Outlook Syncing -- or, The Sound of the Dead Horse Being Beaten

[SDC_Bolts]

My co-Workers and I have been using the Droid since December or so and have not had a problem with the contacts, calendar or email sync with our exchange server. But I wanted the option for peak times which WM had and Droid does not so I use Touchdown, it is a bit pricey, but well worth it, the features it has are ridiculous and works flawlessly. I love the Touchdown app, it is great.

 

[rickaltman]

I wonder if Touchdown is just for use with an Outlook Exchange server or would also work with generic Outlook and a POP3 account. I suspect the former...

 

[Kabilos]

Kabilos, can you give us a 50-cent tour here of what Touchdown does and how it does it?

While I can give you an explanation, one post that I found very helpful is listed here

Droid Exchange lost settings Droid Bugs

Also the link has configuration instructions. Which I found VERY helpful. As I ended up configuring mine through my web access email rather than trying to connect directly to my mail server.

This application unlike the built in one for the droid allows push, which I have yet to receive an email more than 3 minutes after it has been sent to me. Sometimes I receive email sitting at my desk before it even shows up in my outlook.

I have yet to have Touchdown fail me. I just wish there was a way to uninstall the corporate calandar and email features that came in the droid, because they are constantly opening up and being killed by my task manager, when they are not configured.

Let me know what you think.

 

[rickaltman]

I think that sounds like a terrific solution, but I have yet to get confirmation on whether Touchdown is an Exchange-only solution. From your description and those of others, I suspect so.

If that is the case, I would be of the opinion that creating an email mirror through Gmail stands as the most reliable solution for non-Exchange Outlook users to receive their mail on the Droid.

 

[Cool Cake]

I dumped Outlook completely, Google handles email, calander and contacts.
No syncing issues. A little limited but I've learned to do without and there are web based apps that fulfills most of what I am missing from Outlook.
Although it would be nice to link emails to contacts. but it's not crucial.

Just so you know...I own 3 domains and a gmail account and all get handled by google.

 

[DerekH]

I dumped Outlook completely, Google handles email, calander and contacts.
No syncing issues. A little limited but I've learned to do without and there are web based apps that fulfills most of what I am missing from Outlook.
Although it would be nice to link emails to contacts. but it's not crucial.

Just so you know...I own 3 domains and a gmail account and all get handled by google.

I think you are missing the point, which sadly seems to be frequent with this thread. The OP is looking for a syncing solution that is direct between phone and computer, not through Gmail or any "cloud" based systems. Sure, it works for you, and it is great that it does, but there are those that want their stuff more secure, and to travel through less places.

Ideally, that would mean straight from computer (Outlook or whatever) straight to phone via USB sync. Everything else, despite it's pro's and con's, is not relevant to what the OP is looking for.

 

[rickaltman]

I'm not so sure that we are all missing the point. Or perhaps I should say that the prevailing point is that nobody knows of a straight-line solution from Outlook to Droid. In my research and thread-reading, I have encountered nobody who is offering or who has discovered a way to do that. Therefore, the point of the thread has evolved to encompass workaround solutions.

In my case, making the concession that I would hae to take a detour through the cloud has actually been a blessing. It's been seven days now, and syncing has been completely flawless and 100% unattended. Anything I add to Calendar or Contacts in Outlook or in my phone finds its way to the other location in about five minutes without my having to do anything at all. For me, that is worth the loss of privacy.

 

[kdnavrat]

Bump

I think that sounds like a terrific solution, but I have yet to get confirmation on whether Touchdown is an Exchange-only solution. From your description and those of others, I suspect so.

If that is the case, I would be of the opinion that creating an email mirror through Gmail stands as the most reliable solution for non-Exchange Outlook users to receive their mail on the Droid.

I'm with you and trying to determine the same thing. I'm looking at
PSST : USB Syncing very closely - thinking it might do what we want.

I welcome any other developments on this.

My situation is this - coming from Windows Mobile; my setup is this - Work Exchange server and Outlook on home desktop; Droid; I'm working fine going between Work/Exchange - to Droid (Corporate Calendar and Contacts); I'm wanting to sync from Droid to Home Outlook; don't mind going via USB to home; not terribly concerned about email, but may change.

Thanks for your persistence.

Kurt

 

[kdnavrat]

RE: PSST USB Syncing:

"TouchDown may let you view as well as edit or delete the information as well as create new items. NONE of the changes you make on the phone will transfer over to Outlook. So the sync is one-way from PC to phone."

Fail

 

[dmacleo]

RE: PSST USB Syncing:

"TouchDown may let you view as well as edit or delete the information as well as create new items. NONE of the changes you make on the phone will transfer over to Outlook. So the sync is one-way from PC to phone."

Fail

I use touchdown extensively, but you need an exchange server in the mix. any changes I make on the phone are updated on my exchange server and all outlook clients (again, hooked to exchange) show the changes.
people try to use touchdown without an exchange server, it will not do what you want.

