Google Apps Alternative

I am a small business owner and I currently use Google Apps to manage my mail, calendar, and contacts because it's free. I am the only user so it doesn't make sense for me to pay for Exchange service or other mail management services. The problem I have is that while I love Google Apps, I love my Mac more. Google Apps does not support anything Mac, so it won't sync with Entourage or Outlook. I don't like web based interfaces and want to use Entourage or Outlook for Mac to manage my mail, calendars, and contacts.

Is anyone aware of an alternative service to Google Apps? I have looked for sometime and haven't found one. I assume that by now if one existed I would know about it, but I thought I would ask. Thanks.

If you are the only user, then why don't you simply use Mail, iCal, and Address Book?

For 2 reasons. 1. I want an integrated program not 3 separate programs. 2. I need a program that is more robust than Mail, iCal, Contacts. I like Entourage or Outlook because it's integrated, it has advanced management features such as to do lists, project lists, tagging, etc. I just prefer it.

madrussian said:

For 2 reasons. 1. I want an integrated program not 3 separate programs. 2. I need a program that is more robust than Mail, iCal, Contacts. I like Entourage or Outlook because it's integrated, it has advanced management features such as to do lists, project lists, tagging, etc. I just prefer it.

Click to expand...

Hmmmm. I'm trying to think of a solution here. I thought you wanted alternatives to Entourage/Outlook, but you really want a free alternative to Google Apps, or a way to make them all sync nice together, right? In the little digging I've done, I can't find a practical alternative. Not a free one anyway. No one can afford to offer something like that out of the goodness of their heart. The no-brainer is to pony up for a MobileMe account and do away with Google Apps.

lifeisabeach said:

The no-brainer is to pony up for a MobileMe account and do away with Google Apps.

Click to expand...

I thought about that and I'm sure MobileMe will do all that I need it to do. Paying Apple $99 bucks for it isn't the end of the world because I know as all goes with Apple, it will just work. However, I need to be able to use my own email address, not a @me.com address.

Does MobileMe support changing MX records and redirecting email traffic the way Google Apps will?

madrussian said:

I thought about that and I'm sure MobileMe will do all that I need it to do. Paying Apple $99 bucks for it isn't the end of the world because I know as all goes with Apple, it will just work. However, I need to be able to use my own email address, not a @me.com address.

Does MobileMe support changing MX records and redirecting email traffic the way Google Apps will?

Click to expand...

That's a bit over my head, but briefly Googling around and it seems the answer is no.
Apple - Support - Discussions - redirecting domain mail to MobileMe ...

If you really want to use an integrated Outlook/Entourage solution - consider getting a hosted exchange account. There are a myriad of them out there - ranging form $7-$10/month/mailbox. Then you can use any EAS client - like an iPhone or iPad as well as use Outlook or Entourage on the Mac with Exchange support.

I had setup one of my friends on 1&1 - which is OK - I've had no complaints but some web searches show that many others have had outages.

Just google around - but if using Outlook or Entourage is what you really want - with your own domain name - you probably want to do hosted exchange with a reliable provider.