GooSync Tasks now S60-compatible

slitchfield · #1 28-03-2008, 04:56 PM

A few weeks back, GooSync (online backup host and sync agent into Google) announced support for Tasks, but it couldn't cope with the way S60 3rd Edition bundled to-dos into Calendar. That changed a few minutes ago as a revised Tasks module just went live, handling full S60 to-do synchronisation into GooSync, including categories, descriptions, etc. Seems to work well, though note that it's not available for freebie GooSync users - you need to have plumped for the £20/year Premium service.

Read on in the full article.

timsalmon · #2 28-03-2008, 05:37 PM

I have to say that it won't do fine until then for me, Steve! I've waited and waited for Goosync and Google to produce a viable alternative to Outlook and other 'proper' PIMs but they just are not. At least not quick enough for my productivity.
In reality, the only thing that GooSync and GMail are able to do 'properly' is to sync Calendar - GooSync - Device and back. This works really well. But Contacts is a complete waste of time - the field mapping is so complicated that it's going to require a huge investment in time to change all the data in Google Contacts (for a good number of contacts). And even if one invests that time, the sync is still only 2-way then 2-way again, not 3-way like Calendar. It seems the same is now happening with Tasks - 2-way only and not even getting to Google. What kind of sync is that?! It's all a cludge IMHO.
GooSync blame APIs at Google's end 'not being released' (is that the phrase?) for developers to work with. Why's this I wonder? Why would Google want to block it? Is this an Android thing? Making sure other OSs are crippled but theirs can do the whole package so that we'll buy Android-based handsets?
I know I shouldn't moan as it's (basic version) free ATM but I've coughed up my £20 for the last year (due again soon) so that I can sync multiple Calendars and it's been so clunky to work with at times during that year that I've almost returned to Outlook, TBH. I know the benefit of any-computer-anywhere is lost, but at least it syncs properly with my devices. What I've ended up doing is going 'online' via GMail to access Contacts and accepting the time and sometimes cost (if it has to be GPRS) and this has stopped me leaping back at Outlook. But now a half-baked attempt at Tasks as well? Come on please Google!

Am I allowed a rant, too?!

Tim

#3 28-03-2008, 05:57 PM

Hi Guys,

Glad you love the Task addition to GooSync, you'll love this news, we now have said API from Google (they released a few weeks ago) and we will launch the Google gMail Contact sync in April.

Enjoy

Chris (GooSync)

timsalmon · #4 28-03-2008, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

we will launch the Google gMail Contact sync in April.

Fantastic! Sorry for my weak moment! That's great news. Thanks.

Tim

slitchfield · #5 28-03-2008, 06:36 PM

Thanks Chris. GooSync are the good guys, Tim, please bear with them. The contact mapping was perfect for me, by the way, I'm guessing you'd altered your fields quite a bit over the years? Mine are mainly left at defaults!

timsalmon · #6 28-03-2008, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slitchfield

I'm guessing you'd altered your fields quite a bit over the years?

Yeah. Sorry for the rant. I'm sure they're good guys - I was more directing it at Google!

I ported my contacts from Outlook into Google as they instructed. I don't recall any mapping required in the first instance going that way - it just took it as it was. Anyway, that's spilled milk now - no way back. I'll just have to tackle the job sometime.

Tim

#7 28-03-2008, 07:01 PM

I'm have a premium account too and sync about 7 calendars
the guys from SBSH should be releasing V1.4 of Papyrus in a while and it has support for GooSync tags (read it on their support forum)
it takes the [...] from the beginning of the text and you can also give it a color
just what we need to have complete control

great work on the tasks guys, look forward to the contacts support!

#8 28-03-2008, 08:20 PM

I've used free CalSyncS60 lately to sync with S60 and google calendar. It is still beta but works fine for me, al though there are some features missing like recurring events. Only thing bothers me is that it does not update calendar automatically, is this working with Goosync?

#9 29-03-2008, 11:13 AM

Two points:

1 - Steve: You say that your contact fields have been left as default. One of the problems is that the defaults on the E90 are useless. If you want to input a normal address (i.e. Rose Cottage, 15 Maryland Close, Wayfield, Crewe, Cheshire, CE2 4MP) you can't do it easily. The house name must go under POBox or what have you, the estate under town, the county under City etc etc. That's leaving out the village and main town altogether. It just doesn't do it! This is a shame as the GooSync system aligned to Thunderbird-Lightning/Google is genius. Why, oh why can they not simply give us normal address lines such as Address 1, Address 2, Address 3, Town/City, County, Postcode, Country.

2 - Ability to sync contacts with Google soon? BRILLIANT!

Say goodbye to Outlook...

neilhoskins · #10 31-03-2008, 09:13 AM

Unfortunately, although I'm a premium member, I have to pay them more money to get ota configuration. Following the N95's v21 update, I lost the settings and their provided manual settings are throwing up an error when I try and sync.

I'm not paying £5 for an SMS configuration message on principle, so unless somebody can give me the right manual configuration for an N95 they can forget it.

timsalmon · #11 31-03-2008, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilhoskins

I lost the settings. I'm not paying £5 for an SMS configuration message on principle

You could have written down the settings before the update if you dig into the menu. I've always found it works much more reliably if you swallow the auto cost. To be fair, you do get 10 configurations for your fiver. I'm on my second now - must stop changing handsets! OK - you could argue that they may be making a bit on that, but it seems to go towards development and if they crack this Contacts and Tasks 'properly' it'll be a great service. I understand what you're saying but IMHO it's worth the fiver.

Tim

slitchfield · #12 31-03-2008, 09:42 AM

@Dan: Err..... the fields are OK on my E90 (and every other S60 device):

"Street" is the street address, e.g. "10 High Street, Lower Eastwick, Withcombe"
"Postal" is the postcode
"City" is the post town, e.g. "Salisbury"

and so on. Syncs fine too.

timsalmon · #13 31-03-2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slitchfield

"Street" is the street address, e.g. "10 High Street, Lower Eastwick, Withcombe"
"Postal" is the postcode
"City" is the post town, e.g. "Salisbury"

IME Steve the problem is when you have fields in Google used in Personal, Work, and so on - you can have infinite amounts of 'sections' by clicking 'Add Section' when editing - then the mapping gets seriously complicated, it would seem, for Goosync. In addition, and in my defence, I didn't allocate most of those fieldings - when I did my original import from Outlook they were just put there. I'll admit that I have subsequently freely used that system, not realising that at some point in the future it would all have to be 'simlified' again. When you have over 600 Contacts with apparently (to GooSync) chaotic fields, it seems to me that the only way forward is to go through all 600 odd contacts, simplify them back to basic entries and only then start to talk to Goosync. And that's a lot of work for me!

Tim