woensdag, maart 05, 2008

Synching Blackberry, Mac iCal and Google Calendar


Synching devices still is a hassle for a lot of people. Sure, lots of solutions, but most of them don't work with most devices and if they do, have quirky behaviour, loose data etc.

My wife just bought a magazine that had a CD with it containing PocketMac for Blackberry. This enables her to sync her Macbook with her BlackBerry. Her mag copy is free, and on the Pocketmac-site it also seems a free download. And i just found Spanning Sync which can sync iCal with Google Calendar... This costs some money (yearly or lifetime), but depending on your needs might be well worth the money... So we're now trying this for our situation. If it doesn't work out, we'll give The Missing Sync a try.

For Windows without using Outlook (Outlook users can (also) sync with Google Calendar or use Astrasync) i have a hard time finding a comparable solution. Maybe CompanionLink would do the trick. I still need to try (open sourced) GCalSync, but the fact it seems there have not been updates since 2007 makes me wonder whether it's wise to bet on that app. And this post describes synching Mozilla Thunderbird with a bb and ScheduleWorld (the latter one you might want to look in to on its own, as it might do what you need). Others use Funambol or Toffa's Goosync.

If you live in the US, you can sync directly with Google Calendar. For some (also, US-only), Google Sync works. Others are syncing Outlook to Plaxo to Google and to Mac...

If you have a Windows device, you might want to look at FinchSync. Or the newly announced Oxycube.

Linux users can give OpenSync and Barry a try, but at the moment of writing, this is not for the faint hearted.

Update april 2nd: just read about another (paid?) solution: SugarSync.

Update June 10th 2009: Google launches its Sync service for Outlook.

4 opmerkingen:

  1. Anoniem7:34 p.m.

    Ever considered an iPhone? iTunes makes synchronising a peace of cake.

    Lucas :)

    BeantwoordenVerwijderen
  2. I bet a certain mister Gates would say his solutions work perfectly well, as long as you're using all HIS stuff, Lucas ;-) ... I love Apple, it's great stuff, but (because) it's even more closed than Microsoft ;-). And to think they use open source Linux as kernel ;-)...

    BeantwoordenVerwijderen
  3. Anoniem3:58 p.m.

    I use GooSync to sync my iPaq (Windows Mobile) with Google calendar. And sync my iPaq with Outlook.

    BeantwoordenVerwijderen
  4. Anonymous7:24 a.m.

    I use GooSync to sync my iPaq (Windows Mobile) with Google calendar. And sync my iPaq with Outlook.

    BeantwoordenVerwijderen