BlackBerry® Link

[sdgardne]

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jackkapica wrote:

Anyway, BB tech support confirmed this was an outlook Hotmail Connector issue, and they too didn't know how to fix it. Instead, we made a workaround: we exported my calendar and inhaled it into the Hotmail calendar in Sympatico/Hotmail, routing around Outlook entirely. 

So that leaves me with one major problem: I cannot update that calendar through Outlook; as an issue of Outlook Hotmail Connector, it's Microsoft's problem, and Microsoft isn't about to get on the phone with you or me to work it out. 

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Interesting...I don't use Sympatico, so I don't have that particular issue. I do know that, so far, I have the following devices properly synchronizing calendar and contacts, bi-directionally, using HotMail as the conduit:

• Desktop Outlook 2007 on PC (Win7)
• BB Z10
• BB PlayBook
• Droid

Today, I intend to add another Desktop Outlook (2010) to this configuration to ensure that I can change a calendar or contact item on any of the included platforms, and have that change replicate through (via HotMail) to all of the others. So far, in this configuration, the HotMail Connector is working perfectly well.

[ThinkReferrals]

As a business user, I have issues with this and the solutions suggested.  With privacy laws and responsibility of keeping contact information private and of course my own personal preference of keeping schedules and contacts between my phone and my computer without sending all that private data to a cloud system, this is truly the end of the business uniqueness that was Blackberry.  At this moment it is just another phone geared to the kids with their music sync ability and those users that do not care about privacy or security.

I refused the Android upgrade last year because I assumed that Blackberry would respect the business user, which has not happened.  Without a direct cable solution, I can't even use this phone except to play and I will be forced to keep my Torch with me as a calendar.  This is so sad for a once great Business Brand.

[sdgardne]

ThinkReferrals -- there is nothing you have said with which I can disagree. But, at the same time, I cannot offer that which simply does not exist. Your evaluation and prediction may well be accurate...only time will tell.

Good luck!

[ThinkReferrals]

Thanks, I am truly saddened today after such a long wait filled with anticipation of an amazing business tool.

[ThinkReferrals]

Is anyone using this with their BB10? It has a USB and a wifi option which would keep all data private and secure within the business environment. $50 one time fee is totally acceptable to solve this issue.

Companion Link ?  http://www.companionlink.com/products/bb10-outlook.html

[Freeskiken]

Hi, I finally got this to work for me. I can see the synced entries in my calendar . I have my contacts in my Z10 from my bold 9700. I think they are now linked. I used sync2 on my work computer to sync my contacts and calendar from outlook to my google / gmail account. I installed google chrome on my work computer. Once I had this done I was able to use active sync on my Z10 to link / sync my calendar and contacts. I want to thank everyone on this site for your help !! Also sync2 !! Google !! And BB for active sync !! Now I will install Syn2 on my home computer. Then I will have my outlook synced between my work, home and Z10 !! Vunderbar !! Really like this phone great upgrade !! Beautiful phone, keyboard and interface.

[Freeskiken]

Hey Thanks for your help sdgardne !! You got me thinking about syncing through google / gmail account and active sync on the Z10. The missing link was Sync2 .

[G2M]

Completely agree.

If this is not rectified by the US launch, I will not be upgrading. What's the point of all the business hype if I'm stuck pushing everything to cloud. Local sync was invaluable to the BB experience. I might as well get the new Galaxy that's coming out around April/May. 

[sdgardne]

FYI...there is a group of us here that are actively working to figure out if there indeed is a true end-to-end solution, hopefully at no additional cost to anyone. Natively, there definitely is no solution for tethered sync between a PC PIM (e.g., Outlook) and a BB 10 device...that is indeed gone. But, as many have found, there is the ability to flow through various services (Hotmail/Outlook.com is working out to be the best) for Calendar and Contact OTA synchronization. And, at present, doing such a cloud flow through is the only answer.

The major stumbling block we have now is in regards to calendar invites and acceptances...if one uses, for instance, Hotmail as the workaround to synchronize, then unless one fully shifts their working email domain also there, then the calendar invites/acceptances do not process properly. Calendar and Contacts can synchronize just fine through Hotmail, and if one only manually updates their calendar then the solution is totally functional...but invites and acceptances are the current stumbling block.

Believe me, those of us who are trying to work this out are very unhappy that the prior functionality is gone...but we can't fix that. So we have set our sights on finding a way to accomplish the same result, just via very different means that before. The Hotmail connector is free, so there is no need to spend on anything if one can work with that solution.

FYI regarding Google -- there is a free connector between Outlook and the Google servers for Calendar and Contacts, but only for paid Google Apps subscribers. If you are not paying Google, you can only sync Calendar to Google for free...not Contacts. Similarly, Yahoo claims a free connector between Outlook and their servers...but in several days of testing, I could never get the Yahoo servers to respond, so I gave up. Hotmail/Outlook.com offers a very good connector between Outlook and their servers, which can then replicate just fine to a BB10 device...but, still, the calendar invitation issue is our current stumbling block. Hopefully we will find a way around that.

Good luck!

[funcourt]

After years of outlook, I am ready to embrace a new calendar that will allow me to view a calendar on my laptop, playbook and new BBZ10.  However it's not so simple.  I now have the Z10 set up on a yahoo calendar and it's working but I can't get the playbook to work. I'm going in to "add new account"/"caldav" using the EXACT same settings and password and it keeps rejecting it.  This should not be so complicated.  Can someone please suggest something?  Should I try a completely different calendar? I currently use an @rogers email and have windows 8 on my laptop. 

Many thanks