I’m still pining away for “over the air” (OTA) sync for my BlackBerry and I’ve been thinking more about Google Calendar as a result. Google Calendar is interesting to me because it is basically what I would have built (minus some of the SMS features) had I decided to build a calendaring system. Everything is online, no sync, etc. It is the same choice I’ve made with Tasks.
However, the reason that I’m not willing to use Google Calendar for my own calendaring is the same reason I decided not to build a calendaring system as part of Tasks. Lots of folks have asked for this, but for me sync is a crucial part of a calendaring system.
I rely heavily on my mobile devices. For years it was a Treo1, now the BlackBerry. It doesn’t matter what the device is, I need to be able to enter and access calendar information easily and quickly on the mobile device - with or without internet connectivity.
I really like the Google Calendar interface, the interaction model, the “next n days” view… but until I can sync it with my BlackBerry it is useless for me.
Think Google Calendar will ever offer OTA sync for the BlackBerry?
- And before that: Newton, Palm, etc. [back]
Popularity: 8% [?]
Avi Flax adds this Comment:
I’d rather see Google offer sone kind of syncing interface to a hub-and-spoke syncing system, such as iSync, or something involving SyncML, or somesuch, than something designed specifically for the Blackberry.
That said, I too am antsy for reliable syncing for Google Calendar and GMail contacts. What’s taking so long? If Zimbra can whip up an iSync plugin, why can’t Google?
Is there any documentation out there for creating iSync plugins? Does Google Calendar have an API? If so, perhaps someone can put the two together…
October 12th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Robert Accettura adds this Comment:
Google needs to create a conduit/plugin/module for the following:
- HotSync (Palm)
- BlackBerry
- iSync
Before it’s usable to most people. Ideally the ability to publish remotely, so things like Mozilla Calendar can be used as desktop clients to edit the calendar.
October 12th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Alex adds this Comment:
Since I can subscribe to a Google Calendar created iCalendar in iCal, I don’t feel such a strong need for iSync support.
There is an API, someone just needs to code up an iSync conduit that uses it. Maybe this is a good “bounty” candidate.
October 12th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Chris Kacerguis adds this Comment:
This works for me:
http://www.gcalsync.com/
October 12th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Alex adds this Comment:
Wow, how had I not heard of this?
October 12th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
Alex adds this Comment:
Bummer, it’s just upload/download - no sync (doesn’t update GCal with changes to events on the mobile device).
October 12th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Mats Bergman adds this Comment:
This is what I´ve done. I use Google Calendar for all my calendaring needs. I transfer it every morning, or night actually, to my iPod Nano and when I´m on the run I check out my appointments on the Nano and make notes on changes to my schedule and new appointments on my “Hipster PDA”.
An Hpda is a few tiny sheets of paper in European A6 size, held together with a paper clip.
DIYplanner.com is a great source.
This combination of tech and paper is the best combination I´ve found so far. But I´m eagerly awaiting Sony Ericsson and Nokia to fully support the iCal standard on their handsets and allow for full dublex synchronization.
October 12th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Jay Ward adds this Comment:
As a small business owner and user of Google Apps for your Domain, OTA Blackberry support for calendar, address book, and push email would be the answer to my prayers. If Google is serious about capturing business users, this is the sort of idea that they need to consider.
Blackberry reigns supreme in the business world, and free integration with their “free” service would have the potential to grab a serious chunk of the small business market.
October 12th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Mark adds this Comment:
Alex
This works.
Mark
October 12th, 2006 at 11:57 pm
Alex adds this Comment:
That does look interesting, too bad they claim it is windows only: “The Microsoft .NET Framework version 1.1 or higher is required to run CompanionLink for Google Calendar.”
October 13th, 2006 at 7:45 am
Alex adds this Comment:
I think CompanionLink is a desktop sync program, not an OTA system.
October 13th, 2006 at 7:51 am
alexking.org: Blog > The Consumer BlackBerry adds this Pingback:
[…] For example, setting up a Gmail account on a BIS account is dead easy. Over the air sync with Google Calendar is another logical step - one that is being tackled here. […]
October 13th, 2006 at 11:30 pm
random374 adds this Comment:
Here’s another Google sync option over the air that does more than just sync to Google: http://www.saraiya.com
October 18th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
random374 adds this Comment:
(By the way, it is a full two-way sync. Changes on your handheld get propagated as well.)
October 18th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Tim adds this Comment:
I use gcalsync too, it works great on my Pearl. There are a few issues that I havent solved with time formatting, but overall it’s very useful.
PS The time issues only seem to be when I sync events from my blackberry to the google calendar, not the other way around.
March 5th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Thomas R. Hall adds this Comment:
They just announced today that sync with Google Calendar is now available via Google Calendar Sync. It’s currently only available for BlackBerry.
Official Google Mobile Blog: No more excuses for being late
That basically points to http://m.google.com/sync/ and you can download it OTA from there.
The only thing I’ve found so far is that it doesn’t upload existing entries from my BB to my Google Calendar, but anything that is new does go up. It pulls information out of GCal just fine, though. Works with both regular Google Calendar and also with Google Apps for Your Domain Calendars as well.
December 12th, 2007 at 4:04 pm