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Alternative to outlook.

Hello.
Is there an alternative around for outlook? both desktop and/or pda? that allows sync? (calendar, contacts and email, notes, etc...) i really hate outllook. its slow and lags alot....
if anyone have any ideas?
all the best
OliveiraJMR.

If you only want to sync your desktop, take a look at, say, IntelliSync or, to a lesser degree, mNotes.
If with an Exchange server, you can do it too.

But is there any way to use for instance thunderbird?

FinchSync allows you to syncronize Pocket Outlook with Thunderbird. It is said to syncronize contacts, appointments and tasks between Windows Mobile and Thunderbird/Sunbird.
I haven't tested it yet.
http://www.finchsync.com/
Jörg

Forgot to mention:
http://synchingthunder.sourceforge.net/
It allows one to synchronize Thunderbird installation between different computers. Not exactly what you are looking for, but it may have its uses.
(I failed to get it to work on my system though)
Jörg

Thank you.
Hi there!
First, thank you all for all your kick awnsers!!
I found another program, payware, that lets you sync pocket pc and thunderbird. its called birdie sync http://www.birdiesync.com/home.html shame it doesnt let you, for now they say, sync email...
talking about e-mail... this is exactly what i cant find!! some sort of way to sync pocket pc and thunderbird email.....any ideas?
Another idiea would be putting thunderbird to sych with an outlook.pst file and the user regular active sync...
All the best,
Joao Oliveira.
.

I'm not sure if there already are applications that synchronize the emails (haven't came across any), but it will probabely come...
I also haven't found software to synchronize an Outlook (on the PC) with a ThunderBird.
Jörg

I would love to sync my contacts and appointments with GMail, is there anyway possible. I found Goosync for appointments, but nothing for the contacts file (which is what i REALLY want).
Any ideas?

Birdiesync.
Hello All!
Looks like birdiesync is now supporting e-mail sync.
So you can now actually sync windows mobile 5 with Thunderbird. It supports besides mail, calendar (using sunbird/lightning beta) calendar and tasks.
I'm still testing it.. they have a fully functional trial version that works for 30 days. if you like it you can buy it for 24,95dolars.
all the best,
Joao.

Windows Live contacts not synchronizing with Outlook (but I would like them to!)

I apologise if this is a FAQ - I've searched but only found a single reference to a similar problem. It was in the Trinity forum here and the fix listed didn't help me.
I recently upgraded my Hermes to WM6 with Windows Live version 10.6.0028.1100. I have the synchronize options set to sync email and contacts, merging duplicate contacts.
When I synchronized with Windows Live, it downloaded the email and put the contacts on the phone, but the Live contacts won't synchronize over to Outlook. I would like them to, if possible (unlike most people it seems, from the search results I got) - they did in the previous version of Windows Live that I was using with WM5.
I also tried creating a "Windows Live" contact on the phone itself, and that did not synchronize with Outlook either. Regular contacts do.
Is this a known issue? If anyone is better with the search than I am, I'd be grateful for any assistance.
Edit: I just deleted the Activesync pairing and re-paired, then resynchronized with Windows Live. It deleted all but 5 of my contacts from my Messenger list (the 5 that were new since I updated to the new version of Messenger and that weren't in Outlook) - OUCH!

I just downgraded to 10.6.0026.1400, which I heard could be more stable.
I still have the same issues though - many Live contacts in my phone not synchronising to Outlook on the desktop.
Any ideas?

Have you considered trying Microsoft Outlook Connector on your desktop? This will allow outlook to sync directly with windows live. I have been also looking into ways to sync outlook connector on my desktop with an exchange server so i have true direct-push e-mail along with contact and calendar syncing from windows live. If this appeals to you, let me know and we can start a thread for that!
Best,
MJB

Interesting, thanks for the information, I wasn't aware of Outlook Connector. I might give the latest beta a go if there's no longer a way to synchronise them directly from the phone.
So is the issue with Live contacts not automatically synchronising to Outlook on the desktop expected, then? If so, it must have changed from the earlier pre-WM6 betas.

to the best of my knowledge u need a paid hotmail account for outlook connector

You don't need a paid account for mail and contacts, only for the rest (such as calendar).
Although Outlook (at least 2002 and 2007) lets you synchronize live mail anyway, so that's not much of a bonus.

[Q] Syncing Outlook contacts and calendar to WP7

Hi, I'm new around here as a new WP7 user, I'm trying to get some advice. I have all of my contacts and calendar entries synced to Outlook. I have Zune software installed. I may just be missing something simple, but how do I get the phone to sync with Outlook and grab these contacts and calendar entries?
Many thanks
Michael.

