FREE Programs that sync contacts, calendars, etc, (Updated 5/12)

[angel4b]

Folks seem to like all in one places for stuff, so here's mine for sync methods... Let me know if there are more suggested syncing services (think free) so I can add them to the list Oh and here's a blanket thanks for all the amazing work people do to make ppcgeeks awesome (and everyone organized)! *BTW, i have no affiliation with the tipsfor.us site, I just think Brian makes really nice tutorials*

NuevaSync: https://www.nuevasync.com/
I saw the notices about Google making their sync available for us WM users, and i thought i'd just throw a shout out to NuevaSync. Its also in beta, and has been around quite a bit longer than Google Sync. There is no software to install on your phone, just sign on up their website for an account and then you can indicate that you have accounts with google or plaxo (or both). They will ask google to ask you permission to let them access your contacts and calendar. After that you just enter the server info in ActiveSync on your phone and in comes the goodies OTA anytime you want. This service supports 1-way syncing of multiple calendars (up to 11!) and 2-way synching of one (of the calendars). This service works on WM and iPhone OS.

Brian @ tips.for.us did a nice tutorial on this (with pics) here:
http://www.tipsfor.us/2008/12/24/syn...ith-nuevasync/

Besides multiple calendar syncing, what makes this service better than google sync (IMHO) is that you are able to sync with plaxo, and they seem to be friends with everyone...hotmail, yahoo, etc, and by using plugins for outlook and thunderbird. The more complex tutorial for this is found here:
http://www.tipsfor.us/2008/04/19/syn...ogle-for-free/

Plaxo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaxo
I decided to make Plaxo its own section because they try really hard to be friends with everyone...which means they have 'sync points' for OUTLOOK (syncs calendar, tasks, and notes) and THUNDERBIRD, & MAC, as well as your standard online email address books and calendar at hotmail, yahoo, google, aim, even comcast. They have partnerships with WebIS, Yahoo, and Comcasat, so if you have comcast, you've got plaxo (use your comcast.net email addy). You can also use OpenID, YahooID, ClickPass, and Google account sign-ins. Using this with NuevaSync allows FREE OTA sync of some of the more elusive syncing combos...

Plaxo downloads section: http://www.plaxo.com/downloads, these are FREE, except for...
Plaxo for WM is a premium service, but FREE for 30 days. Of course where did they get the source for this program? The Funmabol open source SyncML client! (mentioned below)
http://www.plaxo.com/downloads/windowsmobile

Google Sync: m.google.com/sync (updated 5/12)
Finally, something to sync your google contacts and calendar...this also has active sync properties that can be configured on your phone...but it seems like this is still quite buggy (see posts #44 &45 for details). This service works on WM, iPhone, Symbian, & Blackberry

ppcgeeks discussion and tutorial on this:
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=56959

OggSync: http://oggsync.com/beta/ (to download cab directly)
Has two programs, oggsync for outlook and oggsync for windows mobile (yes you can use both at once). Supports syncing of multiple google calendars...has paid and free options

Go here to download OggSync for outlook
http://oggsync.com/desktop/OggSyncDesktop420.exe

Funmabol: http://www.funambol.com
Sync email, contacts, calendars, WITHOUT the need for a windows computer. This service will work on WM, iPhone, & Blackberry OS. Choose to use SyncML -- their Open source server software (windows or linux) OR just use the online portal: myFUNAMBOL Portal

link to funmabol cab file: http://my.funambol.com/me/funambol-sm-plugin.cab

Brian @ Tips.for.us tutorial : http://www.tipsfor.us/2008/04/15/syn...mbol-for-free/

Mozilla:
Mozilla kb on synching phones and PDAs:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Synchronizing_PDAs_and_phones

Here is a list of calendar sync add-ons for Thunderbird, Lightning, Sunbird:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Add-ons_In..._Calendar#sync

Here is a list of address book sync tools for Thunderbird and Seamonkey:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Sharing_address_books

Microsoft:
Introducing the Windows Phone experience, MS has released a set of video tutorials on using Windows Moble for beginners, with some good tips and tricks for veterans...(i found this on treoprotricks.com)

Watch the videos here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobi...s/default.mspx
Extra topics with detailed info and downloads:
Sync your e-mail, contacts, and calendar with Windows Mobile Device Center
Windows Live for Mobile

Ray (Bill 2.0 aka Lotus Notes guy) wants everyone to use Live Mesh their 'sync your life' service...similar to apple's MobileMe:
https://www.mesh.com/Welcome/Default.aspx

A breakdown of Live Sync, Live Mesh, and SkyDrive:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/compa...skydrive/6166/

MyPhone:
Sync contacts, calendar, tasks, videos, music, texts, etc using MS new beta service...by invitation only. Info here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/...-my-phone.aspx
Sign in here:
https://sn1-p3.myphone.microsoft.com...t.po?mkt=en-US
Apparantly MSMyPhone has a waiting list....bigups to freeza for giving us the scoop on that here:
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showpost.p...10&postcount=8

Dashwire: http://dashwire.com/
Uses applet you download on your phone to 'seamlessly integrate your mobile phone and the world it captures with your computer and the web, helping you access and share your mobile experiences - no cables required'
Mobile site: https://my.dashwire.com/login

PPC Geeker, SporkLover, started a thread for comparing MSMyphone and Dashwire...check it out if you need some help making a decision:
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=59545

Seven:
Push email and contact sync. Sprint and Alltel have paid services, but the Beta Site is free! registraton info:
http://community.seven.com/forum/main.php

Heather shows sprint customers how to use sprint 'mobile email work' (aka seven):
http://www.nextel.com/en/solutions/m...ork_demo.shtml

Mail2Web:
List of free services including push email, im, usenet reader, personal homepage
http://services.mail2web.com/FreeServices/

