Blackberry Desktop Sync with Windows Live Mail?

[Druski]

Well... my old Computer ran Outlook Express on XP and sync'd up my contacts and calender etc very nicely with my old but trusty Blackberry 7250...

I am now using Windows 7, Windows Live Mail, and bought a new Blackberry Bold 9000 to replace my old workhorse...

Am I correct in my findings so far that the Blackberry Software does NOT sync with Windows Live mail's contact list and calender? this cannot be...... can it?

:-o

[tsac]

Reading about windows 7 live mail it appears that the contacts are stored on the server and unlike the versions you mentioned which keep the contacts locally, it seems the DM sync does not see any lists. Windows live does offer a method to backup to the local PC. That may work.
Just my guess. Someone else here may have more info.

Godd luck and welcome to the Forums

[Dubdub]

Please search. From what I remember, there is no sync to the contacts and calendar in Windows Live. Don't use it so I cannot be 100% certain. There are probably some work arounds though.

If you can sync windows Live to Google Calendar and Contacts, you might have a solution as those do sync with the BB.

[Motorcycle Mama]

I'm not sure about Windows 7. But in Vista, you can sync the BlackBerry Contacts to Windows Live (which is the replacement for Outlook Express) Mail Contacts. But you cannot sync the BlackBerry to the Windows Live Calendar.

[MidnightDraven]

No, it doesnt sync with Windows Live.
Contacts and caledar are part of windows live mail, which isnt a recognised program for DM.
The contacts and calendar are downloaded through window live mail from the server and are not on the PC at all.

Its also damn difficult to get contacts and calendar from windows live site to google.

[Druski]

No, it doesnt sync with Windows Live.
Contacts and caledar are part of windows live mail, which isnt a recognised program for DM.
The contacts and calendar are downloaded through window live mail from the server and are not on the PC at all..

Yeah - tnks for all the replies... I got to say this is rather dissapointing.... as Microsoft seems to have gone this direction therefore it is not making it an easy transition from XP to Windows 7 (excluding Windows Mail that came with Vista).... therefore Blackberry's powerful grip as the email king seems drastically ... shall I say... weakened. I was very surprised.... Now if I truly wish to harness the power of my 9000 I actually have to go and buy Outlook and port everything over...


Realistically..... is RIM going to adress this and provide a solution in the reasonably near future... or what other options rather than Outlook does one have for a nice smooth incorperation of BB Desktop withing ones email and contacts?

[tsac]

I don’t think Rim is the culprit here. Microsoft is looking to lock up customers with an online email system. And as you have discovered, Outlook is the option, at a cost. Maybe if customers complain to Microsoft they will offer a method to place a copy of the address book and other components on the PC for use by applications like the DM.

[MidnightDraven]

I think its a case of MS realising that most people don't use their browser (IE), or used Outlook Express/Windows Mail, and most now opt for free Office applications like OpenOffice instead of MS Office.
Windows Live is free, so they are offering you the ability to get a MS product that does the same thing, for free.

The problem is, RIM set DM wtih outlook, because most businesses use it. Now they have moved to more personal devices instead of business, but havent acknowledged this in the DM software.
It may be a simple case of not being able to integrate with other programs.

Even my HTC with Windows Mobile Device center won't sync with Windows Live. Only Outlook. Luckily I have no need to sync it.

[aiharkness]

I agree with Draven. I think MS is going with the market flow, and Windows Live mail serves the needs of most consumers.

Maybe RIM will eventually accomodate Windows Live customers. I'm predicting it will.

[MidnightDraven]

RIM might, but if MS cant integrate with Mobile Device Center, I cant imagine them letting RIM have a go. lol

[aiharkness]

RIM might, but if MS cant integrate with Mobile Device Center, I cant imagine them letting RIM have a go. lol

Mobile Device Center? Is that what has replaced ActiveSync? I guess if there's an inside joke (... MS can't integrate with Mobile Device Center), I don't get it.

I was thinking along the lines of the Yahoo addition to Desktop Manager sync functions. That would depend on RIM and MS cooperation, of course, and maybe other stuff I don't even know that I don't know.

[tsac]

Hopefully Both companies will see the light and work together. Another thought, this may be tied to MS being sued ( and lost )in Europe for code violations in Outlook. They may not want to loose more market share.

[MidnightDraven]

Yes, Mobile Device Center replaced Activesync on Vista and 7, and it cannot integrate with Windows Live either, only Outlook.
If MS cant get windows live to integrate with their own mobile product, I cant see them letting anyone else do it.

