Syncing your Blackberry calendar with Google and Outlook

So you want to get all your calendars back on speaking terms again? It is actually easier than one might think. And if your an avid calendar user like I am, then this is one of the more important setup items you will want to take. The other major advantage to using this method, even if you do not really have a need for a Google calendar in your mix of calendars, is that this method will allow you to sync your Blackberry and your Outlook calendars OTA (Over The Air). So even if your just looking to sync Outlook with your Blackberry. Doing this will eliminate any need for cords or wires. That makes all this worth the effort. Off we go.

First things first. What you will need to have setup prior to taking any of these steps will be:

• MS Outlook with a working email account and calendar.
• A Google account with a Gmail address and a Google calendar associated with that email address.
• Your Blackberry (any device model). Also be familiar with the calendar and how it works.

Moving forward - There are two pieces of software that you will need to acquire. Both are free and easy to download. Here are the links for the downloads:

Google Calendar Sync download (for PC)

Mobile Phone Google Sync download

The second link you can use directly from here if your viewing this on your mobile phone. Otherwise you will just have to get ton your browser on your Blackberry and type in the following address to your address bar: http://m.google.com/sync  and in doing so you will be directed to the download for the mobile sync app for google. Now on to the next steps.

Once those two are downloaded and installed onto your PC and Blackberry respectively, we move on to the setup of each. First the Google Sync software on your PC. Go to the following link and follow the very simple instructions on the setup of this software.

Click here for instructions on the setup of Google Sync for your PC.

Next is the mobile Google app. Again, very simple. Once downloaded you will of course need to set it up to sync the proper calendar. The link below will instruct you on how to do that as well as other setup options. Once you have all that preliminary stuff handled then we can move forward with making it all work the way it needs to in order to sync all your calendars - Google/Blackberry/Outlook.

Click here for instructions on the setup of Google Sync for your Blackberry.

So at this point you should have all the necessary software downloaded and installed. You should also have a calendar setup and running for all 3 devices (Outlook Calendar - Blackberry Calendar - Google Calendar). Now you can focus on getting all three talking to each other. Remember, the point of all this is to eliminate any wires and to ultimately get your Blackberry to sync with Outlook OTA, and you use the Google Calendar to facilitate this. The process will work like this: Outlook will sync with Google using the Google Sync software you downloaded for the PC. Then you will sync your Blackberry with your Google calendar using the Google Sync app as instructed by the link above. So if all had been set up properly then it will all work just as it should. And you will have all three communicating. So anything you put into you Outlook calendar will hit your Google Calendar and in turn show up on your Blackberry calendar soon thereafter. And wouldn't you know it, it all works in reverse too.. haha...

One thing you will have to make sure of however is to adjust the times for the sync operations so they occur to your liking. I have everything syncing within about every hour. Any longer then that and I fear certain changes or additions I make will not be on my other calendars quick enough in case I need to take off from the PC for a while. Because when that is the case, I have to force a manual sync operation. Which just like anything else is not all that complicated.

That is basically it. Follow the instructions at the links provided and you will be all together. Once done and if used consistently you will never have any excuse for missing all those things your wife wants you to do. Sadly this is a drawback to having a calendar system that works so well. Especially if she figures out she can invite you to events on her calendar such as that dreaded Tupperware or jewelry party.