Bad news. It does not sync with Outlook (only Exchange version) with a pst file.
11 page thread below re this.

What? Windows phone do not sync with outlook? Are they killing each other...
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Hi
It is possible - just get the Outlok connector to sync Outlook to Windows Live, and then Windows Live will sync to the WP7 (over the air).
Paul

I'm shocked that it can't just sync directly with Outlook
Anyway, I did put my Windows Live ID onto the phone, but that then synced all of my MSN contacts to the phone book, which I don't want. I couldn't find a way to stop it syncing my MSN contacts, and as you cannot delete the account once entered, I had to format the phone and start over.
So it looks like I'm going to need a whole new Windows Live account just to sync my Outlook contacts and calendar. Looking at the Outlook connector it seems to be saying that it'll transfer your Live contacts and calendar to Outlook, but what I'm wanting is the other way around, my Outlook calendar and contact to transfer to Live. How do you do this?
Many thanks
Michael.

Ok - firstly Windows Live isn't the only way to sync contacts/calendar on to your phone OTA. There is Exchange, gmail etc to do this. You might want to look at the other methods.
I for one didn't want to use Live at all and went for an hosted Exchange option till I can get my own server sorted (overkill I know). However, hosted Exchange costs about £4 pm.If you have your own domain, even sweeter.
So I still use Outlook (I'm lucky I have 2010 so can have 2 excahnge accounts on 1 profile) to keep all my work and home calendar and contacts in sync with my phone and this also translates to home desktops and laptops automatically too. This is as easy as drgging and dropping between accounts.

chubnut said:
Ok - firstly Windows Live isn't the only way to sync contacts/calendar on to your phone OTA. There is Exchange, gmail etc to do this. You might want to look at the other methods.
I for one didn't want to use Live at all and went for an hosted Exchange option till I can get my own server sorted (overkill I know). However, hosted Exchange costs about £4 pm.If you have your own domain, even sweeter.
So I still use Outlook (I'm lucky I have 2010 so can have 2 excahnge accounts on 1 profile) to keep all my work and home calendar and contacts in sync with my phone and this also translates to home desktops and laptops automatically too. This is as easy as drgging and dropping between accounts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I have to sync with Outlook OTA, what I really want is a solution that works the same as MobileMe, i.e., it automatically keeps all the data between the phone and Outlook in sync without the need to perform manual syncs. Is this possible?

the usual send/recieve in outlook will connect to your live account also and onto your phone why pay £4pm when this kinda thing should be included, I'm sure MS will get off their arse soon and do some updates and tweaking.

jedix said:
the usual send/recieve in outlook will connect to your live account also and onto your phone why pay £4pm when this kinda thing should be included, I'm sure MS will get off their arse soon and do some updates and tweaking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right MS need to sort this out but I doubt it's a priority. They consider the whole Outlook thing to be a business solution and by their very own words are a secondary concern for this OS at the moment. They want the simple masses not the business/power users. They want that massive chunk of iPhone and Android drones to come over to WP.
There is no way I want my business and personal contacts and calendar on Live. That **** gets hacked all the time. The hosted exchange solution was the safest and easiest solution for me at present. It's quick and easy to set up, secure as it's a business solution and employs security protocols way above those on Live. In addition the OTA synchronisation between the device and all other machines that use that exchange account (so those at home and my PC at work) is instantaneous, and yes a bit of a pain to do the drag and drop between the exchange accounts but it's EXACTLY the same as you will have to do if you use Live and the Outlook connector. £4pm is in my opinion not a high price to pay for to satisfy my concerns.

Hmmm, so what r the options ?
Desktop synching is critical to me.
I've got a small business, we don't run Exchange server but have invested serious time to standardise on Outlook/Office: contacts, tasks, notes, onenote, email client, word/excel.
Contacts and detailed contact info is our IP; Word/Excel data is client confidential. Placing this on someone else's drive in the cloud isn't an option.
From what I understand so far...
1. Phone 7: data on the cloud; doesn't sync (manual updates)
2. Android: data on the cloud; synchs email and contacts only (?)
3. Apple: data on the desktop, synchs email and contacts only
4. Symbian: ugh !
5. WM6.x: currently trying to get away from the endless problems and snail-like performance
Is this right ?
Does anyone have an alternative (other than implementing Exchange)?
(Waiting doesn’t seem an option either. I'm sceptical MS will introduce desktop synching anytime soon, or at all: social users won't care and Exchange synch takes care of corporates - hence 80% of potential market is catered for. Also, the prospect of selling cloud storage has put a light in way too many eyes. )

mrochester said:
If I have to sync with Outlook OTA, what I really want is a solution that works the same as MobileMe, i.e., it automatically keeps all the data between the phone and Outlook in sync without the need to perform manual syncs. Is this possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows Live uses Exchange ActiveSync. That is far superior to MobileMe. Do people still use MobileMe?
Anyways...
Exchange also uses ActiveSync.
Exchange is supported Natively in Outlook. Windows Live is supported via the Connector (Mail, Contacts, Calendar).
Everything stays in Sync.

jedix said:
the usual send/recieve in outlook will connect to your live account also and onto your phone why pay £4pm when this kinda thing should be included, I'm sure MS will get off their arse soon and do some updates and tweaking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Outlook Connector and Hotmail ActiveSync is completely free.
Don't spread lies.

