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Direct Push with Google Apps?!?!?!
Hi everyone. I think I might have asked this question before but maybe something has developed in the last few months.
I am running my own IT consulting business and as I get more and more busy my calendar is becoming an ever more important tool. My dear wife went out and got me a good old-fashioned spiral bound day-timer but I have a sophisticated day-timer right here in my pocket in the form of my HTC Touch. As an IT consultant I think I should be using it rather then pulling out the pen and paper. Right now I am using the calendars in my Touch, Outlook, Google Apps and the calendar in the Exchange account I have with one of my customers. Too many calendars and all because I really want to use my Google Apps calendar and have it sync with my Touch.
I really want Google to develop “Direct Push” technology so that I can get my email, calendar and contacts all from my Google Apps account just like it was an Exchange Server. I am even considering switching my email back to an Exchange Server just so I can sync with my Touch. This way my wife could login and add stuff to my calendar and it will appear on my Touch. Right now I have my Email coming in from Google Apps via IMAP, my Calendar synching with Outlook (installed locally on my laptop without Exchange) and my Contacts syncing with my customer’s Exchange server. This is a pain and I want everything in one place that can be maintained/synced in real-time.
I will say this right now and keep in mind that as an IT consultant I like Microsoft’s products and install things like Windows 2003, SQL Server and Exchange on an almost daily basis. If Google develops “Direct Push” for Google Apps it will be an Exchange killer. The only, and I mean only reason I am thinking about switching my domain back to Exchange (I moved from Exchange to Google Apps about 1 year ago) is for the ability to sync everything (not just email) with my Touch.
On the other hand if Microsoft comes out with a version of Outlook/Exchange that dispenses with the whole “Inbox/Sent items/Delete” model and goes for the Google-style “conversation & archive” model along with the search capabilities I might fall back in love with Exchange.
The Fish
Oh and just in case anyone from Microsoft is listening, “threaded inbox” isn’t what I mean by “conversation style”. Come on Microsoft. Just admit that Google has actual built a better mousetrap and managed to improve on the age-old email model of “folders” and “sent items”. Go ahead and copy them… copy, copy copy! Oops sorry, I mean “embrace and extend, embrace and extend”
Something like that would be great!
matthew232 said:
Something like that would be great!
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Click to collapse
And not to mention totally do-able. There is already an non-Exchange mail server out there called “KerioMail Server” that implements Microsoft’s Direct Push protocol. Check out this link http://www.kerio.com/kms_activesync.html
Microsoft’s Direct Push is entirely HTTP based. It shouldn’t be that difficult for Google to do.
The Fish.
I guess you have to wait for Google Android.
thefish123 said:
On the other hand if Microsoft comes out with a version of Outlook/Exchange that dispenses with the whole “Inbox/Sent items/Delete” model and goes for the Google-style “conversation & archive” model along with the search capabilities I might fall back in love with Exchange.
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Click to collapse
The moment they do that (without giving an option) is when I would have to quit using Exchange. I **hate** Gmail's threading and forward those mails to another account that isn't threaded (and the fact that they don't let you turn it off).
I know it's not exactly what you're looking for, but have you checked out any of the 3rd party sync options? GMobileSync is a free little program that allows bidirectional syncing for your calendar (not push though). GooSync offers a free service level that also gives you calendar syncing. If you upgrade to their payed version (I think it is something like $30-40 for a whole year) you get not only calendar sync, but contacts, tasks etc. Might be worth a look.
jeffreycentex said:
The moment they do that (without giving an option) is when I would have to quit using Exchange. I **hate** Gmail's threading and forward those mails to another account that isn't threaded (and the fact that they don't let you turn it off).
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Click to collapse
Microsoft would never do it without making it an option. But I am surprised to hear you say that you head Gmail’s threading. Quite honestly you have got to be the FIRST person I have heard say that.
I have never (till now) talked to anyone who switched to Gmail who didn’t have anything but good to say about it. Most people I know who use Outlook or Outlook Express and who do ANY real volume of email spend at least an hour to two hours a day “organizing” their email. They have a whole list of sub-folders under their Inbox and then have almost the exact same set of sub-folders under their “Sent Items”. They spend time trying to decide how to file things or if they should file it in the first place or just delete it. Sometimes they delete and email and two of three days later the whole issue has ballooned into a big issue and they are filing the responses but no longer have their original email because they didn’t think it would become important.
Gmail lets me keep my Inbox clean while at the same time never worrying about filing or organizing or having trouble finding things back. I would probably hate Gmail if I was still trying to fit it into my narrow 20-year-old “I must use folders” paradigm of thinking (which I did when I first started using Gmail) but it was fun to give up on that and the new paradigm of “never file, never delete” is so superior.
