CompanionLink for Google -- synchronize Google Calendar with any phone, PDA or Microsoft Outlook

CompanionLink for Google -- synchronize Google Calendar with any phone, PDA or Microsoft Outlook: "Sync Google Calendar with Outlook" Two-Way synchronization

Because I have to use Outlook for work (not that I mind at all, I think it's a great app) I keep ALL my appointments in one spot. However, now that I am thinking about multiple platforms and devices (e.g., my N800), I wanted to investigate using a central repository that I can synchronize with from multiple places.

I tried 'RemoteCalendar', which is a free open source effort. I think this is a GREAT app and idea... but it wouldn't work on my laptop running Outlook 2007. I know many people have gotten this to work, but i also found several people who were experiencing problems like me. I even tried multiple versions of it, but while the older version at least showed up in Outlook, it would not sync.

So, I tried 'SyncMyCal' which has a Lite version for free, but that would only do 3 days previous and 3 days in the future... lame. To get a larger date range and AutoSync you need to upgrade to the pay-for version for $25... I wasn't about to do that yet and continued to look around. By the way, SyncMyCal only syncs the calendar... not tasks or anything else. Not a big problem, but just throwing that out there.

When I found CompanionLink, I downloaded the 15 day trial which is FULLY functional. Not only that, but it can synchronize Calendar, Tasks AND Contacts! So I set it up, which was a total breeze, and synced my calendar. AWESOME! I set it up to do it every hour.

Then, having installed GPE-Calendar on my N800 (I'll write a post on the GPE apps) and also Erminig, which syncs GPEcal with Google Calendar, I setup Erminig which was also very easy. I'm really impressed with how well that app has been developed considering it's free. I ran a sync and crossed my fingers... it said success! I looked in GPEcal, which was already open, and nothing was there. What I also realized was that when you click on the 'X' to close the app, it doesn't fully close. So, after fully closing the app and restarting it, BAM, all my events are there! Sweet. I also enabled the GPE-Summary Home page applet and only needed to hit the refresh on that to have everything show up.

Very cool.