I'm not totally of-fay with Android or iPhone so can't really comment except I think that iPhones also do calendar from Outlook desktop via iTunes (and correct me if I'm wrong OTA with exchange).
Also with Android, some guys at work do use desktop sync to Outlook but I don't know what and how but they do use it.
I just came off the WinMo 6.5 bandwagon so I know what it was capable of not mater how bad.
WP7, my company won't open up the ports to allow Exchange to sync (they like SlackBerries) and with the absence desktop sync I had to implement my own methods for OTA syncing without using Live. None of this is ideal but it seems from other forums that a lot of people are complaining about this and M$ I believe are listening, though when it will be sorted is another matter.
Sorry

dfh said:
what I understand so far...
1. Phone 7: data on the cloud; doesn't sync (manual updates)
2. Android: data on the cloud; synchs email and contacts only (?)
3. Apple: data on the desktop, synchs email and contacts only
4. Symbian: ugh !
5. WM6.x: currently trying to get away from the endless problems and snail-like performance
Is this right ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't understand... No, it is not correct.
1. Data on the cloud. Synchs automatically:
Of course your email, calendar, and contact list shows up from Hotmail, powered by Exchange ActiveSync. And because the phone supports multiple ActiveSync connections, you can connect to your Exchange server at work and view all of your mail, both calendars, and your entire contact list on your phone. And similar to Hotmail on the web, it’s really easy to make quick edits to Office documents you receive as email attachments and reply.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reference: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_...0/10/11/windows-live-and-windows-phone-7.aspx
2. Android Synchs Calendars from Google Servers. Google on Android has weaker (i.e. less tight) integration than Windows Live on Windows Phone 7, though.
3. MobileMe is inferior to both the WP7/Live and Android/Google integration. It supports ActiveSync, however.
4. Symbian supports ActiveSync. Symbian may not look that great but feature for feature it can match or rival most other smartphone OSes. The UI is what has held Symbian back, not the core platform - which is great.
5. WM6.x Supports ActiveSync and there is Windows Live for Windows Mobile to Sync Winodws Live Mail and Contacts to the phone. It can also merge Live Contacts with already-existing Phone contacts and show Presence information. There is Microsoft Office 2010 Mobile for Windows Mobile 6.5. The only WinMo phone I'd bother using is an HD2 these days, but that device has its own problems (if you get a "good one", then you're good to go, though).
On WinMo 6.5 You can sync your Hotmail Contacts/Mail via Windows Live for Windows Mobile, chat with Windows Live Messenger Mobile, and get your Google Mail, Contacts, and Calendar via ActiveSync by way of Google Sync.
Does anyone have an alternative (other than implementing Exchange)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can get a Blackberry and use BIS/BES.
(Waiting doesn’t seem an option either. I'm sceptical MS will introduce desktop synching anytime soon, or at all: social users won't care and Exchange synch takes care of corporates - hence 80% of potential market is catered for. Also, the prospect of selling cloud storage has put a light in way too many eyes. )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Desktop Syncing is a feature being fantastically overstated in these forums, just like stuff like a File manager. If you're a Lemming then just get an Android phone and use Google Services. If you can make your own decisions I think I've cleared up enough of your misconceptions in this reply (or at least given you the capabilities of each platform IRT what info syncs that may pretain to you specific use case).
EDIT: If you're running a business you can do yourself a favor and oursource your Exchange hosting. For example: http://www.apps4rent.com/ has 6-7GB mailboxes for something like $7.99/mo and you can get just 1 mailbox if you want, with no contract or anything. I used them for a couple of years, so I can vouch for them. You get Outlook for free with you Plan (or Entourage/Outlook for Mac) and ActiveSync is a free Add-On. You can access from web browsers using OWA, and use either a sub-domain or your own domain.

See this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=797472

I'm pretty sure anyone reading this thread has seen that trainwreck of a thread. You don't need to crosspost the link here. You're free to bump your thread.

