Sync smartphone with Outlook desktop

Sync smartphone with Outlook desktop

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My ancient Nokia synced my Outlook contacts, tasks and calendar with Outlook no problem. My ancient Sony w300i was even better because it knew that would categorise home PC as personal and work PC as business. Neither were smartphones. My current phone is Nokia running Windows 7.8. I bought it assuming it would sync just as well as my old phones and was astonished to find it did not: it will sync contacts and calendar with Hotmail but not Outlook desktop. The Nokia has died and I'm buying a new phone. I'm not keen on Apple because you have to use iTunes calendar which you can't set as Outlook desktop default. What do you use? Why doesn't anything work as well as it did in the days of un-smartphones?

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By paulwakefield1
05th Feb 2015 09:04

One of the many reasons

that I still have my trusty Nokia E71. I dread the day it dies.

Syncing Outlook does seem to be a challenge. For Android, there used to be Googlesync (or some such name) but Google killed it off. The solution I have now adopted for my Android tablet is to use the gSyncit Outlook addin which syncs with Google calendar. Straightforward and seems to work fine but not as neat as Nokia Suite and, like you, I wonder why it seems to be getting harder rather than easier.

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By nautical
05th Feb 2015 09:26

iphone works

One of the nicest things about changing to an iphone a couple of years ago is that the synching just happens.  No more plugging in or running special programs or pressing buttons.  You create a calender in your icloud which is opened in Outlook and then Outlook and the iphone just keep in sync with each other automatically.

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By Howard Marks
05th Feb 2015 09:37

iPhone and Office 365

Works a treat.

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By wrightaccounts
05th Feb 2015 10:09

Nokia Lumia & Office 365
Simples!

Both my old WP7 and my current WP8 Lumias have worked a treat with Office 365 - I use Outlook on my desktop pc, plus occasionally an iPad, plus my phone (surgically attached!)

All contacts, calendars and email synchronise seamlessly - and I don't have to wrestle with iTunes. The Windows bits sort themselves out without having cables or anything.

I also have a 'personal' gmail account and that sorts itself out too.

Wouldn't dream of using a non Windows phone.

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By johngroganjga
05th Feb 2015 11:09

Yes you can use the ICloud calendar in Outlook so that is not a reason for not using an IPhone. Furthermore the syncing between the devices there takes place instantly in real time (through the Cloud) - so you never have to remember or think about syncing at all. It just happens.

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Replying to memyself-eye:
Morph
By kevinringer
06th Feb 2015 06:53

Tasks too?

johngroganjga wrote:
Yes you can use the ICloud calendar in Outlook so that is not a reason for not using an IPhone.
Does it also sync tasks?
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Replying to Accountant A:
By johngroganjga
06th Feb 2015 07:52

Tasks

kevinringer wrote:

johngroganjga wrote:
Yes you can use the ICloud calendar in Outlook so that is not a reason for not using an IPhone.
Does it also sync tasks?

Yes it syncs Tasks - and Notes too.

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By paulwakefield1
05th Feb 2015 12:09

I don't have an iPhone

so can I just check the above replies apply to the desktop Outlook without using iTunes (as per the OP) as well as Outlook.com? Clients ask me this sort of thing and its useful to have some idea!

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By cbp99
05th Feb 2015 12:24

.

The reason it is so difficult to sync smartphones with MS Outlook is clearly lack of demand. There can't be more than, oh, 50 or 100 million people around the world who would find this useful.

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By paulwakefield1
05th Feb 2015 13:41

@John

Many thanks. Very helpful.

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By Petra@Microsoft Small Business
05th Feb 2015 13:53

Here I am again....

http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/mobile/lumiabiztrial/.

If you are not sure, and you want to trial first - providing you have 25 users, Microsoft can send you some of the latest Nokia phones on a trial basis... enter using the link above and we'll get in touch.

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By paulwakefield1
06th Feb 2015 07:27

Just going back to Android

the gSyncit Outlook addin would appear to be very similar tin operation to the iCloud addin mentioned above.

For info, it syncs calendar, contacts, tasks and notes. I only use it for calendar where it works seamlessly. I cannot comment on the other items not having used them.

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AS
By AS
06th Feb 2015 09:40

Cloud services

Microsoft (and Google, Apple, etc.) want you to use cloud services. Your Nokia will sync your contacts and calendar very happily with Outlook desktop if you move them to the cloud onto Hotmail or outlook.com. This is a one off set up and takes a few minutes to do. For the best results, I suggest you use Office 365 which, for mailbox only, costs £2.50 per month and gives you a 50gb Exchange mailbox that with full sync of emails, task, contacts, calendars, etc. In my opinion it is superb value for money.

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By paulwakefield1
06th Feb 2015 09:58

Sorry if I wasn't clear

My Nokia syncs with no problems at all with my desktop Outlook and has done for many years. No need for the cloud. I normally just use a bluetooth connection. Simple, reliable and straightforward. Newer systems and devices seem to need the cloud as an intermediary; I can see the logic but I quite enjoy being a luddite. :-) Not to mention the 6 day+ battery life.

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Replying to charliecarne:
By johngroganjga
06th Feb 2015 12:51

Cloud

paulwakefield1 wrote:

Newer systems and devices seem to need the cloud as an intermediary; I can see the logic but I quite enjoy being a luddite. :-)

I have no problem with Luddites - I can be one myself sometimes.  But your use of the phrase "seem to need" suggests that you don't understand the transformative benefit of syncing through the Cloud.  It's not just another way of skinning the same cat - i.e. syncing through a bluetooth or wired connection.  It's completely automatic and instantaneous. You never need to remember to sync again and you will never be disadvantaged through having forgotten so sync. Syncing goes on all the time (provided the devices are switched on of course) even when you are asleep and even between devices that are in different continents.  

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By nicstone
06th Feb 2015 11:13

Outlook and iPhone

They launched a new Outlook app at the end of January.  I havent used it yet (as mine syncs fine over icloud) but it at least shows the will to make outlook and iphones work.

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By paulwakefield1
06th Feb 2015 13:22

Yes I do appreciate that

and I do use the cloud for just that purpose in other areas.

But I do like also having a solution which does not require a connection with the outside world.

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By andybailey
10th Feb 2015 11:11

Thumbs Up for Outlook iPhone App!

I have been using the Outlook iPhone app for a little while now- it's early days, however I am finding it much better than Apple's Mail/ Calander apps.  I used the CloudMagic email app for a while too, which was great for email, but didn't include a calendar - having both in the same place is much easier.  

I can now access my business MS Exchange account and personal outlook.com email, contacts and calendar in a single location, and I can filter these by account if I choose to.

I have also enabled my Office 365 and DropBox accounts so I can access my data too.

Still to be convinced on the Focused/Other inboxes, however this can be disabled...experimenting at the moment to find what works best for me.

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