How to make the complete switch from Outlook

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Hi All,

I got a MacbookAir a couple months back and love it and enjoy the MacOS. There is one niggle which I'm not completely satisfied yet and that's migrating into the Mac world of how to manage personal information management (Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Tasks)

In windows I used Outlook and synced via iTunes which worked just fine with my iPhone.

In MacOS, initially tried installing Outlook for Mac but for the life of me could not get the sync to work for the iPhone. After searching various knowledge bases i found that there is a major bug and it won't work at all... hopefully this will get sorted in the next version of Outlook for Mac.

So I then tried using iCal and Address book but there were some limitations:

- Did not know where or how to sync Tasks - now in iOS5 there is a Reminders app but where does that sync with the desktop?

- Also Notes syncs with Mail but I don't use mail, can this sync with another application?

- Is there a way to password protect opening up iCal and Address book (as well as the desktop equivs for Notes and Reminders)?

- Is there one application that puts all of these together (like outlook for windows) but also syncs seamlessly with the iphone?

Can't believe it's this hard but looking for options here please thank you in advance!
 
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As someone that works with Win 7 and OS X Lion, iOS 5 and Android Gingerbread, (and a dab of Ubuntu Linux), I'm not particularly happy with any of the e-mail/calendar/contact solutions that are tied to a particular operating system.

I got my own domain (less than $9 a year these days), set up a Google Apps account (free), and use Google's Gmail, Calendar, and Contacts.
(You don't have to use your own domain though....just something I wanted anyway)

Google along with Apple and MS have made sure that everything is readily accessible with apps for iPad/iPhone/Android/Windows Phone.

On the computers (OS X, Win, Linux), my preferred interface is the Google Chrome browser... everything looks and works the same (well... except Ctrl vs Command keys).

...and E-mails can be made into Tasks, and Tasks can have due dates that then show up in the Calendar... so everything is nicely integrated.
Add Evernote as a Gmail add-on, and.... well... that's a whole 'nother thread.


In addition, Chrome apps now provide the ability to have your e-mail and calendar offline as well... within the same browser interface.

It took a couple weeks for me to get used to going Chrome for all of it... but now when I have to help someone else out with an Outlook problem, I realize how much happier I am doing it this way. Gmail is so customizable in terms of filters for organizing your e-mail with labels and classifying importance... and no one has a more accurate spam filter.

My one complaint is that Google's Contacts field format is not always friendly for importing to/from other systems... but a bit of futzing around with it finally got them set up the way I like them.

YMMV
 
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Hi All,

I got a MacbookAir a couple months back and love it and enjoy the MacOS. There is one niggle which I'm not completely satisfied yet and that's migrating into the Mac world of how to manage personal information management (Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Tasks)

In windows I used Outlook and synced via iTunes which worked just fine with my iPhone.

In MacOS, initially tried installing Outlook for Mac but for the life of me could not get the sync to work for the iPhone. After searching various knowledge bases i found that there is a major bug and it won't work at all... hopefully this will get sorted in the next version of Outlook for Mac.

ME: I gave up trying to get Outlook working and after porting all my contacts and calendar data, deleted Outlook and settled in with Mac's native Mail, Address Book and Calendar. Apple does not have the kind of all-in-one integration for managing all 3 that Outlook offers, but there are individualized workarounds.

So I then tried using iCal and Address book but there were some limitations:

- Did not know where or how to sync Tasks - now in iOS5 there is a Reminders app but where does that sync with the desktop?

ME: Calendar (Mac) and Reminders (iDevice). I also use SimpleNote for lists. For more complex project management there are several options and no clear leader. Many options seem to depend on cloud syncing between Mac and iDevice.

- Also Notes syncs with Mail but I don't use mail, can this sync with another application?

ME: notes was a problem even though I use Mail. I switched to the Notational Velocity (Mac) Simplenote (iOS device) combination, text only and cloud syncs. Fast and easy on all 3 devices (iMac, iPhone, iPad).

- Is there a way to password protect opening up iCal and Address book (as well as the desktop equivs for Notes and Reminders)?

ME: Don't know.

- Is there one application that puts all of these together (like outlook for windows) but also syncs seamlessly with the iphone?

ME: If there is one, I haven't found it since switching in the spring. But for my one-person setup I no longer miss Outlook.

Can't believe it's this hard but looking for options here please thank you in advance!

ME: I was surprised about it too.
My answers embedded above as ME:.
 

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