Frustration and syncing with Gmail contacts

[bilgrami]

OK - so I have spent a lot of time trawling to get a solution to this, but cant find anything that works, anywhere.

The objective is to get the adress books to play well together on my various devices and they are not...ideally a change made on one device will replicate automatically on all the others.

I use a Blackberry (the new one), iPad 2, macbook pro (mail app and address book) and also use the online version of gmail.

The Blackberry uses the built in google integration and snycs with gmail fine. So, no issue there...

The Ipad 2 is set up to use the 'exchange' contact sync, which also works fine (http://support.google.com/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=138740) although the 'linked contacts' thing (i.e. duplicates show as a single contact) is frankly strange and seems to complicate matters.

the mac address book is/was set up using the “Synchronise with Google” option within Mac Address Book using the ‘On My Mac’ database. This doesn't sync with gmail bi-directionally. i.e. a change on gmail is replicated on the macbook, however a SINGLE change to a SINGLE contact on the mac address book somehow results in the next sync changing hundreds of contacts on both databases - something I am loathe to do and would need to unpick manually.

I have tried to have the ipad 2 sync with the macbook pro, but because of the 'linked addresses' thing, changes on the ipad2 dont seem to be reflected on the mac address book and you cant make it use the 'exchange' contact group.

any ideas?? I am thinking of purchasing an app i have seen on the app store, but want to ensure that it solves my problem and that i have done everything right so far first...

 

[r0k]

OK - so I have spent a lot of time trawling to get a solution to this, but cant find anything that works, anywhere.

The objective is to get the adress books to play well together on my various devices and they are not...ideally a change made on one device will replicate automatically on all the others.

I use a Blackberry (the new one), iPad 2, macbook pro (mail app and address book) and also use the online version of gmail.

The Blackberry uses the built in google integration and snycs with gmail fine. So, no issue there...

The Ipad 2 is set up to use the 'exchange' contact sync, which also works fine (http://support.google.com/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=138740) although the 'linked contacts' thing (i.e. duplicates show as a single contact) is frankly strange and seems to complicate matters.

the mac address book is/was set up using the “Synchronise with Google” option within Mac Address Book using the ‘On My Mac’ database. This doesn't sync with gmail bi-directionally. i.e. a change on gmail is replicated on the macbook, however a SINGLE change to a SINGLE contact on the mac address book somehow results in the next sync changing hundreds of contacts on both databases - something I am loathe to do and would need to unpick manually.

I have tried to have the ipad 2 sync with the macbook pro, but because of the 'linked addresses' thing, changes on the ipad2 dont seem to be reflected on the mac address book and you cant make it use the 'exchange' contact group.

any ideas?? I am thinking of purchasing an app i have seen on the app store, but want to ensure that it solves my problem and that i have done everything right so far first...

I find iCloud to be flawless at sync as was MobileMe before it. I suggest you put your Mac and your iPad on iCloud and add google sync to only one device so that your BB gets admitted to the party. I further suggest you AVOID MarkSpace Missing Sync and Blackberry Desktop for OS X as my experience with those sync methods was not a good one.

There is shareware available to sync from the Mac to Google. Then you could continue sync from BB to google and you'd be all set.

In fall 2010, I went from BB to iPhone 4 and I couldn't be happier. I considered a Droid Incredible and a newer BB as possible options but in the end iPhone 4 was the right choice for me. If you find you like BB for some compelling reason, then by all means figure out this sync thing but if you're flexible about the kind of smartphone you use, going all-Apple and using iCloud removes any sync difficulties once and for all.

 

[bilgrami]

thanks.... definitely hate the BB software too - i was actually thinking of one called 'contacts sync for google mail' from the app store (not sure how to insert a link to it...)

unfortunately im stuck on the Blackberry - why, well..might sound lame but im used to it, love the keyboard and use Blackberry messenger a hell of a lot. I am also increasing annoyed with 'whatsapp' so thats not an option..

the iCloud solution sounds good - but how to keep my gmail contacts synced with the mac in a way that works? You mention some shareware - any links? I'd rather try something that is tried and tested..perhaps forking out $5 for the above is the way forward.

having converted to everything Mac (except the BB) some years ago and trashed everything Microsoft, it irks me somewhat that it seems Apple has somehow purposely made my life difficult by not just enabling my expensive gadgets to work better with google.

 

[bilgrami]

solution..

Just thought I should post my 'final solution' - i decided to pay for the app (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/contacts-sync-for-google-gmail/id451691288?mt=12), it pretty much does what the native support for mac syncing does - but with the additional benefits of supporting groups and some more granular options for the syncing process itself. It is also being constantly updated which is great news for me.

support is also good, so id recommend it.

the sync issues i had seem to be down to some unique issues with my contacts database, but the app above has helped me get over most of them - and now my devices are in peace and harmony.