Mark Bridge writes:
I've previously talked about my Google Nexus S and the challenges of synchronising it with Microsoft Outlook. Well, more like the problem of finding anything that'll do the job.
It's my own fault, I know. But I'd assumed that the job my Windows Mobile smartphone did so well would also be done - at least after a fashion - by the Nexus S.
TheFonecast.com has previously reported on the likes of Good Technology and TouchDown, both of which work with Microsoft Exchange. But things aren't so easy when you have a single copy of Outlook on your laptop.
I'd browsed syncdroid.net and done some of my own research. CompanionLink would have been almost perfect if it hadn't insisted on using its own Android app to handle calendar, contacts, tasks and notes. Google has its own free tool for wirelessly syncing calendar entries. I'd looked at stand-alone alternatives, including the excellent Evernote and cult favourite Remember The Milk. And I discovered that HTC provided its own calendar & contacts tool for consumers.
Eventually I gave gSyncit a try. The price is $19.99 (£13.25 when I bought it) from Fieldston Software. It does pretty much everything I want. ... and without needing a USB cable. Outlook calendar and contacts data ends up in GMail, from where Android puts them in its own built-in apps. Notes find themselves in Google documents. Outlook tasks can sync to Google's task list. Email doesn't synchronise but that never really bothered me; I can download new stuff when I'm out, which is all that matters.
From there it’s just a question of adding GTasks and GDocs from the Android Market to my Nexus S and I’m a much happier soul. I finally have a Microsoft Outlook and Android sync.
There’s just one question I’m left with. Why wasn’t all this easier? I’m not the only Outlook user with an Android phone.