I don’t really case WHERE my email is as long as I can find it back in a natural way. I think in years to come we are going to see the same thing happening on computers and to some extent we already are. The #1 reason most people hate Windows Vista is because of the way the new “Explorer” obscures the hierarchal folder model that everyone is used to from our Norton Commander days. It is really very Mac-like. Most Mac users couldn’t tell you where their pictures were in terms of a “directory” or a “folder” but they have less trouble finding them, or copying them to a USB drive, or attaching them to an email then most Windows users.
If we ever do see WinFS (Windows Future Storage) it is supposed to be a Microsoft SQL layer bolted on top of the file system and gives you database-style searchability with all kinds of meta data attached.
The thinking behind the Reiser file system is that any structure on top of the file system for storing data indicates that the file system isn’t doing it’s job. And I can kinda see the point.
The Fish
I agree, Gmail should definately come out with direct push technology
I currently use gmail with pocket outlook with imap.
It's annoying having it set to check my email in intervals.
I didn't even know what direct push was until today, until i saw a friend using his phone w/ his private exchange server...my first reaction was wow...i want that!!
I'm hoping android will implement features like direct push, among others.
surgex0 said:
I didn't even know what direct push was until today, until i saw a friend using his phone w/ his private exchange server...my first reaction was wow...i want that!!
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It’s not even so much that I want “push” email (although that would be cool). The biggest issue is that there is no way to sync my Calendar and my Contacts with Gmail. This means I either A) have to use the Calendar/Contacts on my Touch in their “stand alone” form without syncing to anything or B) have to sync them with something else.
I really like being able to use my web-based Gmail calendar (Google Apps) but I wish like crazy there was some way to get this on my Touch.
The Fish.
PS: when you sign-up for Google Apps it asks you what (if any) previous mail system you used. As an example it says in brackets “Microsoft Exchange”. This makes me think that Google Apps is positioning themselves to take the SMB email market away from Exchange. I think if they really want to do this they will make Google Apps look just like an Exchange Server to the millions of WM devices out there. Currently I am seriously considering moving my email back to Exchange when I get my own server online (in a few weeks).
Google's apps for WM are all in java aren't they?
I know the gmail one is, and it sucks big c---.
I'd rather use opera and gmail html mobile than use their ****e java client.
surgex0 said:
Google's apps for WM are all in java aren't they?
I know the gmail one is, and it sucks big c---.
I'd rather use opera and gmail html mobile than use their ****e java client.
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Click to collapse
Googlemaps apparently has a native app now (altho I would rather use Livesearch), so no, they aren't all JAVA. I take it you visit the HTML site instead of using IMAP so that you can see the threading and other g-mail features?
If you want gmail to push, use SEVEN at
community.seven.com
john
Sync & Push
I use www.mobipush.com to push my gmail and it works instantaneously. Fantastic. This is free, perhaps only while they are in beta.
I also use www.oggsync.com for syncing my calendar. There is a free version, but I bought the software and daily sync about 11 calendars 2 months backwards and 2 years forwards. Hardly ever any issues. They are working on contact sync - have a public beta out now.
surgex0 said:
Google's apps for WM are all in java aren't they?
I know the gmail one is, and it sucks big c---.
I'd rather use opera and gmail html mobile than use their ****e java client.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don’t know if it’s really the Gmail client that sucks so much as that it just doesn’t run properly on the version of Java that comes on my Touch (the Bell Mobility Touch in Canada). I was pretty happy to have the Java Gmail client on my Razr back before I got my Touch.
That being said I keep hoping they will come out with a native Windows Mobile version like they did with Google Maps. But then again it seems kinda silly to come out with an email client for a device that already has a built-in integrated email client. The better solution would be to make the pre-exiting email, calendar and contacts features work properly (as in within their native capacity – meaning DirectPush) with their Gmail counterparts.
The Fish
My G1 shipped today and I'm excited to get it tomorrow sometime. But I'm curious about getting tasks to work with my G1.
It looks like Google is thinking the same as Apple in that it doesn't have a built in task app. I think right now it will sync with Google Calendar and Gmail (for contacts), but there is no service to sync with tasks.
So... that said... are there any solutions working from the app store right from the get go or does anyone know of any future plans from any devs?
I'm using Funambol on WinMobile right now to sync contacts, tasks, and calendar data. It works great... and I even found that they have an app created for Android (I'm not sure if it's available yet), but so far it only syncs contacts.
Is there is anything out there I can use right now to get tasks working on the G1?
nothing yet, but should be up over time, outlook sync is one of the big ticket items developers are working on
Hopefully something comes out soon. I've come to depend on tasks and I have also come to depend on a shopping list program (hopefully this comes out soon).
From what I understand, anyone can start publishing apps starting on Monday. However, it won't be till Q1 2009 that apps from the app store can be purchased. I'm all for freeware and there's always great apps out there that are free... but I've had better luck with programs I actually had to buy.
