How-to Sync Google Calendar with Your Blackberry

Written by: Christine Buske on Thursday, October 16th, 2008
Posted to: Blackberry, Calendar, Google
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google sync

It wouldn’t be easy to guess that after discussing how you can sync your Gmail with your Blackberry, I’d move on to syncing your Google Calendar with your Blackberry as well. Google Calendar Sync has existed for some time for your computer, but now there is also a mobile sync. With this application you can completely sync your Blackberry and Google Calendar, instead of just receiving SMS-based reminders of important appointments.

Before we launch the Google Sync application on your Blackberry, let’s focus on some of the reason you would want to use this application (benefits!), and some disadvantages to consider as well.

Major Benefits

As a MacBook user, I have to admit I’m less than happy with the syncing provided by applications such as Pocket Mac. Future releases will undoubtedly be better, but at the moment I am experiencing a very spotty sync, with appointments being added or removed at random from both iCal and my Blackberry. The contacts sync resulted in a deletion of most of my records from my computer’s addressbook, but strangely they did get ported over to my Blackberry. The experience caused me to immediately disable the contacts sync and start looking for alternate solutions. Until a better version of Pocket Mac is released, or until I can get it to work with my devices, I will start using Google Calendar exclusively instead of iCal to prevent losing appointments.

Another major benefit is that you don’t need to be at your computer to sync your calendar. If you sync a family calendar for example, you can get the latest updates through your wireless network.

Downsides

The sync will only add new events from your Blackberry to your Google Calendar. Meaning, only the appointments added after you downloaded the Google Sync application will be added to your Google Calendar. If you already have packed schedule in your Blackberry before downloading the application, your current appointments will not be added to your Google Calendar, but all new ones will. If you just backup your Blackberry, and use your device as your master calendar for the next few weeks, you will be fine.

Because the sync is wireless, it does use your data plan to transmit the information. Depending on the data plan you have, you may or may not want to use this solution.

Installing Google Sync

  1. To synchronize your Google Calendar, you need to download the Google Sync Application. It can be found at http://m.google.com/sync on your mobile browser. Click the “install now”
    icon.

    2. install google sync

  2. The program will prompt you to confirm the download

    3. googlesync2
    downloadingsync

  3. Within minutes you will receive a confirmation on your phone.

    4. syncconfirm

Syncing Google Calendar

Before syncing your Google Calendar, you need to sign in to your Google account.

  1. Open the calendar application on your Blackberry
  2. Press the menu button, and scroll up until you see “Google Sync”

    3. googlesync3

  3. You are now prompted to enter your Google account information

    4. googlesync4

  4. Once you are signed in, you can press the menu button again to start syncing your calendars

    5. syncnow

Google Sync also lets you adjust your preferences from your Blackberry’s calendar application:

  1. Go into your calendar, and hit the menu button
  2. Select “Google Sync” from the menu options
  3. Press the menu button again
  4. Select “options”

The window you see now will let you choose when to sync (automatic vs. manual), whether your Blackberry should override your Google Calendar on conflicts (or visa versa),
and for which period your appointments will be synced (the next 4, 8, 16, or 24 weeks).

If you use multiple calendars in Google Calendar, you can also choose which ones to synchronize.

Any thoughts?

Are you currently using Google Sync? In what respects to you think it can still be improved upon, and what are the reasons you are using it?

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No Responses to “How-to Sync Google Calendar with Your Blackberry”

  1. # vagamenteon 16 Oct 2008 at 11:17 am

    Any applications for Symbian Phone?

  2. # Daveon 16 Oct 2008 at 11:55 am

    Nice post Christine! I just did this myself the other day and I’m thrilled with the integration with Gmail!

  3. # Christine Buskeon 16 Oct 2008 at 12:04 pm

    Hi vagamente, actually, if you check this page: http://www.google.com/mobile/default/maps/index.html, it says the Symbian S60 3rd Edition (most new Nokia smartphones) phones are supported. Depending on your phone, it should work!
    Good luck!

  4. # mhtalbuton 16 Oct 2008 at 12:36 pm

    I have used this application for quite some time but have to stop because every time I sync from my phone it adds events in duplicate because it syncs them 5 hours earlier than they should be. I have looked at every setting I can think, other than telling the calendar I live in a different time zone than I really do, which seems silly and aside from the point.

    I am open to any suggestions that I am doing wrong with this application.

  5. # Louieon 17 Oct 2008 at 12:43 pm

    Christine,

    Thanks so much this just made it too easy.

  6. # Lauraon 18 Oct 2008 at 3:35 pm

    Questions about the calendars:
    I have multiple calendars on my google account. I have read that if I add an event on my blackberry (which I am in the process of researching and deciding if I want to buy) it will automatically add it to the default calendar. It also says that I can download my other calendars and see them. So does this mean that I cannot add events to a specific calendar of mine from my phone? Do I then have to change it on the computer and will it change it on my phone too? Will I be able to change events on my calendar that I added from my phone on the computer?

    If anyone has answers to this questions I would like some input before I spend the money on a new phone.

  7. # Larryon 19 Oct 2008 at 10:13 am

    Hi folks,

    Google calendar works great for me. I have some shared calendars syncing as well. What I’d like to improve upon is the ability to enter an appointment from the Blackberry, and easily choose which shared calendar it will go to. I don’t want my co-workers to see that I have a dentist appointment, but the shared calendar with my wife should get that entry. Currently, you have to dig through the options menu in Google Mobile Sync on the Blackberry to change the default calendar that you are sending entries to. Its a pain, and easy to forget if you are in a rush. If anyone knows a work around, I’d be thankful.