[aiharkness]

Yes, Mobile Device Center replaced Activesync on Vista and 7, and it cannot integrate with Windows Live either, only Outlook.
If MS cant get windows live to integrate with their own mobile product, I cant see them letting anyone else do it.


Hah, that is too funny . . . Both funny haha and funny peculiar at the same time.

Way to go Microsoft!

At the rate I move, I'll probably get to 7 in the last third of it's life cycle.

[MidnightDraven]

I know, its ridiculas. MS are pushing people to use Windows Live, afterall, if you have messenger, why not Mail; as well as the fact that photo gallery and movie maker were removed in 7 to be replaced by those in the Live package.
And yet they fail to integrate with anything.

Also the workaround of getting Window Live calendar to Google (then google to BB) is also ridiculas. If my memory serves from the one time I did it, you have to export the calendar as .ics and import to google, but whenever you add anything to calendar, you have to import again.

[Druski]

I think its a case of MS realising that most people don't use their browser (IE), or used Outlook Express/Windows Mail, and most now opt for free Office applications like OpenOffice instead of MS Office..

Well I got to disagree here... most people are using IE, and MS Office... it's what the business world uses.. and they use it at home... only the techie types opt for chrome, opera, firefox etc... but the average consumer (90% of the people out there) use MS products... it comes with thier PC... and thats what they use...

(open office is pretty good but it's still not totally compatible and therefore not really a viable option if you need to be able to send, edit, and manipulate documents in a MS office world - but for for a grad student writing term papers, or if you dont need compatibility - it's perfect.)

HOWEVER this is rather off topic....

IF someone wants to sync contacts and calenders at home with ther PC and thier Blackberry.... What Outlook alternatives are recommended... (Other than Gmail - I use that for a different purpopse and wish to keep it seperated)

What are people here (that do sync up) using?
:?

[Motorcycle Mama]

People here primarily Microsoft Outlook or Google Sync. That's it.

[NJBlackBerry]

So most people are using browsers other than IE and opting for free Office like products?

Really? And Apple is outselling Windows, right?

[Druski]

People here primarily Microsoft Outlook or Google Sync. That's it.

yeah - I think your dead on here! I guess I will have to bite the bullett and go back to outlook.... I like outlook - just not the pricetag!

Thanks all for the input8-)

[rambo47]

I think MS will eventually allow BlackBerry integration with this new Windows Live Mail. Google will push them to follow suit just by being the more BB-friendly provider. If MS perceives this integration as an advantage for Google they won't ignore it for long. Remember, Hotmail didn't integrate with BlackBerrys for some time, but eventually MS got on board. So I believe it will happen again. The ball is in MS's court and all they have to do is dedicate the resources to write in BlackBerry integration. How eager are they to dedicate the resources, and how big a project is this? Unknown. Windows 7 is still new, and they have to prioritize additions and updates.

[MidnightDraven]

When the price of full MS Office is over £100, yes I believe people are choosing free alternatives.
Yes you can just buy outlook, or word, or powerpoint, but for £50+ its still a big price.

NJ, I know nothing of Apple.

With MS working on Windows Mobile 7, (surprise, not) Id imagine better integration with their own products, and hopefully others.

[tsac]

Student and teacher versions are very cost effective. In the US they cost about $89.

[MidnightDraven]

I agree, though come with a problem.
When I was a student, most of my lectures were powerpoint which could be downloaded as notes. Powerpoint is ONLY available in the Full version. Not the student version (which is stupid).
But anyway, we digress.

[rambo47]

OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite (http://www.OpenOffice.org)

Not as good as the MS Office Suite, but when you consider it's free, why not give it a whirl?

[NJBlackBerry]

I questioned (and continue to question) the use of the word "Most" in post #8.

Most people use IE.
Most people (in business) use Office.

Yes, there are many browsers (better than IE) and a free office look a like.
But inertia is difficult to overcome.

[MidnightDraven]

Therefore I apologise for my wording.
Yes, most people in business use office; but my point was personal use.

[Jagga]

I think its a case of MS realising that most people don't use their browser (IE), or used Outlook Express/Windows Mail, and most now opt for free Office applications like OpenOffice instead of MS Office.
Windows Live is free, so they are offering you the ability to get a MS product that does the same thing, for free.

The problem is, RIM set DM wtih outlook, because most businesses use it. Now they have moved to more personal devices instead of business, but havent acknowledged this in the DM software.
It may be a simple case of not being able to integrate with other programs.

Even my HTC with Windows Mobile Device center won't sync with Windows Live. Only Outlook. Luckily I have no need to sync it.


