Sync Outlook to Android Calendar

Although the big tech companies like Google, Apple, & Microsoft spend a lot of time creating "ecosystems" that integrate all their products and services slickly together, I, like a lot people tend to pick and choose and end up with a conglomeration that doesn't always play nice together.

When I got my Android phone a couple years ago, I discovered Google Calendar Sync, a light utility that can be installed on a Windows Computer and pull calendar events from Outlook and add them to Google Calendar (and therefore your Android), as well as the other way around.

I've been told this also works for iPhone. I don't have one, but as long as you can use Google Calendar on an iPhone I don't see why it wouldn't.

When I recently got a new work laptop and tried to reinstall this handy utility, I discovered this program is no longer available for download from Google.

http://support.google.com/calendar/answer/94020?hl=en

(c'mon, Google, remember, don't be evil...)

I did discover, however, that Google Calendar Sync is still available from this rather sketchy site.

http://google-calendar-sync.m.en.softonic.com/

They force you to install their download manager, which in turn installs the google utility.

Make sure to chose the custom install option, if you don't want a bunch of toolbars and other crap installed on your computer, though.

I was paranoid about a virus, so I scanned the file with Comodo before opening it, as well as did a full system scan afterwards. Everything came up clean, and I haven't had any issues, so I guess its legit.

If you trust me more than 'softonic.com', I posted it here for download.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2LIw_oG8lJkQ3FIYTVfVW5meXM/edit?usp=sharing

Don't take my word for it, make sure you scan it before installing.

Although it worked perfectly before, the new version of this app error'ed out every time it tried to sync when Outlook was running.

To fix this, I went to C:\Users\myusername\Appdata\Local\Google\Google Calendar Sync\

and took the steps below:

1. Renamed the data_files folder something else, like data_files.old.

2. Created a new file named data_files

3. Restarted my computer and logged back into Google Calendar Sync.

Everything synced up great and I'm back in business.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How To Boot Your PC Directly to Steam Big Picture

Image
Valve released their "Big Picture" Steam interface from beta several weeks ago and I am very impressed. Frankly, it puts to shame the dashboards on both the xbox360 and PS3 that have had years of development. I started playing PC games when my dad bought our first Mac with a CD-ROM and I checked out Myst from the library. Despite using the original Xbox for a few years, I've always preferred the versatility of a PC. That  being said I now spend hours a day in front of computer screen at work and plopping down on the couch in front of my 42" HDTV sounds a lot more relaxing than taking on the zombie horde with my mouse and keyboard. Although Gabe Newell & Valve are now in the process of developing their own Steam Box console, I didn't want to wait that long. So with a little Googling and the help of the websites listed at the bottom, I came up with a way to run Steam Big Picture as a shell under its own user account. This post gives instructions on how to
Read more

How to Replace the Oil Pan in a Subaru Impreza WRX

Image
I completed this job on my 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon (stock) in about 8 hours. That included a lunch break and a trip to Autozone for a 24mm deepwell socket. The vast majority of my time was spent on my back in the driveway trying to reach the bolts around the oil pan, several of which are located up under a frame member. RTV vs Gasket There seems to be some debate about whether RTV or a premade gasket makes a better seal. Most people I talked to advised using RTV, and since that is what Subaru used originally, that's what I did. I was not able to get as clean a bead as I hoped because of the awkward position under the car and I still had no leaks, so I'll add my voice to the opinion that RTV is a good option. Finding the Oil Leak A piece of advice: If you're looking to fix an oil leak, take the time to find out where your oil is leaking for sure and don't just assume its the oil pan. In my case I was pretty sure, because I damaged the oil pan drivin
Read more

Gear Review: Aldi Adventuridge Dome Tent

Image
Aldi is fast becoming my favorite store. After moving to a city devoid of normal grocery stores like Kroger, my wife and I gave  Aldi a try and were instantly hooked by the low prices and convenient layout. Even so, there's a big difference between buying off-brand tomato sauce and trusting your dry sleeping bag to an " Adventuridge " tent. With name brand tents at REI running somewhere north of $300, though, we decided it was worth the risk. After spending three nights (one of steady rain) in the tent, I can say it is more than worth the $60 price tag. The rain flooded the older 3 room tent our friends were using, but our Aldi tent had only small puddles under the windows. It's heavier than anything I would drag backpacking, but its perfect for car camping, and could probably even work for canoeing. The Good: Bathtub floor keeps the water OUT. High ceiling lets adults stand up inside. Room to comfortable fit three adults, a Pack-N-Play, and al
Read more