Outlook to Android Sync Options?

[Coucher]

At the end of the week, I'll be upgrading from a Touch Pro (Windows Mobile) to an Epic (Android). I've been a long time Windows Mobile user and rely heavily on Outlook for Contact & Calendar management and there doesn't seem to be a real clear solution to syncing Outlook to an Android device without losing some things.

I know to get the bare details of the contacts I can export to a CSV from Outlook, pull that in to a Gmail account, and then that will sync with the device, but what about contact photos stored in Outlook, addresses, birthdays, anniversaries, etc? If I update a contact from Outlook, how can I have it immediately sync to the Android device once it's connected to the PC? Or vice versa, I update an contact on the Android device, and then have it sync to the Outlook contact when the device is next connected to the PC. Same with the Outlook calendar. I'm constantly updating/changing/adding reminders & appointments using Outlook. I really don't want to have to change all of my contact/calendar management over to Google products just to use Android.

I've read about the HTC Sync software. What all will it sync? Will it work with a Samsung Epic device or is it restricted in some way to HTC devices?

I've stumbled upon this application, anyone have any experience with it?

http://www.markspace.com/products/an...d-gallery.html

Thanks in advance for any thoughts, advice, or experiences.

[MrObvious]

I think you can sync Outlook with Google directly but I never looked into it. But I'm pretty sure it does pictures and stuff too.

[Coucher]

Even if you can, that doesn't address most of the issues. I don't want to sync Outlook to Google (i.e Gmail), I want to sync it directly to the Android device.

[MrObvious]

It would accomplish the same thing though, just your contacts would be in the cloud.

[Coucher]

Syncing Outlook to Gmail, then to the Android device will NOT accomplish what I'm looking for and originally asked about.

There are parts of the contact record within Outlook that you cannot sync or either just aren't present in a Gmail contact, not to mention I don't want all of my contacts info stored online (i.e in a Gmail account)

[MrObvious]

Oh. Ok. I didn't realize that.

[cscotti]

I am in a similar situation to the OP, Epic on the way in a few days, longtime WM and Outlook user. In my case I use Hosted Exchange though. I thought about switching to business Gmail, but it just lacks too many features I use (tasks, calendar invites, etc...). So Exchange supposedly works with the Epic, but I was wondering if anyone has had any issues or suggestions for me when setting it up.

[BenC]

The company I work for uses Exchange and its invite/calendar feastures. Having little interest in it, it actually works on my Evo with the default mail program. I lost nothing going from the TP2 to the Evo.

[mktl]

I find a FREE PC software for managing contents on Android Phone - Android Manager WiFi .
Through WiFi connection, data between Android mobile phones and PC can be easily synchronized for example contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, applications and calendar events.
It is a FREE software,support all Android Phones,and can be downloaded from here.(http://global.mobileaction.com/product/product_AM.jsp)

[aman1127]

Outlook cant export pics via .CSV. Gmail does have an outlook sync extension though, I used it once but i forgot if I got pics with it