You have to love companies that jump the gun a bit on announcements. I am not sure what to make of CompanionLink’s announcement this morning that they will support Outlook to BlackBerry 10 Sync for the BlackBerry X10 and Z10 phones. They claim they will have two way sync with Microsoft Outlook 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, & 2013 over USB, Wi-Fi, and “DejaCloud” sync. Here is what they had to say about it:
“Direct USB sync is one of the cornerstones of the mobile professional experience,” says Wayland Bruns, CTO of CompanionLink Software. “Whether you choose the keyboard X10 phone, or the full screen Z10 phone, the power of the new BlackBerry OS 10 is fantastic. It has allowed us to build, for the first time, a PC-style app that runs on BlackBerry OS 10 devices. The app is called DejaOffice and handles events colored by category, recurring tasks, Franklin Covey and MYOB task styles, private memos and full support for contacts, calendar, tasks and notes.”
RIM has been very coy on if they will offer their own Outlook sync tool in BlackBerry Link (replacement for BlackBerry Desktop Manager) for BlackBerry 10 especially since BlackBerry 10 has ActiveSync, CardDAV, and CalDAV support for wireless sync. Either way CompanionLink promises to have you covered on up to three computers. They will charge you $14.95 for a 3 month subscription of $49.95 one time license.
What do you think? Will BlackBerry Link have Outlook sync built in?
maxknux ( View Profile) - Posts: 93
Posted: January 22, 2013 at 3:06 PM EST
I am sure BlackBerry Link will have Outlook sync. I scared of using third party software when I know it will be provided by RIM.
Mac Not Registered
Posted: January 23, 2013 at 1:01 AM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
BlackBerry will lose this customer if I am unable to sync with Outlook. I won’t use and pay for a third party provider.
kiddo2050 ( View Profile) - Posts: 814
Posted: January 23, 2013 at 11:06 AM EST
@Mac I really don’t understand this product since my playbook syncs fine without third part software.
Mac Not Registered
Posted: January 23, 2013 at 12:54 PM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
My Playbook does not sync with Outlook. I am able to sync my phone with Outlook calendar and Contacts through BlackBerry Manager. I am not on an enterprise server. I use my devices for business not gaming. BlackBerry has always been linked with Outlook; thus, my reason for choosing it. If I have been waiting all these months for the BB10 just find out it won’t sync with Outlook, I will be very disappointed. I currently use the BlackBerry Bridge on my PlayBook for Calendar and Contacts.
Linda Not Registered
Posted: February 1, 2013 at 12:02 PM EST
I have just bought a BBZ10 and traded in my Bold 9900 at Carphone Warehouse (UK) and I am horrified to find that I now have to load and pay for thrid party software to sync my new phone with Outlook! This is a business phone – the whole reason for waiting ages for the Z10 was the sync with every part of my contact database including addresses, calendar, tasks, appointments etc. I am seriously considering returning the phone – if I had wanted this hassle I could have bought a Samsung S3. RIM/Blackberry – this should have been sorted before release – exceptionally poor service! Why does Blackberry Link not do this??
Laura Not Registered
Posted: February 3, 2013 at 3:49 AM EST
I too cannot believe that Outlook does not sync with BB10. This is something I have been using for about 5 years with every blackberry I’ve had. I will be returning mine if this is not available – fortunately I’ve still got my Torch which I love so I’ll carry on using that. What is happening with BBM too – I’ve been told that doesn’t work now either! I think they’ve been too busy trying to compete with apple etc. and forgotten about the best features of a blackberry!
John Not Registered
Posted: February 3, 2013 at 2:38 PM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
Could this (inability to sync with Outlook) be inherent with QNX, since the Playbook has never had the ability?
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: February 3, 2013 at 8:27 PM EST
I think they didn’t develop it as a priority due to the wireless sync capabilities. You may want to look at a Gmail account or I think Outlook.com accounts can sync wirelessly to both Outlook and BlackBerry 10. I am trying to dig and see if BlackBerry plans to release such a solution themselves.
laura Not Registered
Posted: February 4, 2013 at 2:39 AM EST
Unfortunately this is a make or break deal for me. I run my own business and therefore don’t use exchange. I have to use Outlook as all my clients use it and schedule meetings for me which at the moment all sync with my Blackberry which goes everywhere with me. It is pointless for me to have a smartphone that has an empty calendar as it won’t sync – I’m certainly not inputting all my calendar events in again! This worked perfectly on my torch and that’s what I’ll stay with if Blackberry aren’t resolving this problem.
kiddo2050 ( View Profile) - Posts: 814
Posted: February 4, 2013 at 5:25 PM EST
It is too bad that you have these issues. Since I use exchange I have not run into them. I would be curious to know if Android and iOS phones sync with non-exchange Outlook, and this is juts a Blackberry thing or if none of these phones do it. I did just Google it and it seems iPhone users have the same issue that you have with the Calendar so you might not come out ahead by switching.
Maybe you can sync your calendar and contacts from Outlook to Outlook.com and then to the Z10.
Sean Not Registered
Posted: February 27, 2013 at 1:04 PM EST
Have to agree here. As the Executive Director for a small agency doing work for the Provincial Government this just won’t do. One of my associates has gone to the iPhone which isnt perfect but certainly works better than this. I am going to have to take my phone back and let my money do my talking.
Laura Not Registered
Posted: February 5, 2013 at 4:23 AM EST
Funny you should say that but I’ve just been testing that and it works. It meant I had to set up another email account to pull into outlook as I didn’t have an outlook.com account but just copied my standard calendar events to the new one in outlook, added the account on my phone and it syncs perfectly. Problem solved. Thanks for looking it up for me.
