanks to all for the replies and help - hope this helps someone also!
Best
 
perhaps premature - elation here
SNAFU
still trying to see what the issue here is - - - can't sync outlook entires to droid, but droid to outlook seems to work...

too complex....
 
Hi RazzMaTazz,

I had created the account as a corporate (Exchange ActiveSync) account. I decided to carry out a reinstall of the ICE 4.03 update and now all the issues I was having have disappeared. I've set my hotmail contacts as the primary contacts in Outlook and all is well with my syncing world once more.

Many thanks.
 
Worked fine till 2 days ago. Then all my contact and calender entries had disappeared. When I synced the account, it only took a second and nothing reappeared.
Deleted and recreated the account and things where fine, until the next day. Again contacts and calender entries gone.

Switched to the Hotmail app now. It's far for perfect, but better than having no contacts.
 
Hi all,

I can really use some help here... I've been beating my head against a wall for two days over this issue. So here's my situation:

1. I'm an IT Admin and we're running Exchange 2010 on Server 2008. Fully patched and updated.

2. Activesync is configured using a non-default policy. The policy has only the minimum settings including non-provisionable devices allowed.

3. I had previously been using a 'Berry and purchased a brand-spankin' new Razr Maxx

4. In the Droid I added the Exchange account without a problem. Email and contacts sync'd without a problem. That's quite a statement given my 1,900 contacts!

5. The problem is in the calendar. On the Razr my calendar does not display anything from Exchange/Outlook

6. I have checked in the Razr to make sure the Exchange calendar is set as default and is set to sync.

7. In addition to the Exchange Calendar not Syncing if I create an event on the Razr when the sync occurs a few seconds later, the event disappears from the Razr and is never displayed in Outlook.

8. The Razr is running Android 4.0.4 and the calendar version is 4.0.4-37

9. Several forums suggest clearing the data for the Calendar App and re-syncing. Tried it, it didn't work.

10. I have gone so far as removing the Exchange Account, going into the Calendar App and clearing all data, rebooting the device, and recreating the Exchange account all to no avail.

ANY help will be greatly appreciated!
 
It seems that emails in the Inbox sync fine with my phone. However, sub-folders in the Inbox do not sync. They show up in my hotmail account, but never show up on the phone. Any idea what the problems may be?
 
Good news!
The new Outlook 2013 works even better with the HOTMAIL account and Android Phones.
For once, Outlook-Hotmail Connector is not required; it is already embedded into it.
Moreover, it also syncs Tasks to Hotmail and to the phone!
On the down side, Outlook 2013 looks very ugly, just black and white colours, vey dull.
 
This thread is pretty old. Has there been any new developments?

I have a couple of questions:
1. Has there been any improvements in methods to synchronize Outlook with Android?
2. I have a Gmail account already linked to my phone. Can I use the Gmail account instead of setting up a Hotmail account?

Comment: I wonder if my life would be this complicated if I have bought an iphone.
 
I have used gsyncit for several months now to sync my google calendar, tasks and contacts with my outlook account. No problems at all.
 
MSUbully said:
This thread is pretty old. Has there been any new developments?
Click to expand...
Not to my knowledge. Still works. Not sure what new developments you want.

MSUbully said:
1. Has there been any improvements in methods to synchronize Outlook with Android?
Click to expand...
There are still the same working solutions available. You can find them at syncdroid.net.

MSUbully said:
I have a Gmail account already linked to my phone. Can I use the Gmail account instead of setting up a Hotmail account?
Click to expand...
As described in my original post, you can use Gmail for email instead of Hotmail, but you can't use Gmail to sync your contacts & calendar with Outlook, unless you use a 3rd party program like Gsyncit. I primarily use Gmail for email, but Hotmail to sync contacts & calendar.

MSUbully said:
Comment: I wonder if my life would be this complicated if I have bought an iphone.
Click to expand...
From what I can tell, the iPhone also doesn't play nice with Outlook. (Google & Apple want everyone to use their office software solutions instead of Microsoft Office, so they don't want to make it easy to stay synced with Outlook.) For the iPhone I think you have to plug into your PC/Mac and sync through iTunes or use 3rd party software for true cloud-based sync (like this Hotmail solution enables).
 