  8. # Mike Non 21 Oct 2008 at 10:42 am

    I used Google Sync fine on my T-Moble 8820 Curve until I upgraded the OS to v4.5 yesterday and it won’t sync anymore. Now it hangs, receives sync failed errors and has trouble signing in and out. I’ve removed and reinstalled Google sync a douzen times and still won’t work. I even created another Google account and it won’t work. Has anyone experienced this as well after upgrading the OS to v4.5?

  9. # Christine Buskeon 21 Oct 2008 at 11:01 am

    Hi Mike,

    I’ve heard about this problem; I’d say that deleting google sync and reinstalling it should do the trick. Did you install the new OS on your Curve? I’m assuming so, because you did not mention getting another phone. I’d say maybe something went wrong in the OS upgrade? T-Mobile may have a blackberry tech support team. On my carrier we certainly do, and they have helped out some of my friends with BB-problems in the past.

    I don’t have the same experience as you, so I’m afraid I can’t offer any more insight aside from these suggestions.

    Christine

  10. # MikeNon 21 Oct 2008 at 10:55 pm

    Christine – Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I upgraded the OS on my Curve and tried deleting and reinstalling Google sync numerous times with no luck. I’ll have to check with T-Mobile support to see if they have any ideas.

    Mike

  11. # Roryon 24 Oct 2008 at 4:03 pm

    Hi Christine! Thanks for your post, very helpful. Have you heard or read any way to increase the 24 week thingy?

  12. # Christine Buskeon 24 Oct 2008 at 5:10 pm

    Hi Rory,

    I was a bit concerned about the 24week maximum as well, but unfortunately I haven’t found a way to change this yet..

  13. # Scotton 03 Nov 2008 at 2:20 pm

    I like the sync but I need it to sync one way, from my Blackberry to gcal. I do not want it to sync from gcal to my blackberry. Any thoughts on what app best supports this scenario?

    -Scott

  14. # joelon 17 Nov 2008 at 12:34 pm

    thanks a bunch. i have now officially left the world of Outlook.

  15. # JonHon 23 Nov 2008 at 12:01 pm

    I am using Google Sync on my Blackberry 8703 with BB 4.2.1. GoogleSync 0.5.9 works wonderfully with Contacts, but always returns a Sync Failed with Calendar. Any ideas?

  16. # Andyon 06 Dec 2008 at 9:40 am

    Great post! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.

  17. # Harryon 07 Dec 2008 at 2:57 am

    I have multiple calendars on my blackberry: one for work that syncs with our company’s exchange server via BES (this is the default calendar), and one for personal appointments. I want to configure Google Sync to only sync with my personal calendar, but it only seems to be capable of sync’ing with the default calendar. Does anyone know a way around this?

  18. # Rosson 08 Dec 2008 at 8:55 pm

    I have two problems with Google Sync to my Blackberry Storm:

    Some, but not all, changes made to gmail contacts do not transfer to the storm. If I add a phone number or email, it comes across. If I edit an existing field, such as adding “MD” after a doctor’s name, that does not come across to the BB.

    Second, under google sync/options/calendar, ONLY the “default calendar” appears.

    I have uninstalled and re-installed Google Sync to no avail.

    I thought I saw forum discussion these somewhere but search as I might I can’t find it again!!

    Any help greatly appreciated

    Ross

  19. # Catherineon 10 Dec 2008 at 8:27 pm

    Very frustrated with Google sync. Would love to use it on my BlackBerry Pearl but it always returns a “login failed – check your setup” message. Any hits/tips from Christine???
    Thanks,
    Catherine

  20. # Christine Buskeon 11 Dec 2008 at 1:08 pm

    Hey Catherine,

    I’m not sure what to suggest: I’m really not familiar with the BB pearl, so why it doesn’t seem to like Google Sync (or the other way around), I’m not sure. Redundant questions, but I’m assuming you are 100% sure you have the right username and password.. I’d also see if signing up for a new account, and using that, causes the same error. If it does, then it seems more like a communication problem between your Pearl and Google. Depending on who your provider is, they may provide technical support for BB. Otherwise, try one of the BB forums as well

    Good luck!
    Christine

  21. # Christine Buskeon 11 Dec 2008 at 1:10 pm

    Catherine, i did a quick google search and saw that this seems to be a problem for a number of people after they upgraded the BB operating software. You may be able to get the older OS, or you’ll have to wait for a new version of either GSync or the BB OS.
    Christine

  22. # Rosson 11 Dec 2008 at 5:45 pm

    I tried enabling Gmail push to my BB Storm, then removed Google Sync and re-installed it.

    This put my main calendar in the choice to by synced under “options”, but it still was not syncing all my calendars. I looked again at Menu/options/calendars. The only one there was the name of my main calendar. I tried highlighting it and clicking, and THERE were the choices of all my calendars with radio buttons that could be selected. I selected the ones I want, and synced, and it worked!

    To summarize: I enabled Gmail push, this brought my main calendar into the sync option. I highlighted and clicked the main calendar in menu/options/calendar, and was able to select the other calendars.

  23. # Rosson 11 Dec 2008 at 6:06 pm

    P.S. Still can’t get edits from Gmail contacts to cross to the BB.