The issue is not necessarily Microsoft nor RIM's fault.

RIM is STILL focused on Business/Corporations ... think BES (that is NOT consumer focused in any way shape or form). Yes 60-70% of their revenue comes from consumers now and for the past 2-3yrs now over 45% from Consumers. If RIM no longer focused on Corporate business then their devices, OS, and infrastructure would cease to innovate and thus fall behind, over time.

To be honest its due to the licensing of IntelliSync (owned by Nokia for the past 5-7yrs). IntelliSync works with Outlook, Novell Groupwise, and Notes. Those are still the key business focused infrastructures. Also Palm Desktop of the old OS was also enabled in Desktop synchronization. Windows Express to little degree, and Windows Mail didn't exist until recently. The SYNC limitations is due to IntelliSync. Lastly IntelliSync also allows for "Least Cost Method" to the BES for activation.

PS you'll all noticed over the past several years Blackberry Desktop Manager went from Desktop Synchronization to Synchronize.

[MidnightDraven]

Didnt know intellisync was nokia's. interesting.
Ok, so now I understand RIM's limitation with Windows Live. I wonder what MS's limitation is. lol

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted

I didn't know Nokia owned intellisync either. That's what I mean by things I don't even know that I don't know.

[jimjoeb]

I have a home based business and therefore no connection to a work based server and suite of software. I have Win7 as my OS on my pc. I also have MS Office Suite. As others have said, with the install of Win7 I lost Outlook with LiveMail as the MS solution. Its not acceptable for business. I turned to other email solutions and have been using Thunderbird. I managed to synch with my Storn using the Outlook choice until the last upgrade of DM. Since then, I'm not getting the field match.

I need help to find an email software that a home user can obtain (free or buy) that is supported by RIM. I can't wait until MS and RIM get along.:-(

[Dubdub]

What are you trying to sync? From your post, I am not real sure what you are trying to say/ask.

Email doesn't sync no matter what desktop client you use. Do you use Outlook for email? Outlook calendar and contacts will sync with the BB very easily.

I use Thunderbird on my MacBook and Mac at home, along with Lightning for the Calendar option. I have Outlook 2007 on my office PC and Windows based laptop. I use Google Calendar as the primary calendar application and sync it with Outlook on the PCs and wife's PC, my BB, an iPhone and the 2 Macs. Works really great other than an occasional dupe.

Google also has a contact sync which I have not used. I have an ACT database on the Office PC and Windows laptop and I sync that data to the BB as well.

BTW, I run 2 businesses and work for another.

[jimjoeb]

I'm trying to synch my Storm contacts with my home PC. I use Google calendar and it synchs well with my Storm calendar. I also have no difficulty with the synch of the emails themselves. However, due to Win7, I'm stymied with how to synch the contacts in my desktop email. With Win7, I can't have Outlook. I currently use Thunderbird which is not syncying well. When I look at the DM supported applications, my choices are limited. I'm more than willing to switch email software, I just need some help in indentifying which one will give me the features that I need for my home based business and will work with DM.

[MidnightDraven]

Why can you not have outlook with Win7?

[NJBlackBerry]

Perhaps he meant Outlook Express...

[jimjoeb]

Outlook express is removed with the upgrade from Vista to Windows 7. I went back to the Microsoft site to try and download and reinstall it but no go. Once you have Win7, no more outlook or outlook express.:cry:

[MidnightDraven]

Outlook is part of MS office, which you cna have on win7.
Outlook express was not part of vista either. Windows Mail was however.

[jimjoeb]

I also had MS Office installed when I upgraded to Win7. Bottom line is, no more Outlook. So that's my challenge: what email software can I use the DM supports so that I can synchronize my bberry contacts with my desktop email contacts?

[NJBlackBerry]

To be 100% clear - Outlook works fine on Windows 7. I am using it right now. This minute.

Not sure what your issue is.. Outlook works FINE on Windows 7.

[jimjoeb]

ok.......
There's clearly something not right in my understanding. I will re-check my license copy of MS Office to see if Outlook is there. Previously, I had obtained Outlook Express along with MS IE. I can't do that with Win7.

Standby, I'll do this later today and post an update.

Thanks for the persisent support!:?

[MidnightDraven]

Correct.
Outlook Express will NOT run on Win7.
But Outlook is different, and runs fine on Win 7.

[jimjoeb]

I've since checked. I will need to upgrade my Home and Student version to a higher level. Once I've done that, there should be no issues with the DM synch because Outlook is a supported software.

THANK YOU!(y)