[AdamG#AC]

Maybe subtitled �Poor Man�s BES on BIS� or �My ghetto/trailer park/Homer Simpson style BES.

Getting this all synced OTA has been driving me nuts for a while but I think I finally have it all worked out. I keep reading that Google will soon add Contacts sync to their destop Calendar Sync, but still haven�t seen anything concrete. This will have to do until G comes through. There could be a better way to do this, but this is what works for me, after much trial and error.

FYI, this is all done on Windows XP, Outlook 2007, and Blackberry Bold 9000. Other OS, results may vary.

Also of note, I�m pretty certain that the NSA would not sign off on this setup for Obama. So, this is probably best used for personal accounts.

This a kind of a novel sized write-up, but its written for the benefit of the novice, and also I had to be very precise with the order of things or the whole thing got out of whack.

Summary:

PC Downloads:
Funambol: Open Source: Community Projects: Download
http://dl.google.com/googlecalendars..._Installer.exe

Blackberry OTA Downloads:
http://m.google.com Sync and/or Gmail
http://my.funambol.com/bb/plugin.jad

First, on your PC, go to http://my.funambol.com/ and create an account. I tried Funambol about 6 months ago on old Curve and it kept screwing up my contacts. Didn�t care for it much. Looks like they might have worked out the kinks.
Funambol is a free open-source server for all things sync. I think they provide it free to the public to show the carriers what they can do, hoping to charge a fee to them.
So, create your account. Next, still on PC, download the Outlook plug-in. This is assuming you already have Outlook. I�m not going to tell you how to get that for free.
Funambol: Open Source: Community Projects: Download

Next, either create an existing Gmail account or use an existing one. Download the Google Calendar Plugin. If you are already using Gmail on your Blackberry, that�s great, if not, you might consider creating a new account here, doesn�t matter what the address is, and forwarding your personal email to the new Gmail account. I�ll go into that a bit more later.
http://dl.google.com/googlecalendars..._Installer.exe
Install. Log in with Google account settings.

Next, if your contacts are stored in Google, make a backup in both the Gmail and Outlook .csv formats.
Exporting Gmail contacts - Gmail Help
If you have additional contacts in Outlook. Make a backup of your contacts here, before we change things.
How to export contacts from Outlook 2003, 2007 and Outlook Express

Make a backup of your Blackberry Address Book through Desktop Manager.

Now, move all your contacts you wish to sync over to Outlook, in the main Contacts Folder. Follow directions above but use Import.
If you have contacts you don�t wish to sync, you can create a subfolder under Contacts, and uncheck the �Include all subfolders� option in the Funambol Outlook Sync
Attachment 10968
I tried several ways of syncing and get lots of different types of errors and duplicates, but clearing out all of your contacts in Gmail and on the Blackberry, and using Outlook as the jumping off point was the only one that worked completely. Having one point of origin for all the data was the only way that I could get it not to duplicate. FYI, Funambol has a Gmail plugin pc App avail. I tried using this so as not to have 2 Sync apps running on BB, but this screwed the whole circle up.
Tip here, make sure that all of your contact info adheres to Blackberry Address Book contact standards. Meaning, no more than 3 email addresses. Don�t have 2 fax numbers. Make one fax number an �other�. ETC. However, Outlook doesn�t like �Address 2� line from Blackberry. It should format it out when your import to Outlook, but you might want to check a few of them to see that it�s correct.
Another tip is to make sure if you have a physical address on a contact, that it is not partial. Meaning, not �Chicago, IL. But, 123 Fake St., Chicago, IL 30301, USA.

Ok, so, your Contacts are now all set up in Outlook and you�ve backed up Blackberry and Gmail contacts.
Now, login to gmail and delete all of your contacts.
If you already have the Google sync app on your Blackberry, initiate a manual sync now. It should blank out all of your contacts on your Blackberry. It might pull all of your Blackberry contacts up to Gmail. If it does, login on your pc again and delete the Gmail contacts again. Sync until your empty both places. When the contacts are all gone, sign out of the Google Sync app on your Blackberry. It will ask you to confirm you want to delete. Proceed.

If you don�t have the Google Sync app on your BB, on your BB browser, go to Google Mobile download the Sync app, and the Gmail app if you�re going to use a Gmail email account and want to have email records avail on your phone.

Ok, now on the PC, again. Install the Funambol Outlook plugin. Set it up with your desired settings. Enter your Funambol User name and password, created in the beginning. I chose only a 1-way sync, Outlook to server, for the Calendar part, being that I like the way the Google Calendar Sync PC app handles it, and if you let Funambol sync the Cal in all directions, you will get duplicate appointments and two-day all day events, etc. Setting it up one-way makes it so the Funambol server receives all the changes made to Calendar, whether on BB, Google or Outlook, and becomes an emergency outlet of record should the others fail. I chose 2-way Sync with everything else.
Sync Funambol with Outlook, Contacts and whatever else you choose.

