How well does Google and Windows Phone sync together?

[whohasaquestion]

Hi all, I have everything maintained in Google. Contacts, calendar and music (google cloud music, or whatever they call it.) While I had an iPhone, it was no problem, I was surprised at how well Google and iOS sync together. I thought they sync better than on my android device. So how does Window Phone do in this regard?

I am a perfectionist, and really want to see the same details across all devices. I do have a Live ID, but it's a mess...800 contacts and I don't know who is who. Plus, I never maintain a calendar nor music on my live ID account.

[poki]

Anything saved to your gmail account will sync perfectly (except music, you load all your music files through zune). On my second WP and never had a problem syncing my contacts and calendars.

[savingpvtbryan]

WP7 also supports multiple google calendars. Works perfectly.

[rambo47]

I've always had issues with formatting when trying to sync Google contacts to anything but an Android phone.

I enter this contact:
First Name: Barb & Alan
Last Name: Jones

It gets reformatted to:
First Name: & Alan
Last Name: Barb Jones

This has happened with BlackBerrys doing a wireless sync via BIS and with my desktop Mac.

[ivaz]

first, I'd login to your live ID on the web and sort out those contacts...my sister had this problem and it would have been easier to first clean it up online before syncing to the phone. If all of your "real" contacts are in google I'd just delete everything from your live ID contacts.

[whohasaquestion]

Well, I've discovered some problems as well.

When I use custom name for a phone number, WP doesn't recognize it. Instead it uses "work" or "main" for the number. Worst of all, it changes my Google contact to "work" and "main"...

Not nit-picking, actually google contact and android don't sync perfectly either.

[whohasaquestion]

The calendar doesn't sync very well either.

I have a concert event at 8pm on Google Calendar, but on HTC Titan it's shown at 1am.

I didn't have such problem with iPhone. Google and Apple are supposed to be enemy too.

[spdickey]

The calendar doesn't sync very well either.

I have a concert event at 8pm on Google Calendar, but on HTC Titan it's shown at 1am.

I didn't have such problem with iPhone. Google and Apple are supposed to be enemy too.

Double check your time zone settings on each and make sure they are the same.

[whohasaquestion]

Thanks. That works!

I looked into my time zone setting, and sure enough, my phone was set for London Time. Changed to Eastern Time and calendar looks fine now.

[spdickey]

Thanks. That works!

I looked into my time zone setting, and sure enough, my phone was set for London Time. Changed to Eastern Time and calendar looks fine now.

Usually these problems are found somewhere between the handset and the chair bottom. Glad you figured out it was your settings problem and not some perceived tiff between Google and Apple.

[alexanderdragon]

But I do wish they can sync the music's too. Then, that will be awesomer.

[elecconnec]

If you don't mind streaming rather than syncing, there's a third-party app called Gooroovster that will play your Google Music on a Windows Phone.


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