Sync Outlook work, Outlook home and mobile

[dlenef]

(newbie alert)

I know there are many threads covering various sync issues, but didn't see anything covering this specific scenario.

What software/system do you recommend to keep calendar, contacts and tasks synchronized between my Outlook 2003 at work and at home, plus my mobile phone?

I have a Moto RAZR right now, but I'm open to buying a new phone if that's what it takes.

Thanks!

--dave

 

[ChrisF]

You can sync between multiple computers (not Outlook email though). In a sense, the phone becomes a conduit device that keeps both sources synchronized.

I use an 8525 or Pocket PC based phone (Razr will not work for this). I think I replied down another topic or two about my personal system and what I use on it. Anyway, I sync wirelessly via Exchange with my work and then sync via USB with my PC at home. Data migrates both ways (you can mark things private or non-sync if you want but I rarely even use private). You can do both via USB also. I tend to favor Windows Mobile type devices which allow for this. Not sure about Blackberry or Palm but I'd assume the same.

 

[sweat]

Dave,

I'm upgrading from my LG Fusic, which is a great phone, to a smart phone so that I can easier sync Outlook between home and work, as well as just to keep myself more organized. (I have a Motorola Q 9c on hold at Sprint.)

My phone, and I think the same probably applies to the RAZR, is a separate device relative to Outlook, which I use to keep track of appointments. I used to use a Palm separately, but it was is just another thing to carry and another device to keep track off.

This said, you could use a Palm to sync Outlook between your office and your PC. if that is your preference.

I *think* iPods have some type of calendar feature, but I have no idea if they will sync with Outlook or not.

Hope this helps.

 

[MsftMan]

AirSet Solution

Take a look at AirSet as one solution (Free) and the other might be Plaxo (free also) and available if you are a Comcast Highspeed customer. AirSet also has mobile phone solutions that work in conjunction with the online information manager. So it will sync your office PC, home PC, and see all the important info on your phone (depending on model and internet capability).

Hope this helps.

 

[MrProactive]

Home - Palm - Office Tuff

FWIW, I tried for a long time about three years ago to sync my Palm between Home - Palm - Office and just had too much duplication and corruption.

I ended up just keeping all in my GTD (home and work) in my work Outlook and using the Palm on the road and at home, until I got a laptop. Now it all stays in there.

 

[dlenef]

Airset

(I'm the original poster. Thanks for responses so far.)

I have been using Airset for many months now. And I do use their Java mobile software on my phone.

While I'm happy for the most part with Airset, it has some issues:

- doesn't sync tasks
- mobile software is glacially slow on my phone
- The Airset company has been a little sluggish with updates. They appear to be gearing up to lift their product and marketing, but who knows. Bottom line, I'm not confident that this product will evolve.

--dave

 

[justin caise]

Go ahead - Laugh.
No really laugh, I gonna say it anyway.
Briefcase.
In Windows? You know that annoying little icon on your desktop that you've been ignoring forever?
I don't know about the phone issues -cause I'm not up to speed on that yet.
but really - Outlook from one machine to the next... briefcase to thumbdrive jump drive usb flash drive what ever you call it.
Update is the term one uses to well, update.

see this http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,50104.msg318247.html#msg318247

it got me rockin and rollin.
JC

 

[smithdoug]

Has anyone tried pstsync? synchpst? EZ Outlook sync?

Go ahead - Laugh.
Outlook from one machine to the next... briefcase to thumbdrive jump drive usb flash drive what ever you call it.
Update is the term one uses to well, update.
JC

Have you actually tried this? Do you know that it works?

From what research I've done, most "synchronization" applications/methods don't work with the pst files that Outlook uses. Consequently there are various "commercial" applications developed specifically for synchronizing pst files from different machines (laptop, desktop, home, work, etc). Some of these are mentioned on Microsoft's web site.

None of the ones I've read about seem to be elegantly simple to use. My solution is to copy the actual pst database from one machine to the other; which is a little laborious, not without risk of damaging or corrupting the database, and certainly not a file synchronization procedure.

Does anyone here have any experience with one of the commercial Outlook synchronization products which they can share? (i.e. pstsync, synchpst, EZ Outlook Sync.)