When the sync is complete, go back to http://my.funambol.com/, login with your account info and see that has synced up as you wish.
If that�s done correctly, now on your BB browser, go to http://my.funambol.com/bb/plugin.jad and download the Funambol app for your Blackberry. They don�t have the cod for a Bold screen created yet, this is for a Curve. So, it looks small but functional. Again, its open source so I invite anybody with the skill to create a version for the Bold.
You can only choose 2 or 1 way sync for all the categories, as a whole on the BB, and not individually, like on the Outlook version. So, I chose 2-way sync, but unchecked the Calendar sync option. Letting Google Sync for Blackberry app handle this.

It will take some time, but when complete your Contacts should be back on the BB, in as good of shape as they were before.
Sync it a few times before you proceed, both on the BB and in Outlook on the pc, making sure it�s exchanging info. Maybe modify a contact or create a new fake contact on your BB and see that its all moving back and forth.
When you�re comfortable that all is right, sign back into your Google Sync app on your BB and Sync it up. Do the same thing and modify or add contacts to make sure all the info is being exchanged in all directions.

That should be it. Any Contact or Calendar change you make in any of the 3 places should be visible in the other 2 places after the correct Syncs are done. Also, having the Calendar info sent one-way to the Funambol server, in a pinch, you could just enable the Calendar Sync checkbox on your BB app and download all the info you might have lost.

OPTIONAL: If you�re going to use a Gmail email address or forward your personal email to a newly created Gmail address, set up the Gmail address with IMAP settings in BIS
BlackBerry - Gmail Help
If you�re forwarding, on your pc, log into BIS, edit your gmail account settings. Change the account name to whatever address you�re forwarding from ([email protected] and not [email protected]) Change the Reply To address to the same not Gmail account info. If you�ve set this account up with the IMAP settings, your Gmail account should automatically save your sent emails in the �Sent�Folder/Label in Gmail. Send some emails and check on your pc to see if it is doing so. If not, you might need to create a �Sent Items� label in Gmail and then they should save there.
So, if you downloaded the Gmail app for your Blackberry, sign in with the new/existing Gmail account settings, or add an account if you�re already using one, enable the Sent folder, in Settings and you�ll have records of all your in/out emails to the phone.

Sorry for the long post. Trying to be thorough. Hope this helps somebody out. Let me know how it works out for you.

[sydneybound]

i have a headache just reading that...but i may have to try it.

simple question:

is there any way of synching outlook with blackberry bold wireless-ly without doing everything you've done? i don't need all the google stuff as i don't use the calendar/contacts from it, just the outlook synch?

thanks

[AdamG#AC]

yeah, sorry. I was laughing when i posted it.

for a charge, several services. all using variations of the Funambol program.

For free. Just download the pc Outlook Funambol plugin and the BB Funambol .jad OTA on your BB. that's all you need.

[Guru]

Doesn't look too bad. I'm not really worried about calender stuff since I just enter everything in my Bold. I have no need to have it on my Outlook.

[whsbuss]

Question?

I've been using google's sync app on my Bold since I got it. Does calendar and contacts wirelessly..... why do I need to do all the things you posted?

[AdamG#AC]

Question?

I've been using google's sync app on my Bold since I got it. Does calendar and contacts wirelessly..... why do I need to do all the things you posted?

Only if u want to also sync Outlook contacts wirelessly, in addition to Google. Have all 3 syncing OTA as a single network. Make a change in any 1 and other 2 reflect change after sync.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[ketzkorn]

I have been working on this gmail stuff for days, Its all so confusing. I use a mac and have a gmail email account and calender. I wirelessly sync but have been getting dup email messages and some sub calender folders are not syncing. Could someone help and tell me what I'm doing wrong. Very new at this sorry..........

[korp#IM]

Google needs to add the contact sync feature asap but for right now its not too big of a hastle with changing it on outlook and plugging in or changing it on phone/gmail and having ota updates.

[sheideman]

I found a GREAT service: at 4blackberry.net
The website is a little funky, but their service is outstanding. It only costs $11.95/month plus a one time set up fee. If you have your own domain that you want to sync OTA, it is BY FAR the best solution out there without spending the 3 grand for the enterprise server software.

[ch33ky]

Google Sync does now have the option to sync contacts...but it severely screwed up my contacts with duplicates and almost-the-same-but-not-close-enough entries all over the place and it took me ages to remedy! Google it for similar problems.

Calendar, on the other hand, syncs perfectly.

[bt224]

Google Sync does now have the option to sync contacts...but it severely screwed up my contacts with duplicates and almost-the-same-but-not-close-enough entries all over the place and it took me ages to remedy! Google it for similar problems.

Calendar, on the other hand, syncs perfectly.

That's because if they are different in any way, Gmail has no way of knowing it was a mistake. It sees them as completely different contacts. I use Google Sync for everything and it works great. It even pulls in shared calendars into my phone. I suppose I could even leave Outlook open on my PC to sync, but between my phone and Gmail, I have no real need for Outlook.

