It all started when Google released a tool for merging duplicate contacts in Gmail and Google Apps, a feature which for some was long overdue. It didn’t (and indeed doesn’t) automatically search for duplicates like many other similar tools out there, you still need to delve into your contacts to find them, but its certainly a more convenient way of making your contacts synchronise with third party sync services, most of which can’t work with duplicate contacts.
And as if it couldn’t get any better, Google have released their own mobile phone contacts synchronisation tool. Bad news for companies like Goosync, great news for Gmail users who now have a reliable sync option between their mobile phone and their online contacts.
Google currently supports a multitude of Nokia phones, the iphone, Windows mobile, Sony Ericsson and the Blackberry and some even cater for calendar synchronisation too. Because syncing is with Google servers, it is all performed through the air using the data connection on your phone or wi-fi.
The benefits of this new tool are obvious. For the causal user this a very convenient way of backing up the contacts on a phone should it ever be lost or broken. For business users this will be a welcome new addition for those who already email from their phones and need their contacts while on the go.
Despite its seamless functioning in our tests so far, there is still room for improvement. The coherent set up instructions provided by Google does little for the average non tech-savvy user who is likely to find the whole process quite fiddly and even baffling . Google already do free text messages for Calendar, can’t we get a text which automatically installs the required settings? Added to that, on our test Nokia E71, syncing is “on demand” meaning that one has to manually tell the phone when you want it to sync – not necessarily a serious shortcoming but still a long way off the functionality Blackberry users on Microsoft Exchange have come to enjoy.
Having said all that, contacts sync is a welcomed addition to the Gmail/ Google Apps arsenal and don’t be surprised if Google release their own sync versions for desktop apps such as Outlook or Thunderbird in the near future too.
If you fancy giving synchronisation a whirl head head to http://www.google.com/mobile/default/sync.html and navigate to the instructions that are applicable to your phone model. As with all syncing undertakings, it is always advisable to backup your precious contacts first. You never know, this might also be the best excuse yet to give that jungle you call your contacts a good spring clean.