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: February 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM EST
Yes Outlook.com offers some good features though their tasks features are not well rounded out.
Rein Not Registered
Posted: February 7, 2013 at 8:41 AM EST
Hi Laura
I have created an outlook.com address. Now what do I do to get my outlook and my Z10 to sync? Sorry, don’t know my way around outlook.com.
laura009 Not Registered
Posted: February 7, 2013 at 3:43 PM EST
In Outlook 2010 Choose File, Add Account, Insert your name, email address and password. The account should set up automatically as it is an outlook.com account. If you then go into calendar, create a new calendar by choosing Folder, New Calendar. You may find that this sets up automatically, to check whether it is the outlook.com calendar right click and go to properties and you should see what account it’s attached to. That will then be your calendar that syncs. Just test it first by putting in an appointment. If you haven’t already done so add the outlook.com account on your Z10, again it should automatically sync your calendar from Outlook. Once I knew it was working I copied all my appointments from my main calendar to my new one – you have to change to list view to do this – just press Ctrl A, Ctrl C to copy then click on your new calendar and press Ctrl V to paste. I would give it about 15 minutes as it doesn’t sync immediately. Good luck
Perspect Not Registered
Posted: February 8, 2013 at 11:56 AM EST
So disappointed … as an ambassador for this company and product I now have to hang my head in shame
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: February 8, 2013 at 12:13 PM EST
Yeah its a real shame but there is a reason that no other product really does this anymore. The only ones that do are because they needed the feature years ago. Nobody wants to do a cable sync anymore when wireless is available.
ME Not Registered
Posted: March 14, 2013 at 10:39 AM EST
This is not true! Over the air-syncing is an absolutely no-go for me!
I want to have MY phone to be synced with MY pc on MY desktop AT HOME!
ME Not Registered
Posted: March 14, 2013 at 10:40 AM EST
… and if they won’t fix it soon, i will sell the Z10 soon!
Me also Not Registered
Posted: April 17, 2013 at 4:18 PM EST
I agree.
Not everyone wants to divulge their personal information for the clouds entertainment.
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: April 17, 2013 at 4:27 PM EST
CompanionLink does do USB sync currently and BlackBerry Link USB two way support is coming shortly
bgriffin67 ( View Profile) - Posts: 4
Posted: April 28, 2013 at 6:21 PM EST
I’ve tried companionlink in the past. It has never worked well. blackberry had this down perfectly. can they not incorporate the old with the new?
Laura009 Not Registered
Posted: February 8, 2013 at 12:26 PM EST
I have to say that it is much better now than it used to be; Syncs my calendar and contacts constantly and does exactly the same on my Playbook. It’s just a bit of a shock when they have removed something you’ve been using for years and you don’t know how to get it to work!
Bob Not Registered
Posted: February 11, 2013 at 10:12 PM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.1.0
I have read about the wireless synch with Outlook Connector and it sounds good. My concern is the security of the synch. Can anyone shed some light on this? How does it work?
Sean Not Registered
Posted: February 27, 2013 at 12:57 PM EST
Paying a third party provider to store my data is ridiculous. Data security protection concerns aside (No system is impregnable). What agency wants its data stored in multiple locations, especially one they can’t control.
When a company like RIM forgets how it made its mark, it isn’t long before the sales go down and the stock plummets
john Not Registered
Posted: February 28, 2013 at 3:00 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9900 | OS 7.1.0.746
Ultil I hear otherwise, I’m concluding that there’s some aspect of the QNX OS that prohibits a direct sync with Outlook via USB. Otherwise, why would that valuable functionality/convenience have been removed as of the introduction of the Playbook (same QNX OS)? Why is BB so silent on this important item for its faithful?
ME Not Registered
Posted: March 14, 2013 at 10:50 AM EST
I have been waiting for something like BB10 for almost two years. Now, they did it, and I bought the Z10… for hundreds of euros. finding out, that there ist no standalone solution for syncing with outlook made me very sad, because that was one of the most important features of the BB7-phones…
Now, I sit at home and I am crying… lots of tears…
… and wait for the BBlink-update…
…PLEASE!!!! Make me stop crying!
bgriffin67 ( View Profile) - Posts: 4
Posted: April 28, 2013 at 6:17 PM EST
The business world needs a two-way sync for all Outlook features. I also have issues with the current one-way sync, as it adds multiple copies of the same contact and it does not keep e phone number distinctions. ( home, work, mobile, etc.) It lists them as other 1, other2, and so on. This is a major pain when trying to use voice dial. BB’s hanging on by a thread as it is. People in e business world have waited for two years for a new ” Business” phone and not more social media garbage. I see this being the last nail in Blackberry’s coffin.
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: April 28, 2013 at 10:02 PM EST
Its coming though sadly it did not make the cut for the last release of BBLink.
Guy Beauvais Not Registered
Posted: May 6, 2013 at 9:28 AM EST
What makes you say this? … Where are you getting your information? … I’m on the cusp of my decision and this weighs heavily against BB … Please advise …
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: May 6, 2013 at 9:55 AM EST
Directly from BlackBerry. They have already confirmed its coming they are just cleaning up the features. I don’t have the details but it coming shortly as of last I heard.
Guy Beauvais Not Registered
Posted: May 6, 2013 at 10:28 AM EST
So then I am hopeful … I’ll be in Orlando next week for Blackberry Live and will keep this top of mind. Thank you! … Guyb
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3408
Posted: May 6, 2013 at 10:30 AM EST from my BlackBerry Q10 | OS 10.1.0.1483
We will know quite a bit more then