Anyways... I'll eagerly be checking for updates to see what tasks managers come out into the market.
On a side note... is there any RSS feed I can subscribe to showing new or updated additions to the android app store? Or if not, perhaps there's a blog or two I can subscribe to so I can stay on top of all the new apps coming out?
Ayodeji13 said:
nothing yet, but should be up over time, outlook sync is one of the big ticket items developers are working on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I have a few days left of my 14 days, if I cant sync with Outlook, I am done with G1 and its going back/
Just extracting my contact from outlook and importing them correctly in Gmail was a pain in the ass. Despite what is indicated on gmail help's page they absolutely don't support outlook csv format. Unless throwing every number in the "notes" fields is what they consider "supporting".
It took me a whole evening writing my own application that reads the csv and upload it properly into gmail using their contact API. No way I was going to re-input 600 contacts by hand.. I'd share the c# code for the app with whomever asks for it but it is *not* something for end-users just a quick hack that worked for me *once*. If you can't code you don't want it.
I managed to get the funambol app (Market is so slow...) so I will try to open an account there and see if it can sync all of outlook, gmail and the phone properly after all they have plugins for everything. Too bad they don't support appointment right now but it's still the best bet.
Hi,
just wondering if anybody has moved from a Blackberry in a BES environment to
the Android platform with google apps?
How are you finding it??
Thanks
Miek
Hi,
I was formerly using a Blackberry with BES, and switched to the G1 back in October, with my email hosted by Google Apps for Domains.
In general, I'm pretty happy with the G1 as a Blackberry replacement, with a few caveats:
1. The actual emailing experience (i.e. sending and reading email) was definitely slicker with the Blackberry. That being said, I now think a little bit more about the emails I want to respond to on the G1 because it is that little bit less ergonomic, so that is not necessarily a bad thing!
2. I sometimes find it hard to find the particular message in a thread I want in the GMail app on the G1.
3. I miss the ability to add more than one email address - the GMail app only supports a single address and whilst I could use the "standard" email app, I really shouldn't have to.
Other than that, it's been fine and I've no intention of moving back to a BB because the G1 hits a lot more boxes - I did consider a BB Storm, but the lack of WiFi put me off.
Certainly, now that I keep my calendar and contacts on Google, I really see it is a good alternative platform *if* you are prepared to make the switch to Google Apps for Domains.
Regards,
Dave
bb storm would definitely be FAR FAR LESS ergonomic than Dream for emailing due to the crap onscreen keyboard, crap touchscreen (it has a stupid clicker), and lack of physical keyboard. Dream also beats out all other bb's when it comes to long emails due to the larger keyboard and generally better keyboard layout and function. For quick emails, the bb/palmtreo format is more convenient since there's no need to flip the keyboard out, however, droidsans virtual keyboard or the soon-to-be android 1.5 with integrated virtual keyboard takes/will-take up *most* of what the Dream lacks regarding short emails, i.e. virtual keyboard for quick short emails, big physical keyboard for long emails.
foxmeister said:
Hi,
I was formerly using a Blackberry with BES, and switched to the G1 back in October, with my email hosted by Google Apps for Domains.
In general, I'm pretty happy with the G1 as a Blackberry replacement, with a few caveats:
1. The actual emailing experience (i.e. sending and reading email) was definitely slicker with the Blackberry. That being said, I now think a little bit more about the emails I want to respond to on the G1 because it is that little bit less ergonomic, so that is not necessarily a bad thing!
2. I sometimes find it hard to find the particular message in a thread I want in the GMail app on the G1.
3. I miss the ability to add more than one email address - the GMail app only supports a single address and whilst I could use the "standard" email app, I really shouldn't have to.
Other than that, it's been fine and I've no intention of moving back to a BB because the G1 hits a lot more boxes - I did consider a BB Storm, but the lack of WiFi put me off.
Certainly, now that I keep my calendar and contacts on Google, I really see it is a good alternative platform *if* you are prepared to make the switch to Google Apps for Domains.
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply Dave,
I already moved my email to google apps for domains a few weeks ago (one less thing to worry about!) so I'm only really using BES for calendar sync now, although I do find notes and tasks useful but I don't think there is any google alternative at the moment?
How did you get along without using the Blackberry "Password Keeper" ? I pretty much have all my passwords, pins etc etc in that app, I think I will miss that!?
Having played with the google calendar application I find it very nice, I like the ability to embed a map in to a appointment by just putting the postcode in the "Where" field, I'm guessing that does not carry over to the G1 calendar?
Cheers
Mike
Dirky said:
Thanks for your reply Dave,
I already moved my email to google apps for domains a few weeks ago (one less thing to worry about!) so I'm only really using BES for calendar sync now, although I do find notes and tasks useful but I don't think there is any google alternative at the moment?
