New droid user with GS2 and sync issues

[dino355]

Hi all,

Just got my GS2 yesterday having come from using a Blackberry Bold 9780 (and 9700) prior to that as well as iPhone 3GS.

Its fair to say that Android is alien to me but I seem to be getting used to it. I will miss the email functionality/simplicity of the BB for sure but when I saw a GS2 it was time to make the move!

What I don't like is Samsung Kies - now can someone explain to me what you have to do to sync it with outlook?

I have already synchronized with Gmail but i don't like this method. Exporting a csv file into Gmail just to sync is not the most efficient way of doing things. I also want to sync both ways.

Maybe I'm missing something obvious but I can't see how to sync using the Kies desktop software?

Thanks

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[tunie]

If you search the forums, you'll find conversations on this very subject. You might find the answer there. I believe the phone has to be unlocked to use Kies, but go ahead and explore the posts for detailed information. http://forums.androidcentral.com/search.php?searchid=2363382 I hope this helps.

<edit> I neglected to mention that, if your phone isn't unlocked and you can't unlock it or don't want to root it, a lot of people swear by "companionlink" (I haven't tried it) Just google for it. It syncs android phones with Outlook mail, calendars and contacts. You can try it free first to see if it works for you. Since I probably won't buy the S2 unlocked, I'll probably root it and sync that way. It seems that Kies doesn't recognize locked phones as being compatible.

 

[dino355]

That's really helpful thanks.

I wasnt aware that you had to root the phone to use Keis to sync. That's a very strange way of setting things up on Samsungs behalf.

Will rooting the phone wipe its contents so that I have to set it up how I want it again or does it just remove the (in my case) Vodafone branding and software?

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[robsw]

The phone does not have to be rooted to synch with Kies, nor does it need to be unlocked to my knowledge - the exception potentially being the upcoming US variants. If you go into the help section in the Kies menu, there is an entry for synching with Outlook.

 

[dino355]

I have successfully synced my GS2 with Oultook now.. I don't know why but the first time I used Kies it didnt give me the option.

 

[tunie]

The phone does not have to be rooted to synch with Kies, nor does it need to be unlocked to my knowledge - the exception potentially being the upcoming US variants. If you go into the help section in the Kies menu, there is an entry for synching with Outlook.

That's great to know. Thanks. I wasn't looking forward to having to root the phone or having to buy an unlocked phone in order to use Kies. Someone in here told me that locked phones won't work. I'm a bit confused now though. I keep seeing issues about using Kies with phones locked to a carrier. MiniKies works, but not for syncing, only for OS updates. I read about issues using UK and Indian phones locked to carriers. Could it be old news?

 

[tunie]

I have successfully synced my GS2 with Oultook now.. I don't know why but the first time I used Kies it didnt give me the option.

That's awesome! This is really good news for me. So, even though your phone is locked to a carrier, you didn't have to do anything special to sync?

 

[dino355]

Yes my phone was locked when I sync'd it with Keis.

I've since rooted and unlocked my GS2 as well as flashing the rom to Gingerbread 2.3.4

It was all relatively straight forward and Ive got rid of mu carriers bloatware and the battery seems to last longer

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[Kingfrog]

Never used Kies. It sucked on ATT Captivate Always synced with Gmail . I installed Kies for the drivers initially so I could use ODIN to flash ROMS Kernels and Modems. Kies won't work on a handset that has been messed with.

 

[ryan2007]

When I initially got my phone, it could sync without any problems to Outlook via Kies. After a few days it connected, but no synchronising was actually taking place. Now Kies does not even see the phone, yet my laptop can see the phone, and I can browse the folders via my laptop.

I have also uninstalled and re-installed Kies, but it still cannot pickup my phone.