ScheduleWorld:
Web 2.0 alternative to microsoft exchange...List of fabulous features the biggest one being that they play nice (read is compatible) with everyone (mac, linux, j2me, bluetooth, outlook, thunderbird, google, syncML...)
Here's a link to schedule world documentation where they have info on lots of syncing stuff with funmabol clients howtos, noob guides, and error reports. http://wiki.scheduleworld.com/wiki/Main_Page

Sprite Virtual Mobile: Login page
ShaggyLive gave us the scoop on this program from the makers of Sprite backup. VM provides: Online Backup and management of your contacts, calendar, sms, photos, calendar and call history, the ability to control up to 4 phones from one account (monitor those kids), remote lock & wipe. This service currently works on WM and Symbian, with Android, Blackberry, and J2ME coming soon. Yikes, looks like an 8.5MB mobile phone install!! Follow the ppcgeeks discussion here: http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=63214

Synthesis SyncML (updated 5/12)
Use this client (30 day free trial) to sync with Oracle Calendar servers, (mostly used by universities) so that your contacts, schedule, tasks, etc are in step with your ppc. This is the only way to 2-way sync with these type of servers. I have tried doing a one-time sync (after a hard reset) using this program to get calendar, tasks, class schedule...then doing a nueva sync to the google calendar to get them entered there where i can update prn...there is an oracle calendar sync that will allow two-way sync with desktop outlook...so i think this is the only way to get ota updates to the oracle server is to go thru your desktop. Well this situation is a work-in-progress...please let me know if you have ideas!

[angel4b]

I thought i'd list some common backup applications here, since they seem to go along with sync apps. ** = NOT FREE

**SPB Backup: SPB Backup
Consensus seems that this works well for Mogul, but not quite as well on TP. If you are swapping ROMs then this is not for you...try sprite.
SPB Backup forum http://www.spbclub.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=34

HTC Backup: HTC Backup (new 4/19)
BigDiesel07's thread on HTC's own branded backup service HERE
(he's got the file attached to the first post)

**Sprite:
JMorton's info on backups after a hard reset HERE and HERE
ShaggyLive says there is an HTC upgrade special Sprite is running, backup & terminator for $20.

PIM Backup: http://www.dotfred.net/
This program runs on your device and creates a backup of your goodies (contacts, calendar, call history, sms) right on your phone. No installation is necessary, just run the .exe on your phone. Obviously the next step is to use one of the above syncing services to regularly send the backups to the cloud.
Nautica's info on how to automate the backup HERE
**Resco Backup: (new 4/19) 14 day free trial....downloadhereBig D5's thread on resco v 2.01.4 here
Thread comparing SPB, Resco, and Sprite here

Sashimi:
YouTube Tutorial (thanks Nautica)
Sashimi Wiki on XDA
Sashimi Forums on Windows Mobile Experts

Flexilis: (new 4/19)
Anti-Virus & backup services! Join the beta project here Looks like they have lurkers on our site: heehee PPCGeek, darren.wlsn.1, was one of the first beta testers. Beta v6 released last week. Point your pocket twit apps HERE

PoorlyDuck posted a little app for saving his contacts in one file on his computer HERE

CozBoogie stickied a thread in the Touch Pro forum listing backup apps for that phone HERE good info on pros and cons of apps.

Dashwire, MyPhone, and Virtual Mobile (listed above) also do backups.


(new 4/19) Nanoware posted a link to ABC software that converts blackberry backup files (ipd) to more commonly used formats HERE of course its only free to try...

[wavezero]

Thanks for the tip off on mesh. It looks like it's in EARLY beta, i.e. not even functional yet. But if they ever get the Mac piece up and running I'll be justified in not purchasing missing sync or syncmate! (I'm cheap)

[TProUserOnSprint]

Exchange!!! It rocks my socks. Keeps my TP and my iPhone in perfect unison.

Of course if this is not available I have used Nueva Sync before and I like it alot.

[wavezero]

Originally Posted by TProUserOnSprint

Exchange!!! It rocks my socks. Keeps my TP and my iPhone in perfect unison.

Of course if this is not available I have used Nueva Sync before and I like it alot.

Link...

[wavezero]

Originally Posted by wavezero

Thanks for the tip off on mesh. It looks like it's in EARLY beta, i.e. not even functional yet. But if they ever get the Mac piece up and running I'll be justified in not purchasing missing sync or syncmate! (I'm cheap)

Won't matter for me, only supports Intel processors...

[Dr.8820]

outlook does all the hard work. all i do is plug the phone in.

[TProUserOnSprint]

Originally Posted by wavezero

Link...

It was demo'ed to us at a sales meeting a month back before we introduced Asurion Mobile Backup. I think the link in the first post will get you where you need to go.

[angel4b]

Originally Posted by TProUserOnSprint

It was demo'ed to us at a sales meeting a month back before we introduced Asurion Mobile Backup. I think the link in the first post will get you where you need to go.

Do you mean that Live Mesh is the new MS Exchange?

[jds580s]

NuevaSync for me. I've been waiting for more people to chime in with their experience with Google Sync before deciding if I should switch.

I'll likely go with the first of the two that offers Push Gmail

What I like about NuevaSync is that they support multiple calendars including "Other Calendars" that are linked with read-only access. I read that google only supports the main calendar.

Also a Sprint Diamond users was reporting that it messed up his 700+ contacts reorganizing them from First Last to Last First, and where he had multiple email addresses it would jam some of them into a single email address like "address1@xxx.com :: address2@xyz.com :: address3@abc.com" all for 1 email address.
http://www.wmexperts.com/google-rele...windows-mobile

I am looking forward to more competition in this space which will hopefully speed up development and feature releases.