Do You Use Outlook? Do you want to Sync to Google Apps?

I still use Outlook and a Hosted Exchange account and I still think it is THE BEST email solution available at this time. But, Google Apps is getting better and better everyday.

I love Outlook and I’ve wanted to switch to Google Apps but I don’t want to leave Outlook and my exchange server. The reason for this is the full synchronization capabilities that are built into all phones and Outlook and Exchange. Everything stays in Sync on multiple devices and I don’t even have to try to make it work, it just works.

Well, this may change after what Google Released today.

Google Apps Sync for Outlook

Google announced today a new Google Apps feature that enables syncing with Microsoft Outlook mail, calendar and contacts data, giving Outlook users a way to use Google Apps without changing their behavior. It will launch worldwide this afternoon (but only available in English; Google said other languages will come later) for Google Apps Premiere Edition subscribers. See the video at the end for more details.

At the Google-hosted event this morning, Google Senior Product Manager Chris Vander Mey demonstrated the feature by showing how users can schedule a lunch meeting in Outlook and the appointment will simultaneously sync up in Google Apps. ?We spent a long time making Outlook work really well,? he said. ?That should tell you how committed we are.?

Will I switch from Hosted Exchange?

Probably not at this point. The reason for this is to get the Google Apps Sync is that you have to be a Google Apps Premier Edition Subscriber.

To be a Premier Edition member it costs $50 bucks per user/ per year. We’ll my Hosted Exchange account costs me $107.50 per year. With only a $50 dollar difference in cost per year it’s not worth the time and effort to switching email providers yet.

Should you use Google Apps Premier?

YES!

Why?

Because most of you are probably using an email of joeshmuckatellyagent@hotmail.com or some other freebie email. This will kill to birds with one stone if you sign up. You will get a professional email address instead of the one you have now and you can keep using Outlook and have everything in sync between Outlook and Google Apps web interface.

Do you want it setup? If so then call me and I can help you get it done.

714-442-2500


5 Comments

  1. Dru Bloomfield on June 28, 2009 at 7:51 am

    So, Loren, I’ve come back to this post a couple times and spend some time on Google, trying to figure out is this is an application that would work for me. I already use Google docs, but would love to have the Outlook syncing capability. Do I have to have Exchange server for this to work?

  2. Loren Nason on June 28, 2009 at 8:55 pm

    Dru,

    Having the Google Apps Sync is a replacement for Exchange.

    You do not need to have an Exchange server or a Hosted Exchange account.

    This is an alternative replacement for Exchange and it looks to be a GREAT alternative.

    Personally I won’t switch yet because the headache of switching is not work the yearly cost savings for my Hosted Exchange account.

    I pay 100 bucks a year.

    I still might switch eventually because Google Apps Premier is 25 gigs of storage and my Hosted Exchange account is 3gigs

  3. Paul Trippett on July 14, 2009 at 5:32 am

    Did IMAP access and iCAL not work how you wanted it too? Thise two features should allow you to access your google apps mail and google calendar in outlook

  4. julie mahoney on December 11, 2009 at 5:24 pm

    Want to leave Top Producer – I don’t use all of the functions this expensive program offers. I want to keep all of my data base of contacts in one place and divide them into categories, i.e., work and personal. Then as a sub-category, I’d like to be able to choose to see all of my A+ clients and send them an e-mail, and then choose my networking group and send them another e-mail. Also want to keep notes of my conversations with my clients.

    I have 3 computers and a Blackberry and want to open up any computer and have access to all of this.

    I’d like to hear from any Realtors or techies that have used Google to accomplish this..or am I dreaming?

    Thanks,
    Julie Mahoney
    Dilbeck Realtors
    drinkbosco@earthlink.net

  5. Alicia Torres on February 1, 2010 at 10:01 am

    Hi! I downloaded the google sync app and my outlook calendar crashed! I flipped out, I got it running again but I am afraid to try syncing with google again. And I am totally devoted to my outlook calendar; I have an office live account which I pay for — it does my website and gives me a professional address — and I still prefer to use outlook rather than the live calendar. Is there ANY other way to get apps on my iphone to sync with my outlook calendar?? Any suggestions you have would be very much appreciated.

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