 

[SeanRinVA]

I think that sounds like a terrific solution, but I have yet to get confirmation on whether Touchdown is an Exchange-only solution. From your descript

Touchdown is exchange only

I'm working fine going between Work/Exchange - to Droid (Corporate Calendar and Contacts); I'm wanting to sync from Droid to Home Outlook; don't mind going via USB to home; not terribly concerned about email, but may change.

Thanks for your persistence.

Kurt

You would have to look at where home email is hosted. Can you move it to an Exchange environment (rqd. for sync)? You can have multiple POP3 accounts in the mail app, but that's not sync capable.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[takeshi]

I'm not sure why Touchdown is even mentioned in this thread. Well, aside from the fact that apparently a lot of people don't understand the difference between Exchange (server) and Outlook (client). Exchange != Outlook and vice versa. Touchdown does not sync with Outlook. It will, however, connect to and sync with an Exchange server.

I wonder if Touchdown is just for use with an Outlook Exchange server or would also work with generic Outlook and a POP3 account. I suspect the former...

Why wonder? The info is out there (see below).

Touchdown is exchange only

Not exactly:
NitroDesk Inc. - Convergence Redefined

Supported servers
TouchDown™ works with the following types of email servers :
POP3 and IMAP servers are NOT supported

• Exchange Server 2003 SP2 and above
• Zimbra
• Kerio
• Novell GroupWise **
• Sun Java Communication Suite **
• Oracle OCS & Beehive Suites **
• Mirapoint Messaging Server **
• Alt-N MDaemon **
• People Cube's Meeting Maker **
• OpenText First Class **
• Google Premier Apps **

**(NEW! only through NotifyLink™), and supported only when you are running the Notify-certified version of TouchDown.

 

[alkaholic]

I haven't peeked back into this thread in a while, and I appreciate everybody's input--and appreciate those of you that have been helping clarify the main two issues I'm trying to resolve:

Touchdown DOES sound great--but I have a small business (read: just me), and I don't run an exchange server. No go.

For those of you that have used all of the solutions that you've mentioned and mention Google-anything in your solution, those who point it out above are correct...you're not getting my point. Google IS a great thing. Android IS a great tool. It DOES just work. I'm not arguing any of these points. I just can't use Google's servers to store my calendar or contacts. Now I know that when most of you see that, you roll your eyes and think that I have a Mulder poster on my bedroom wall in my parents' basement, but stop and think for a second. Do you really want your doctor to have his note saying "Tell Bob Jones about his positive herpes test result" on Google's server? Do you think that rich and famous people (I'm not one of 'em) want to have all of their famous friends info floating up in the cloud? Remember Paris Hilton's Sidekick? Do you think that the head of the SEC should have his Google calendar entry of "Enron Search Warrant" scheduled for next Wednesday? Google storage works well for most people, because most people don't care. Personally, it doesn't work for me. And I think those who want to keep their stuff out of the cloud should be able to take advantage of this incredible magical toy that is an Android phone. Whoops, hang on, off soapbox.

As for what I've been finding. I haven't heard anybody wave the banner for the Missing Sync. That's because (in my humble opinion and experience) it stinks. I never made it work with my Outlook '07 and Droid, and not only did it never work (and tech support never offered me a viable solution), but I went back to try it again to give it one more chance two weeks ago, and it screwed up all of my contacts. Some just disappeared, and even more troubling, about half of them had their data scrambled--the wrong phone number moved into the wrong contact. My recommendation is avoid it like the plague.

CompanionLink USB wins hands down. It just plain works. I thought I had a problem ('till I realized that it was the Missing Sync that had been the problem), and CL's tech support was responsive, provided free telephone support, and followed up even after I solved my problem. Kudos, folks, I'm impressed and I'll by more of your products.

I still don't have an answer for my e-mail, though, and I'm still hopeful. Anyone have any NON-Exchange, NON-Gmail solutions to sync my Outlook Inbox and folders with my Droid? Please?

 

[kdnavrat]

I'm still having a difficult time getting my sync-ing needs met: A quick summary of where I came from:
Work (calendar/contacts) - Microsoft Exchange Server 2003/Outlook 2007
synched wireless to
Samsung/Windows Mobile - Calendar / Contacts
synched via USB/ActiveSync
Home (calendar/contacts) - Microsoft Outlook 2003

Everything synchronized - contacts, calendar, tasks; email not an issue

Now - take out the Samsung and replace with Droid.

I've really struggled to get situated. Out of the box Droid did a nice job of setting up Contacts and Calendar from Work. Work Calendar went into a "Corporate Calendar" on Droid; Work Contacts went into Droid Contacts, identified as "Corporate Contact".

Problem - no way to get these things on the Droid to talk to home Outlook.

After a number of tries (Using Google Calendar Sync, Sync2, Touchdown), I am still at this fundamental problem.

Any suggestions?

 

[Phreaker47]

Okay, CompanionLink for Google is awesome. I am sold. It works! Total syncing anywhere, any time, Outlook>Droid, Droid>Outlook. Love it.