Remote Calendar Sync - is a simple solution possible?
 

I have a new xv6800 with Windows Mobile 6, and I'd really like to sync my calendar remotely, using my Google calendar (iCal format). I'm already syncing Google calendar to Thunderbird w/Lightning on my PC, and then syncing it to my phone via bluetooth ActiveSync. But I'd much rather just have it auto sync directly with Google thru the internet connection on my Phone. I know there are a bunch of services out there, but I'd much rather just pay a one-time fee for a cab that will solve this for me. Anyone know of one that will allow the calendar to be synced remotely from Google?

Much thanks for any ideas you can provide. :-)

^^^bump^^^

I have been using http://www.scheduleworld.com for a while to do just that. You use the funambol (google it) client on your phone to sync my calendar/tasks/contacts with scheduleworld (SW). Then SW syncs with google calendar (only calendar events as gcal does not do tasks). I set the funambol client to sync every 4 hours and forget about it.

I have different google calenders (gcal) for the different calendar categories on my phone. I can then share the calendar(s) with my wife's google calendar account and her gcal is also synced with SW and thus with her phone.

Her is a workflow for the setup:

I add task to my phone -> sync to SW -> sync to gcal -> sync to wife's gcal -> sync to SW -> sync to wifes phone. (same if my wife adds something)

This is all done in the background and once I set it up, I dont have to worry about it.

I also have it set up so that if I dont add a calendar event on my phone to a specific category, it wont sync with my wifes phone. This makes it so I (or my wife) do not have to sync everything on our calendar, which is nice.

Check out SW, its pretty sweet.

(ps, I did not proof read this so if it doesnt make sense...oops!)

Take a look at Goosync.com, works well for me on my VX6800. Goosync is free but limits to syncing 30 days out unless you upgrade to the premium product.

Good luck,

Ned

Thanks guys! Really appreciate your recommendations. I will look into both of these solutions and report back how it goes.

Wow Icevapor, thanks for the tip on Schedule World w/Funambol! Together they are the perfect solution. Makes Google calendar merely an afterthought. Unbelievably simple to implement. I was able to remotely sync both my and hubbys calendar, contacts, tasks and notes. No more bug-ridden ActiveSync! YAY!

For those that are interested, here's the steps:

1) Sign up at Scheduleworld.com. Don't bother fiddling with the settings unless something doesn't work - it's very intuitive.

2) Download and install the Funambol plugin for your phone here: http://www.funambol.com/opensource/downloads.php

3) Use the server settings in your Schedule World Welcome Email to set up your account in the Funambol Account settings on your phone.

4) a) If you use Outlook on your PC, download and install Funambol plugin for Outlook onto your PC, also found here: http://www.funambol.com/opensource/downloads.php
b) If you use Thunderbird on your PC, install Lightning for Thunderbird if you don't already have it, and then download and install the Schedule World plugin for Lightning/Thunderbird here: http://wiki.scheduleworld.com/wiki/index.php/SyncSW

5) Set up all plugins by using the same account settings you received in the welcome email.

6) Set all client plugins to sync every hour/day or so.

7) Test sync all plugins to make sure they are working, and you are done! Everything will autosync, and you can just forget about it.

Dang, is that cool or what??? :mrgreen:


I don't think I've forgotten anything - but please feel free to add if I did!

Thanks again Icevapor!

Re: Remote Calendar Sync - is a simple solution possible?
 

Dredging up an ancient thread here. I am wondering how this setup is working now that you have been using it for over a year, (assuming you still are, of course...)

I hope to synchronize my family's calendars/tasks to my wife's phone (lg rumor), my htc touch pro, a pocketpc that lives on the nightstand for those "holy &^%$, i forgot to..." moments, and some centralized thing on the computer in the kitchen (that could be google cal, outlook, doesn't really matter)

Is this still working well for everyone? What does it do to battery life? For tose of you that did, how do you set up "categories"? For example, I only want my work stuff to go back and forth between my phone and my work laptop via activesync, but I want both work and family stuff on my phone (work via AS and fam via this strategy)

tia

Re: Remote Calendar Sync - is a simple solution possible?
 

I use this method and its working great for me. I no longer need to use ActiveSync. I dont use categories.