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iPod Touch, PIM, and Outlook (WAS: Thunderbird as a PIM Hub)

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daddydave:
One thing to bear in mind is that I am used to is interacting with my data with several different apps. I registered both Pocket Informant and Agenda Fusion (tried not to use both at the same time but they both had their annoyances so I switched back and forth). In addition I used NewTray and liked to try out various freeware addons to display tasks on the today screen, many of which were aware of not only the native tasks but of Pocket Informant and Agenda Fusion. I think if I went with Apple, that ecosystem doesn't seem to exist I would be locked into one app and wouldn't be able to work around its annoyances. I don't have a lot of incentive to go with Apple anyway, I would not be able to write an app for it for example unless I purchase an Apple computer. So for the time being I will stick with Windows Mobile, although I strongly considered Palm Pre and Android.

daddydave:
LeaderTask (free on GOTD today) seems to have what you are looking for. Tasks, notes, calendar & contacts. Syncs with Outlook and Gmail.

And free; today at least.
-Dormouse (October 11, 2010, 10:38 AM)
--- End quote ---

I did take advantage of the giveaway and was very impressed until I saw that sync is one-way except for contacts. When you click on sync, you do a two way contact sync, and then an import of Outlook notes, tasks, and calendar items, but it does not push its own notes, tasks, and calendar items to Outlook. I was interested in seeing how it represented sub-items, like subnotes and subtasks in Outlook, but it doesn't try. However at least there is a mobile version so that may not matter.

The interface is very nice.

steeladept:
I think if I went with Apple, that ecosystem doesn't seem to exist I would be locked into one app and wouldn't be able to work around its annoyances. I don't have a lot of incentive to go with Apple anyway, I would not be able to write an app for it for example unless I purchase an Apple computer. So for the time being I will stick with Windows Mobile, although I strongly considered Palm Pre and Android.
-daddydave (October 13, 2010, 05:02 AM)
--- End quote ---
That is what I thought, and a big reason I tried an Android phone first.  I am definitely no Apple Fanboy, and this was the first time I actually bought an Apple product.  I tried and tried to avoid it, but there was no use - there is no alternative that is comparable if you want Outlook integration (unless you are using an Exchange Server).  The problem with Android is that the Android platform locks you in every bit as the Apple platform, and worse, doesn't have anything to allow you to sync with Outlook at all (again, there is an exception IF you use an Exchange Server)!  If you wanted to program your own, sure, but then you could do that with any system and wouldn't really be looking here (at least I would think you wouldn't).  With the Android platform, the only difference is instead of being held to the Apple Hardware (but able to use just about any software you want), you are able to use any hardware that will support the Android platform, but you are locked into Google.  All mail pretty much MUST go through GMail (there are some email apps out there for other platforms such as Yahoo and Hotmail, but they are little more than shortcuts to the web version).  All documents end up going through Googledocs, and most apps just do not have the smooth polish of Apple apps.  Combine that with the possibilities of a Jailbroken iPhone (completely reversible btw), and you really open yourself up to at least as many options on the iPhone.

All this said, if you have time, I would wait another month or two (or three) and see how the Windows 7 Phones work out.  If I wasn't in immediate need when I got my phone, I would have waited for just such an occasion.  Unfortunately that was not an option for me.

daddydave:
steeladept, does that assessment change any at all when it is considered I will not be buying a data plan for reasons stated here? How many cloudless Apple apps are out there?

Actually looks like there are a few. I know there is an iSilo for iPhone as well.

Also, can iPod Touch use passthrough connectivity from a PC when connected to the PC like Windows Mobile can? Then in theory I could do some things like downloading podcasts "online".

Dormouse:
The problem with Android is that the Android platform locks you in every bit as the Apple platform, and worse, doesn't have anything to allow you to sync with Outlook at all (again, there is an exception IF you use an Exchange Server)!  If you wanted to program your own, sure, but then you could do that with any system and wouldn't really be looking here (at least I would think you wouldn't).  With the Android platform, the only difference is instead of being held to the Apple Hardware (but able to use just about any software you want), you are able to use any hardware that will support the Android platform, but you are locked into Google.  All mail pretty much MUST go through GMail (there are some email apps out there for other platforms such as Yahoo and Hotmail, but they are little more than shortcuts to the web version).
-steeladept (October 14, 2010, 02:31 PM)
--- End quote ---

I don't really understand any of this. I have an Android phone and I'm not locked in. Email apps are available and easy to sync with any email provider that you are using.

I haven't looked at syncing with Outlook, since that is the last thing I want to do. But I've seen references to CompanionLink and Fliq which claim to sync.

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