Does Windows Phone 8 sync with Google?

[Adamsappel]

I am selling my iPhone 5 and have to choose between Android and WP8. I need a basic phone with email, whatsapp, good battery life and crisp voice call quality.

Someone suggested I get a Lumia 520 - which is at the upper end of what I am prepared to pay. How does WP8 on the Lumia 520 sync contacts/calendar/tasks/notes with Google?

I have seen many posts on the Internet, reporting issues. If this is not going to work, then I will be getting an Android phone such as Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus, Duos, etc.

Anyone with practical experience on this specific issue, please educate me a bit. Thanks.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Your contacts and calendar will sync, not so much the other stuff.

As far as I remember, a lot of people weren't happy with WhatsApp on WP. But the 520 is very nice, and I still hang onto mine.

(I'm asking to get this moved into the alternative forums BTW, lots of other Windows Phone people will be able to give you better advice.)

 

[Adamsappel]

Your contacts and calendar will sync, not so much the other stuff.

As far as I remember, a lot of people weren't happy with WhatsApp on WP. But the 520 is very nice, and I still hang onto mine.

(I'm asking to get this moved into the alternative forums BTW, lots of other Windows Phone people will be able to give you better advice.)

Thanks for the info and my apology to all for having posted this on the wrong wall

 

[blackNBUK]

You recently posted a whole load of stuff about how the iPhone wasn't usable for you because it couldn't do offline syncing of contacts, calendar and so on. Now, just as we get news that offline syncing is being added back into iTunes you decide to switch to Windows Phone or Android and that online syncing is just fine.

What caused the change of heart? Why is online syncing with Google fine but online syncing with iCloud a problem?

 

[Adamsappel]

Kit Kat, anyone?

You recently posted a whole load of stuff about how the iPhone wasn't usable for you because it couldn't do offline syncing of contacts, calendar and so on. Now, just as we get news that offline syncing is being added back into iTunes you decide to switch to Windows Phone or Android and that online syncing is just fine.

What caused the change of heart? Why is online syncing with Google fine but online syncing with iCloud a problem?

Syncing via Google is not fine and Apple lost my confidence. Both WP8 and Android can sync very well with Outlook on a Windows box via paid app Companionlink, which is where I am ultimately heading toward.

The thing is that Apple could not provide a robust, reliable sync platform in between updates and forced me to test Google, which worked fine. We bought dearly expensive Apple which in my country costs up to 55% more than in the USA. As it only works well with Google, I do not need Apple.

I am sorry to say but Apple cannot expect users to be in limbo in between updates and, as I have now learned with OS X and iOS, every update brings its own woes,

Time for a Kit Kat?

 

[blackNBUK]

Syncing via Google is not fine and Apple lost my confidence. Both WP8 and Android can sync very well with Outlook on a Windows box via paid app Companionlink, which is where I am ultimately heading toward.

The thing is that Apple could not provide a robust, reliable sync platform in between updates and forced me to test Google, which worked fine. We bought dearly expensive Apple which in my country costs up to 55% more than in the USA. As it only works well with Google, I do not need Apple.

I am sorry to say but Apple cannot expect users to be in limbo in between updates and, as I have now learned with OS X and iOS, every update brings its own woes,

Time for a Kit Kat?

CompanionLink also works in just the same way with iOS devices.

It sucks that Apple didn't provide offline sync in the initial release of Mavericks but selling your iPhone over it seems like a massive over-reaction, especially when there are multiple ways of achieving what you want. Selling a high-end iPhone 5, possibly taking a significant loss and getting a low-end Nokia seems like an odd move.

It is not as though Apple is the only company that occasionally puts out updates that people don't like. Have a chat with Android users about KitKat and SD cards or talk to Windows users about the fiasco that was 8.0.

 

[Dontazemebro]

If it were me, I'd probably hang on to the 5 and figure out a way to make it work. I can't imagine going from a high end device to a low/mid-tier device as my DD based on those reasons.

Just curios, but how much is the 520 going for in your country?

 

[Adamsappel]

If it were me, I'd probably hang on to the 5 and figure out a way to make it work. I can't imagine going from a high end device to a low/mid-tier device as my DD based on those reasons.

Just curios, but how much is the 520 going for in your country?

Lumia 520 is US$180 while iPone 5S 16GB sells at around US$1050.

I bought an $95 Android phone and it already can do many things the iPhone never could. Too many to mention but the camera has proper settings for ISO and many other functions, it syncs excellently with Linux and I even have my Notes handy. Of course, Notes local sync is not returning to iTunes either. When I install calDAV and carDAV or Baikal-Server, all this sync functionality goes local. And documents, multimedia content, etc, are simple drag and drop actions.

I have held on patiently but 5 months proved too much.

Finally, the high end devices here get sold by sales consultants whose ICT knowledge is rather in deficit. And they wear jeans that exposes rear cleavages when they bend over. I find that detesting and not in keeping with a superlatively premium brand. They do not respect their customers.

Oh, and I still got a good price for my iPhone 5, so a good move in the end.