Pretty sure
I'm very sure that you do not use Outlook on a stand alone PC with a pst file and sync every day with a Win Phone or you would understand what we are all talking about. No I qualify, sync every day with Calender, Tasks, & Contacts.[/I]

Just for those who have read this thread and are confused; I have an outlook calendar, contacts, and hotmail all synced up with my WP7 device.
Calendar - I chose to install Google Calendar Sync onto my Outlook PC. It automatically syncs my local outlook calendar with the cloud every 10 mins. Google calendar then pushes any changes to my phone instantly, no wires.
Contacts - I chose to install the hotmail connector for outlook, and dragged all my contacts out of their folder and into the hotmail account. this pushed them onto the phone automatically, no wires. Any changes to contacts are now made either on the phone directly, or in the new contacts folder created by the hotmail connector.
Hotmail - I used to use the POP3 account settings, but decided to change to using the outlook connector instead. Works a treat. Push Email is far superior to clunky old send/receive schedules.
The above may not suit everone, but it works for me and I`m very happy with the results.

@N8ter
No, desktop sync and file manager is not oversized.
It's basics which should be provided

Funny how people were moaning about WM6.5's lack of wireless sync with Outlook. Now that WP7 syncs wirelessly with Outlook, people are moaning that it doesn't sync over wired USB.
Some people will never be happy. *shrug*

Outlook connector not syncing?

I downloaded the outlook connector and went through the entire tutorial and i believe i set up my contacts and calender correctly. All the contacts and calender entries from outlook are now in my windows live account, and are also on my HTC trophy.
The problem i'm running into is now that it doesn't actively sync and keep my live entries up to date. If i add a new contact in outlook, i dont see it in live or on my Trophy, and the same with new calender entries.
I feel like i'm missing something small, but i just cant seem to figure it out. I tried deleting the live calender in outlook and recopying it again, and that worked to show new entries, but it still does not actively sync with new entries.

Make sure you're adding to the right calendar and contacts, there is at least 2 of each, contacts will have something like contacts and then contacts from "live account username", calendar you'll need to tick the box for calendar from "live account username" and add your entries to that calendar to get them on your phone. As an aside do you only use outlook for your live account?

No i use outlook for business email, contacts and calendar.
I'm attempting to delete the entire Live account from outlook and also clear my contacts, and calendar from hotmail then add everything again. Hopefully it works this time.
So just so i'm correct in my way of thinking, once Outlook connector is configured correctly it should automatically sync your contact and email 3 ways between the WP7 Smartphone, Windows Live, and Outlook? and for most people is this working flawlessly?

Yes thats right, anything you add to Outlook against your Live bits will sync to Windows Live which in turn will sync to your phone and any combination of adding on one will update the other two, it's not instant but will all catch up eventually (think mainly down to how you have your sync intervals)

ah, now i see where the confusion comes into play.
Only the Live(hotmail) profile in outlook will sync with the rest. Not my original profile. SO that means if i create a new calendar item in my regular POP account, i have to copy it over to my Live account in order for it to sync with the cloud, and then my trophy.
Seems like the simpler thing to do would be to use gmail calender sync. At least that doesn't require redundant sync's.

at least we know that MS thought it through

[Q] Google or Live for Outlook sync

Now that I have google calendar and contacts syncing with outlook via companion link - I saw an option on one of the accounts for syncing with hotmail. I haven't used hotmail for syncing with outlook calendars or contacts, only for email in the past.
Seems like android should be more friendly with the droid since it's a google product (long standing bugs unresolved, like DST problems with the free google cal sync), but wasn't sure if anyone here was using hotmail / live instead to sync calendars and contacts with outlook? I have 90 days to return the companion link software but thought I would check here before laying down the $50.

I think I'm confused on something...
I use both Gmail and hotmail's exchange settings on my mobile and calendars and contacts sync perfectly. The same should apply to outlook without a third party application, I think
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA

burgeswe said:
I think I'm confused on something...
I use both Gmail and hotmail's exchange settings on my mobile and calendars and contacts sync perfectly. The same should apply to outlook without a third party application, I think
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I don't have an exchange server, I am using pop mail and a local outlook pst database file for my calendar. Sounds like you are on exchange and that's a different animal... but I think the outlook connector might act as an exchange server for windows live/hotmail/outlook syncing.

Ah OK. Could you connect to hotmail's exchange server? m.Hotmail.com
Should be able to sync that way
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA

Oh, now that's funny.... outlook connector does not sync outlook calendars to the windows live one, you have to open the windows live calendar in outlook to modify it. Yet the google program does sync the data within the native outlook calendar... go figure. I can't figure why they all messed with things like active sync that just directly synced your device to your outlook database on your local computer and thought it would be so splendidly awesome to go cloud. Yipee.