[jontymisra]

I found a GREAT service: at 4blackberry.net
The website is a little funky, but their service is outstanding. It only costs $11.95/month plus a one time set up fee. If you have your own domain that you want to sync OTA, it is BY FAR the best solution out there without spending the 3 grand for the enterprise server software.

That actually does look interesting.

[kstraw]

If someone sends me an email or I make a change is my calendar; will the email or change be immediate....basically, how long is the delay?

[taddley]

I found a GREAT service: at 4blackberry.net
The website is a little funky, but their service is outstanding. It only costs $11.95/month plus a one time set up fee. If you have your own domain that you want to sync OTA, it is BY FAR the best solution out there without spending the 3 grand for the enterprise server software.

I'm a Mac person and just got tired of all the sync issues. I went the hosted BES route, as well. Flawless, seamless, and immediate sync of email/contacts/calendar/sent messages to and from device/cloud/computer (Entourage 2008). I use TheMessageCenter. A little more expensive than 4blackberry.net, but no setup fee. You can also see a list of 15 to 20 other hosted exchange services and a review of each at BB Geeks, halfway down the homepage on the right.

Not free, but effortless.

[Fiasco]

Google Sync does now have the option to sync contacts...but it severely screwed up my contacts with duplicates and almost-the-same-but-not-close-enough entries all over the place and it took me ages to remedy! Google it for similar problems.

Calendar, on the other hand, syncs perfectly.

Google sync screwed up my contacts last time I tried it, and created hundreds of duplicate entries in my calendar. It was a nightmare.

In the end I used Desktop Manager to delete the address book and calendar completely, then restored them from a backup.

I won't be using Google sync again.

[adamh10#AC]

Delete all your Gmail contacts on your computer, and then download Google Sync on your BlackBerry and it should all be good.

[ItnStln]

Does anyone have complaints with this method? I'm just asking because I'm looking at doing this.

[AdamG#AC]

I'm the orig poster of this. Still working flawlessly for me. There is another option now, but its a one time $10 charge. Google "gsyncit". Its a program that installs on your pc that syncs all your google calendars and contacts with Outlook. Works great and is constantly updated. Allows you to skip the whole Funambol part of the process both on pc and bb. Funambol way still works well to and is preferable because syncs Tasks and Memos.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[ItnStln]

I'm the orig poster of this. Still working flawlessly for me. There is another option now, but its a one time $10 charge. Google "gsyncit". Its a program that installs on your pc that syncs all your google calendars and contacts with Outlook. Works great and is constantly updated. Allows you to skip the whole Funambol part of the process both on pc and bb. Funambol way still works well to and is preferable because syncs Tasks and Memos.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Where do you get gsyncit

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[texaninmass]

This worked perfect. I have been fighting with this for 2 years now.

Thank you for your work!

Regards,
Anthony

[jinxednuance]

I think this is the post I've been looking for.

What happened, I was initially using Gmail sync on my Bold, then when I started using Outlook, I got the Calendar sync for my PC. Now with all the mixup, my calendar on my bold duplicated. So I am hoping this would make things easier and less complicated.

Modifying one (while the others automatically modify) is def something I'm looking forward too.

Thanks, I shall begin this process!

[jinxednuance]

I'm the orig poster of this. Still working flawlessly for me. There is another option now, but its a one time $10 charge. Google "gsyncit". Its a program that installs on your pc that syncs all your google calendars and contacts with Outlook. Works great and is constantly updated. Allows you to skip the whole Funambol part of the process both on pc and bb. Funambol way still works well to and is preferable because syncs Tasks and Memos.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

So what if you modify your BB calendar or your Outlook, would all other programs update too?

[jinxednuance]

I just realized that I flooded this thread.

I just wantedd to note that I followed the steps and I'm SO happy to know that it's working and I no longer have to worry!

Thank you so much!

[lkrut]

My blackberry is broken. It will charge but it won't communicate with the computer when the blackberry desktop software tries to back it up.
Thus, all the changes I made in contacts and emails received on the crackberry for 2 weeks - since my last manual backup - are gone.
However, at least my contacts have been wirelessly syncing over that time with Google/Gmail.
However, when I got my replacement phone I loaded on the phone backup from 3/2.
HOWEVER, now I want Google Sync to replace my contacts on my replacement phone by syncing.
HOWEVER, there is no place where it tells me that in the options....
Later, I would want to change the options so that changes on the phone are the master etc..
ALSO - the calendar hasn't successfully synced not once since I got the phone.. if I type something in on line it never sends it to the phone?

PLEASE HELP!!
LK

[jayt04]

Wow! I definitely have to give this a go!! I have a microsoft exchange email..does anyone know if this will work for me?? All I need is to wirelessly sync emails, calendar and contacts from my berry to outlook and visa versa..

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