Definitive solution to iCal and ICS/Exchange calendar issues pls!

[srexy]

I work from my home office on my Mac and have Parallels installed so that I can VPN into the office network and if necessary fire up Outlook. For the most part I don't bother with Parallels as I'd rather keep the free memory available and Firefox does most things with OWA light. The one thing that doesn't work well is the appointment management. I receive invites all over the place but have to manually enter them into iCal and setup reminders to make them show up on my iPhone. I really don't want to integrate all of my personal calendars into Exchange as I have them set up the way I want them and like them as they are so enabling the Exchange calendars on my iPhone isn't an option.

I'm sure I can't be the only one that has this type of setup and I see lots of laments on the intraweb about iPhones not being able to open ics files. However, I see very few resolutions to this.

What are you guys that have a mixed environment like this doing to alleviate the problem?

 

[nwbusa]

Rather than using OWA, why not just setup your Exchange account through the Mail application? Then you can manage your invites through OSX, and they will sync to your iCal application. Sorry if I'm not understanding your question, but that's the way I do it on my MBP.

 

[srexy]

Rather than using OWA, why not just setup your Exchange account through the Mail application? Then you can manage your invites through OSX, and they will sync to your iCal application. Sorry if I'm not understanding your question, but that's the way I do it on my MBP.

Might have to try that. I didn't realize that Mail could play nice with Exchange.

 

[nwbusa]

Might have to try that. I didn't realize that Mail could play nice with Exchange.

Think it's a new-ish feature with Snow Leopard. Syncs your mail, calendar, and contacts.

 

[srexy]

Think it's a new-ish feature with Snow Leopard. Syncs your mail, calendar, and contacts.

Didn't work. Requires Service pack 1 with roll-up something or other. I know my IT guys aren't going to be too happy about implementing it (read won't as I'm the only Mac user on the network).

 

[Rajani Isa]

Didn't work. Requires Service pack 1 with roll-up something or other. I know my IT guys aren't going to be too happy about implementing it (read won't as I'm the only Mac user on the network).

Unless they don't care about stuff on their network getting out, why wouldn't they install a service pack? Maybe it's just my windows experience talking, but don't those include, among other things, security fixes?

 

[toad77]

Unless they don't care about stuff on their network getting out, why wouldn't they install a service pack? Maybe it's just my windows experience talking, but don't those include, among other things, security fixes?

I believe the OP was referring to Exchange 2007 SP1. Service packs on Exchange are considerably different than your normal, run of the mill desktop service pack.