RazzMaTazz said:
From what I can tell, the iPhone also doesn't play nice with Outlook. (Google & Apple want everyone to use their office software solutions instead of Microsoft Office, so they don't want to make it easy to stay synced with Outlook.) For the iPhone I think you have to plug into your PC/Mac and sync through iTunes or use 3rd party software for true cloud-based sync (like this Hotmail solution enables).
Click to expand...

True that - I worked with a client through my small tech service and we eventually ended up with an iPhone sync that used the following for her Gmail account:
Email - setting up accounts on phone and computer works already
Calendar - Google Calendar Sync
Contacts - plug in and sync through iTunes (with proper boxes checked - Contacts only)
It seems to work fine, with a little lag on the calendar.

Razz - I've used your suggestion for almost a year and it's worked quite well. I saw the Hotmail App, and tried to use that, but it was a mess - and it wouldn't sync contacts from phone to Outlook after a while, and didn't seem to sync read and deleted emails either.

Here's some tips for what it's worth - some important steps to follow after adding the hotmail email account as a Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync account. (Example using Samsung Galaxy S 4G on Android 2.3.6)
In Contacts, go to Menu - More - Settings - Save new contacts to: - select Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync here. (This is so they'll sync with Outlook)
In Calendar go to Menu - Settings - Calendars and make sure Hotmail is checked (and has the Exchange icon). Then create a new Event by going to Menu - Create, and scroll down to Calendar and tap the arrow and select Hotmail and save. This should stay that way on all new Events, so it will be saved to the correct calendar and sync with Outlook seamlessly.
HTH
 
FJ Software's MyPhoneExplorer (MPE) has been discussed here several times. It has pros and cons. I prefer the Hotmail solution because, once it's set up, it works automatically, forever anywhere in the world that you have a data connection between all Outlook PCs and mobile devices, without any phone app or any PC software. MyPhone requires an app, a PC program, and invoking syncrhonization from the same LAN as your one Outlook-based PC.
 
OK, I also noticed sometime during the summer that my calendar was no longer updating. Then I had all my Outlook contacts disappear from my phone in August only to return hours later. This week I received a replacement for my failed SGSII. I came back to this thread and redid my setup from the first post, but days later I have yet to see anything from Outlook sync with the phone. When I try to force sync on the phone the icon spins for less than a second and disappears. Reading about the server issues above it appears they have been corrected and this should still be working. This had been working flawlessly for me for over a year. Any ideas?:confused:

UPDATE: I finally got sync working again. After following the instructions on page 1 about half a dozen times with no success I decided that instead of creating the Exchange account from within the e-mail app on the phone I would do it through the Settings>Accounts and Sync area. This was the charm and my Outlook contacts and calendar are now syncing as before.
 
Razz...I hope you are still monitering this thread. I have moved into a new computer! I installed MS Outlook and sucessfully moved my PST file with previous emails/contact from old computer to the new. All email accounts are set up properly, etc. In Outlook, I have the calendar (hotmail) that I can 'check to view'; but when I do, I'm getting an error...'folder not found'.

I'm sure there is something fairly simple here that I have missed. Send/Receives run properly, I just can't seem to view the calendar on the outlook side (android is still ok as there were no changes on that side)..

Plz Help!

TIA....lee
 
abxflyr said:
In Outlook, I have the calendar (hotmail) that I can 'check to view'; but when I do, I'm getting an error...'folder not found'.
Click to expand...
I don't know. When you set up a Hotmail account on Outlook, it should just work. Are there multiple calendars? Maybe just delete the Hotmail accound and reinstall it.
 
Help! I have just lost my Outlook folders on my Android Tablet (other than Inbox, Sent, Deleted Items etc). These folders have all been there for the past year. Now they have suddenly disappeared. They are still there on Outlook on my desktop, and on my Hotmail account, but not on my tablet. Could this be because I recently updated from Honeycomb to ICS? (But the folders stayed all right for a day under ICS.)
 
I don't know. On your tablet, please make sure that your Hotmail account information is correct and that sync is turned on.
 
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