Sync contacts (phone/outlook/gmail)

[jj14x]

Background:
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I got an EVO (upgraded from TP2) earlier this month and am struggling with 'contacts'. My contact list resides in outlook and I used to sync TP2 to it. With the EVO, I installed the HTC Sync and sync'd EVO to outlook (contacts and calendar) - perfect.

What I have done so far:
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I thought it was all good - till I realized that voice search capability doesn't work with "phone contacts" - it must be in Gmail contacts. That's when I realized that EVO has two address books - phone and gmail. Fine. I exported from phone address book to microSD, and then deleted out all phone contacts. Then, I imported from the exported file to gmail contacts on the EVO itself. All contacts showed up on gmail - great! (I used google calendar sync to sync outlook calendar to gmail and then, from gmail to EVO).

Problem:
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Since I use outlook a lot, I end up getting new contacts (or updated info for existing contacts) on outlook. Or, when I am out and about, I update(or add) contact info on EVO. How do I sync up outlook and EVO/Gmail?
I could export from outlook, import to gmail and eliminate dups there in gmail, but that is tedious.
I could get a premium google apps acct and that would give me contact sync capability - but I'm hoping to find a 'free' way of doing this.

I find it hard to believe that others haven't figured out a good (free & easy) solution to do this. Any suggestions?

(I searched - google/forums - and found references to some applications that claim to do this - but there are very few users who seem to have used those and even they are reporting bugs. I'm not keen on being a tester for an unknown application...)

Help !

[Da Uniq 1]

The only way I can think of is using the outlook exchange server. So outlook online will always be synced with phone and Gmail too.

Or U could just eliminate using Outlook altogether. Any changes U make on the Evo will Sync to your google account and you can always have access to that anywhere you go that has PC and internet connection

[jj14x]

I'm sure google would love for me to stop using outlook! lol! I wish I could, but no - I rely just too heavily on outlook

Syncing with outlook exchange - One of my co-workers had actually tried that - but what it did was synced outlook with his "Phone" address book instead of EVO's google address book. He then ended up with duplicate contacts in the two address books in EVO (and they are not synced either between outlook/gmail)...

[gator352]

Originally Posted by jj14x

I'm sure google would love for me to stop using outlook! lol! I wish I could, but no - I rely just too heavily on outlook

Syncing with outlook exchange - One of my co-workers had actually tried that - but what it did was synced outlook with his "Phone" address book instead of EVO's google address book. He then ended up with duplicate contacts in the two address books in EVO (and they are not synced either between outlook/gmail)...

Those duplicates can be "linked" together making them 1 contact with the tap of the "link" button. I know it's tedious but easier than deleting each and every one.

One thing I still don't understand is the vast difference between googles own chrome OS, igoogle, and android. None of them "mesh" together like I think they should. Like contacts, I think the contacts in gmail should be set up and look like it is on android making them look as if they go together and easier to navigate. Maybe it's just me though.

[jj14x]

but it still doesn't sync that contact in outlook and the corresponding contact in gmail..

[jester95]

See if it works for you...cause it doesn't for me.

WebGear.co.nz | GO Contact Sync - synchronize your contacts between Microsoft Outlook and Google Mail

[jj14x]

thanks jester95. I had read other reviews for this applications and while it partially worked for some, it apparently did crash a lot

I am very surprised that Google doesn't have a way to do this... crud

[flow11234]

OK so I have a dumb question does anybody have the step by step guides on how to get the outlook to sync with the evo?

[jj14x]

Originally Posted by flow11234

OK so I have a dumb question does anybody have the step by step guides on how to get the outlook to sync with the evo?

Syncing outlook contacts/calendars with EVO is fairly straightforward. Install HTCSync (should be on the microSD card on the EVO - or you can download it from HTC Mobile Phone Support - HTC EVO)

Install it on your PC, start the application.
Then connect your EVO using a USB/microUSB cord
Now, on the EVO, change to HTC Sync mode (you should get an option to select this when you connect the USB cord)
You can now set the HTC Sync options on the PC application (if you want to sync only calendar or contacts or Email or all etc)

Then, start the sync

Note that this is only syncing outlook to phone. Not to Gmail.

HTH!

[chardog]

I think this is a general problem for android users. I payed 20 bux for gsyncit. After the initial setup, the sync is easy to do, and done over the cloud, so it's pretty convenient.

There are closer tools to activesync, but I cant recall right now.