How to Synchronize With Google

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This lens was born out of my frustration in finding good information about synchronizing Google Apps.  I use a hosted Google Calendar for my my personal, non-work events and was looking for ways to synchronize it directly with my Motorola Razr v.3i cell phone.  This lens started as a result of my research and testing, which led, by the way, to my choosing a premium GooSync account, which worked great on my (now my wife's) Motorola Razr.

More recently, I went back to a Treo and Outlook combo. But I still find Google Calendar useful as a backup and to access when processing my personal e-mail in my hosted Google Apps account. For this purpose, I use the official Google Calendar sync tool, discussed below.

I hope you find this lens helpful.

By the way, this site runs on stars and cents.  If you enjoy the content, please rate this lens highly.  If you do not, please e-mail me with the reasons why, so that I can improve it.  Also, if you like any of the books or merchandise suggested her, please use the links from this lens to purchase them. 

And if you look at this lens and think to yourself, "hey, I could do that!"  You're right, you can.  Why not sign up for Squidoo now.  Please use this link: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/ChouDoufu

Thank you for your support.

Google Sync Poll 

If you use an application or service to sync with Google that is not listed in the poll, please let me know what it is by posting a blurb in the Guestbook, at the bottom of this page.

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Google Calendar Synch 

Google's Official App for Synchronizing with MS Outlook

Homepage: Click Here
Recommended? Yes, for MS Outlook users.
Cost: Free.

This application was not available when I started this lens. Now that Google offers its own officially supported application for synchronizing Google Calendar with MS Outlook, I suspect that many of the other services and tools listed on this lens will lose much of their user base.

For existing users of Outlook, this is probably your best option for basic, simply synchronization of your primary Google Calendar with your default Outlook calendar. Note: this application does not currently support secondary calendars.

Once you have your Google calendar synchronized with Outlook, you should be able to put it on your phone as most phones have software that will synchronize their calendars with Outlook. Those who do not use Outlook will have to use one of the other services or applications listed on this lens to synchronize their Google Calendar with with phone.

I do use this tool on a daily basis, but primarily as an extra backup of my calendar and so I can access it from my personal e-mail account.

It also makes it easy to share you calendar with others, who can add it as an overlay to their Google Calendars, or by subscribing to it as in "internet" calendar in Outlook. I personally don't do this, however, as the tool does not synchronize the privacy settings applied to appointments in Outlook.

GooSync 

Sync Google Calendar with your Phone

Homepage: Click Here
Recommended? Yes. Best choice for those who want to synchronize their Google Calendars directly, over the air, with their phones.
Cost: Basic version is free. Paid version is 19.95 BRITISH POUNDS.

I used to use GooSync to keep my Motorola Razr's datebook synchronized with Google Calendar, before I got a new job and had to use Outlook again. Like Schedule World, it works with SyncML. Unlike SW, GooSync's focus is on phones and only phones. While it should work with other SyncML applications, its primary use is to keep your phone sync'd with Google Calendar. It also offers a service to store contacts and tasks, to sync with your phone, but these are not synchronized with Google.

You can also synchronize it with Outlook using the Funambol add in, with recommended, but not supported, by GooSync. But if you want to Synch with Outlook, you might as well use Google Calendar's official Outlook add-on, discussed above. Goosync + Funambol, however, may be more appropriate for you if you need over-the-air synchronization with Goosync as well as Outlook synchronization.

For much more information about GooSync, see my lens dedicated to following this promising service: http://www.squidoo.com/goosync/.

GCalSync 

An Opensource Program For Your Java-enabled Phone

Homepage: http://www.gcalsync.com/
Recommended? Yes, for supported phones.
Cost: Free. Open source.

I have not been able to test this as it does not work on my phone. Check out the list of supported phones and search the Google Group for more information about your phone.

Unlike GooSync, GCalSync supports recurring appointments, but it treats them as multiple events.

Also, because the software resides on your phone, you don't have to share you Google login information .

ScheduleWorld 

Sync with virtually anyhting, including Google.

Homepage: http://www.scheduleworld.com/tg/cal/day.jsp
Recommended? YES, for calendars
Cost: FREE

ScheduleWorld uses SyncML to synchronize calendars, tasks, contacts, and notes with almost anything. I've tested it with my hosted Google Calendar and it worked wonderfully. It syncs recurring appointments , doesn't require that I give out my Google password, and is syncs well with my cell phone (Motorola Razr v3i).

Limited support for multiple calendars.

For an example of how SW can be used to help sync all your devices and services, see this EngTech blog post

CompanionLinks for Google 

Hotsync Google Calendar with Your Palm Desktop or Outlook

Homepage: http://www.companionlink.com/products/companionlinkforgoogle.html
Recommended? YES, for Palm Desktop and Outlook
Cost: $29.95

CompanionLink will synchronize your Google Calendar with Outlook, Palm Desktop, Lotus Notes, and Novell Groupwise. It supports synchronization of recurring events and also tasks and notes. It does not synchronize contacts.

Also, I tried this software with my Hosted Calendar and it did not work. It may not work with Google Apps.

Saraiya.com LLC 

Customized synchronization solutions based upon Google calendar.

Homepage: http://www.saraiya.com/
Recommended? Have not tested.
Cost: Varies. Contact company for quote.

Customized synchronization solutions based upon Google calendar. The company caters to the individuals, groups, and to companies. The software is a fixed price (with a discount for volume) and customizable. Saraiya will co-brand and tweak the software for companies.

Get the Most Out of Google 

I've slowly been rebuilding my personal information management system and much of my on-line communication around Google applications. Oh yeah, it is a darn good search tool as well and I'm always learning new tricks for mining data from the internet with Google.

These books will help you do the same.

Reader Feedback 

Comments welcome! Do you use a service or application not discussed above? Post about it here!

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  • Reply
    benlagat benlagat Jun 27, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
    A beautifully crafted lens.Thank you for your great resourcefulness.Your information on how to synchronize with Google is quite beneficial.Please visit Software for information regarding computer inventory software,free inventory software,asset inventory software and you will appreciate to know about inventory software
  • Reply
    charles66 charles66 Apr 1, 2008 @ 11:27 am
    This lens is the fabulous lens, thanks for sharing the important
    information and the full credit goes to this lens.
    Thanks for all of your hard work to pull it all together under one roof.
    To get some important informations of sotware testing
    this software testing notes
    hope you will gather some important notes on software testing.
  • Reply
    jagiyadav jagiyadav Mar 10, 2008 @ 6:46 am
    Great lens..thanks for sharing the useful informations on google applications and how to synchronise it.. 5-star to your lens and very informative lens..Here is the similar kind of useful and valuable information on Software testing notes , an interesting site about software testing notes, software testing basics and software testing software. please visit us.
  • Reply
    ChouDoufu ChouDoufu Dec 25, 2006 @ 10:08 pm
    Thank you for the clarification about Saraiya.com LLC. I'll update my description of your service.
  • Reply
    Yatin Saraiya Yatin Saraiya Dec 25, 2006 @ 10:03 pm
    Re: CalendarShare, Saraiya.com LLC

    Hello, we cater to the individual market as well as to pairs of people, and to companies. The software is a fixed price (with a discount for volume) and customizable by you using our settings. We also cobrand and tweak the software for companies.

    Thanks,

    Yatin
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