Syncing Between Mac, iOS, and Android

[randomguyishere]

I've been using an unlocked iPhone 4S on T-Mobile for the past 6 months, but the slow data speeds have finally gotten to me and switching carriers is not an option for me because we're on a family plan. My Galaxy Nexus is arriving tomorrow (call me crazy, but I'm super excited!).

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out the best way to keep my MacBook Pro (running OSX Mountain Lion), iPad 3rd generation, and GNexus in sync.

My main concerns:

-moving music to the Nexus (my entire iTunes library is in either "purchased AAC" or "MPEG"), so the music should be playable on the Nexus <-- please correct me if I'm wrong!

-syncing Notes between the 3 devices (Evernote?)

-syncing Reminders between the 3 devices

-syncing iCal between the 3 devices (I have multiple calendars in iCal... school, work, family, etc.)

-syncing my contacts from iCloud to the 3 devices

-I use Dropbox for my document sharing, so that shouldn't be a problem (right?)


Thanks for any help/advice!

 

[jason2811]

Use google calendar to sync iCal with Google. Then use Google sync so that your calendar is pushed to your iOS device. The calendar will also show up on your android automatically. Same with contacts.

 

[AlexJaye]

I've been using an unlocked iPhone 4S on T-Mobile for the past 6 months, but the slow data speeds have finally gotten to me and switching carriers is not an option for me because we're on a family plan. My Galaxy Nexus is arriving tomorrow (call me crazy, but I'm super excited!).

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out the best way to keep my MacBook Pro (running OSX Mountain Lion), iPad 3rd generation, and GNexus in sync.

My main concerns:

-moving music to the Nexus (my entire iTunes library is in either "purchased AAC" or "MPEG"), so the music should be playable on the Nexus <-- please correct me if I'm wrong!

-syncing Notes between the 3 devices (Evernote?)

-syncing Reminders between the 3 devices

-syncing iCal between the 3 devices (I have multiple calendars in iCal... school, work, family, etc.)

-syncing my contacts from iCloud to the 3 devices

-I use Dropbox for my document sharing, so that shouldn't be a problem (right?)


Thanks for any help/advice!

Notes/reminders I don't know about and don't care as much for, but for calendars, you have to set up those same calendars in google calendars. Then you can import them from iCal into google calendars website. You also have to turn iCloud calendars off and have your default iCal set to your google account. Under delegates, you need to enable school, work, home, etc. They should sync automatically after this.

Contacts also has to abandon iCloud and use Gmail. It's pretty much the same thing.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

-moving music to the Nexus (my entire iTunes library is in either "purchased AAC" or "MPEG"), so the music should be playable on the Nexus <-- please correct me if I'm wrong!

-syncing Notes between the 3 devices (Evernote?)

-syncing Reminders between the 3 devices

-syncing iCal between the 3 devices (I have multiple calendars in iCal... school, work, family, etc.)

-syncing my contacts from iCloud to the 3 devices

-I use Dropbox for my document sharing, so that shouldn't be a problem (right?)

1. Music is not an issue. You can either use Google Music and store on their servers of if you just choose to copy across to your android device there are players which will play pretty much any format as long as it isn't DRM.

2. Yep, you'll probably want to use Evernote.

3. For reminders I just use the Google Calendar App to set an event... Google obscures the difference between calendar events and reminders. You just set up a Calendar event which has a notification...

4. iOS and OS X can both sync with Google calendar so no problems.

5. You'll also want to do this for you contacts as well, no issues.

6. Dropbox will work as expected on Android.

Since you're making the switch you might also want to consider using Google Chrome if you don't already. Having your bookmarks, settings, history etc synced across all devices is awesome.

The open tab sync is also very good. If I have 5 tabs open in Chrome on my Mac and I then leave to get the bus, I can open up Chrome on my phone and it can automatically open all the tabs I was viewing...

 

[phillytim]

3. For reminders I just use the Google Calendar App to set an event... Google obscures the difference between calendar events and reminders. You just set up a Calendar event which has a notification...

Isn't there a thing called "Tasks" in Google-land, integrated within Goog's Calendar?

Aren't Goog's Tasks the same thing as Reminders?

 

[SlCKB0Y]

Isn't there a thing called "Tasks" in Google-land, integrated within Goog's Calendar?

Aren't Goog's Tasks the same thing as Reminders?

Yep and yep. But there's not too much difference between a task and an event with notification...

 

[CPD_1]

-moving music to the Nexus (my entire iTunes library is in either "purchased AAC" or "MPEG"), so the music should be playable on the Nexus <-- please correct me if I'm wrong! You're exactly right.

-syncing Notes between the 3 devices (Evernote?)
I'd suggest Evernote, too.

-syncing Reminders between the 3 devices
Remember the Milk is a cross platform app that would probably do what you want.

-syncing iCal between the 3 devices (I have multiple calendars in iCal... school, work, family, etc.) Sync iCal with google calendar and set your iPhone up to sync with google calendar as well.

-syncing my contacts from iCloud to the 3 devices
Google should be able to manage your contacts for you, but it's going to be outside of iCloud, not through iCloud.