How did you get along without using the Blackberry "Password Keeper" ? I pretty much have all my passwords, pins etc etc in that app, I think I will miss that!?
Having played with the google calendar application I find it very nice, I like the ability to embed a map in to a appointment by just putting the postcode in the "Where" field, I'm guessing that does not carry over to the G1 calendar?
Cheers
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Mike,
Personally, I never used the BB Password Keeper, but I notice there are quite a few similar apps available for G1 for free on the Market.
I've just tested to see if the maps pull through to the G1 calendar, and your guess is correct - they don't!
Regards,
Dave
Dirky said:
Thanks for your reply Dave,
I already moved my email to google apps for domains a few weeks ago (one less thing to worry about!) so I'm only really using BES for calendar sync now, although I do find notes and tasks useful but I don't think there is any google alternative at the moment?
How did you get along without using the Blackberry "Password Keeper" ? I pretty much have all my passwords, pins etc etc in that app, I think I will miss that!?
Having played with the google calendar application I find it very nice, I like the ability to embed a map in to a appointment by just putting the postcode in the "Where" field, I'm guessing that does not carry over to the G1 calendar?
Cheers
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use OI Safe it works well and is free on the Market
Does anyone know of a free app that will do exchange corporate directory lookup? If these phones ever hope to gain ground in the corporate world they really need to have this functionality out of the box and built into the exchange app on the phone (i.e. being able to do a "check name" against the GAL). I've searched the marketplace but can't find one for 1.5. There is an app for the DROID that does this but it is either specifically written for the motorola phone, or only supports android 2.0 (doesn't show up as a search result unless it is done using the DROID). This is my biggest beef with this phone and i'm thinking of sending it back and just waiting for them to be released with 2.0 already loaded.
I know there are some paid programs out there that claim to offer this functionality but of course i'd prefer to explore the free route first. Thanks!
There is a beta program from Seven (also known as Good Messaging) that does what you are asking for at no cost (aside from testing new features).
http://www.seven.com
I've been using it off and on for a couple of years now. It perpetually has bugs (it's their beta build), but it works.
It supports direct connect from your phone via Exchange OWA, or you can install a connector on your PC at work which integrates with outlook to sync over the air with your phone (useful if your company only exposes exchange internally or via vpn).
How can I use this app from Seven? The link to Sprint links to other phones and not any of the newer smartphones...
*update*
Nevermind, I got it. Have to sign up for their forums and beta program. Installing now. Looks very professional. Let's hope it works well.
Finally I can answer a question for someone else. The Sprint Hero has a GAL built it. Unfortunately you have to be in an email to run it, but you can do a GAL from there. Let me know if you need help. No need to get an app, its already there.
When in an email, in the to box, type the name and a drop down will be there and select Company Directory
What about on the HTC Eris from Verizon? It does not have this drop down for corporate directory option.... Maybe I'll try that seven program.
gqukyo said:
How can I use this app from Seven? The link to Sprint links to other phones and not any of the newer smartphones...
*update*
Nevermind, I got it. Have to sign up for their forums and beta program. Installing now. Looks very professional. Let's hope it works well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you figured it out!
Grinder16 said:
Finally I can answer a question for someone else. The Sprint Hero has a GAL built it. Unfortunately you have to be in an email to run it, but you can do a GAL from there. Let me know if you need help. No need to get an app, its already there.
When in an email, in the to box, type the name and a drop down will be there and select Company Directory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel like a moron here, but I am not seeing this, I can start to type a name and I only get my list of contacts in the phone. This is not a GAL list. Would be OOBER cool if I can get this working, and figure out how to delete and email ONLY off the phone not the server too.
Hey everyone,
Great community and great people..
I saw the video when I registered and understand why it was put. I did search first.
- HTC HD2, Android ISC 4.0.3 by DFT
My question is and actually a problem for me, is the ability to display my contacts on my Android home screen with their current status from Windows Live Messenger, facebook and/or any other IM service.
My previous phone was the Nokia N900 (2 years of use until this HD2 I have now)
with Meamo 5 and some updates from the Maemo community.
I was able to link/sync/connect my contacts with those obtained from IM services in one contact card and with their statuses for each IM service.
I even could merge contacts if I don't have them linked.
It was so sweet to have had that. But on Android I have been trying to find a way to do that. Yes, I can join contacts together under one contact card, but no info on their availability on any of the services.
Basically, Is there a way to have real-time updates of that and display the contact on my home screen with their status on IM?
It is a pian if you want to check for someone to have to go to Beep or Skype and check if they are online or not!
I would consider a whole OS if this doesn't work.. maybe WP7 or even MeeGo.
Thanks,
David.