-I use Dropbox for my document sharing, so that shouldn't be a problem (right?)


Thanks for any help/advice!

.

 

[Wrathwitch]

An excellent means I have tried to sync iTunes music with my SSGS3 is isyncr WiFi. It syncs your non DRM video and all of your music over to your Android phone.

As for the rest, I leave to the other experts to offer advice. I might recommend you go to Android Central forums and set forth the same question. Lots of info there!

Oh and how I synced my contacts with my iMac (Snow Leopard, but should work the same with yours) is in iMac default mail, add your new google account and enable "sync with google" in your address book options/settings once the account is added.

 

[randomguyishere]

Thanks for all of the replies, guys!

In my search for more apps, I have come across two that, in my opinion, are some of the best cross-platform syncing apps.

1) SmoothSync for Cloud Calendar (Marten Gajda)
2) SmoothSync for Cloud Contacts (Marten Gajda)

Both apps automatically set up your Google Calendar to sync with your iCloud Calendar and Contacts. It works perfectly!

This may be the easier way of doing what you guys were telling me to do with adding the different calendars.

As for Reminders, I have been using Wunderlist and things seem to be working okay. The Mac version doesn't seem to sync the notifications, so that's a bit of a hassle. Gonna go check out Milk!

Thanks again!

 

[randomguyishere]

An excellent means I have tried to sync iTunes music with my SSGS3 is isyncr WiFi. It syncs your non DRM video and all of your music over to your Android phone.

As for the rest, I leave to the other experts to offer advice. I might recommend you go to Android Central forums and set forth the same question. Lots of info there!

Oh and how I synced my contacts with my iMac (Snow Leopard, but should work the same with yours) is in iMac default mail, add your new google account and enable "sync with google" in your address book options/settings once the account is added.

iSyncr works great!!

 

[Wrathwitch]

iSyncr works great!!

I agree! I also learned how to use Automator to have photos instantly taken from dropbox and put into iPhoto which is where I have all of my photos. It works like a charm!

 

[ixodes]

I routinely keep iOS, OS X, Android & Windows in sync daily.

It's quite easy once you set it up. In my case for work (in a cross platform environment) I carry an iPhone 4S & Galaxy Nexus, MBP or MBA, plus my ThinkPad T series.

All you have to do is take advantage of the free Exchange Acct that Google provides. See their excellent tutorial, and they'll walk you through the complete setup. iCal integrates very well.

I'm a heavy note taker, therefore I use Simplenote for plain text. There's Notational Velocity, a free desktop app for OS X, & it's Windows counterpart, Resophnotes.

Then there's Dropbox. Using the Notesy Client for iOS is a great plain text solution.

Others are Catch Notes & Evernote, both excellent choices.

Google tasks are another essential, especially since they appear on Google Calendar, Gmail, and in Chrome via an extension.

Thanks to Google it's all free, fast & easy

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I agree! I also learned how to use Automator to have photos instantly taken from dropbox and put into iPhoto which is where I have all of my photos. It works like a charm!

Brilliant suggestion.

I've been using Automator for so long, I forgot to bring it up. It's just one more of those great features of OS X, that makes it such a great platform to use

 

[Wrathwitch]

Thanks to Google it's all free, fast & easy

----------

I think what the big issue is, is that it requires a desire to learn something new and take the time to learn it.

It almost seems that once people finish school, get their chosen job, that they close their mind to learning.

"takes too much time, takes too much effort, I don't want to waste my time learning something that in the long run will be a often and long used tool"


If it ain't easy, it ain't worth doing or having it seems.

*stuff my "back in my day" granny cane back into the closet**


ps I messed up the quote dang nabbit!!

 

[ixodes]

----------

I think what the big issue is, is that it requires a desire to learn something new and take the time to learn it.

It almost seems that once people finish school, get their chosen job, that they close their mind to learning.

"takes too much time, takes too much effort, I don't want to waste my time learning something that in the long run will be a often and long used tool"


If it ain't easy, it ain't worth doing or having it seems.

*stuff my "back in my day" granny cane back into the closet**


ps I messed up the quote dang nabbit!!

It's all good

 

[rockametrics]

What about photos? I'm debating on going to S3 or new iPhone and want to know how I would import Photos to the Mac as well as sync iPhoto folders on the android phone.

 

[AppleDApp]

Great thread I'm looking to do about the same thing. What about exporting all past and future calendar events to google calendar? what's the best way to proceed?

 

[sk1wbw]

I use iNotesto sync my notes and THISto sync my iCloud calendars.

 

[PittsDriver]

How is HTC Sync Manager? I have an HTC One on order and I am trying to get all my ducks in a row to sync all my itunes/iPhoto stuff.

 

[JHUFrank]

I am a DropBox user myself to sync all my stuff, including photos. I was an Evernote user until they had their little "issue" a month ago.
As much as I love my Note 2, and I really like my back up phone, the HTC One X, I still havent found a decent Exchange replacement for the calendar/email in iphone. That's one of the reasons I keep an ipod touch around.