Toffa unveils GooSync: Google Calendar on your mobile

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 5th 2006 at 10:23PM

Google has done quite a swell job tunneling its variety of niceties into mobile form, but syncing your online Google Calendar with that already-crowded version on your mobile / PDA isn't happening without some help from a generous third party. Toffa has unveiled GooSync beta, which "will seamlessly synchronize almost any mobile device with your Google Calendar" without charging you a dime. The seemingly impressive system starts by logging on and initiating a sync to GooSync's website from your handheld, which channels the info on your Google Calendar directly onto your cellphone, all without plugging a single cord into your device. While the list of supported phones is entirely too lengthy to list, be sure to hit the read link to find out if you can be a lucky guinea pig, and stop fiddling with two calendars at once, yeah?

[Thanks, Travis]

Filed under: Software

Tags: calendar, free, google, google calendar, GoogleCalendar, goosync, pda, sync, syncing, toffa

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Maybe i'm paranoid... @ Nov 6th 2006 12:03AM

Does anyone else worry about giving these guys your Google username and password? Isn't that the same username and password for Mail, Docs and Sheets, CheckOut, etc???

Neutral

Jane @ Nov 6th 2006 12:06AM

What does Google Calendar include? Where can I download it?

Neutral

me @ Nov 6th 2006 1:35AM

Jane - you can't download google calender, like most google products its an online application...
http://www.google.com/calendar/

Neutral

frank @ Nov 6th 2006 2:17AM

I dunno, I'm more worried about giving away my cell number. I've had the same number forever and if it suddenly started getting spammed I'd freak the f out.

Neutral

bessie31 @ Nov 6th 2006 3:34AM

free? how do they make money (at the least for domain, webhosting and site maintenance)? by selling all your info cuz u fork them over ur google account credentials? i dont trust this. not yet.

Neutral

Onno @ Nov 6th 2006 5:40AM

It's a potential killer app.
But what's the need for their platform to sit in between my device and Googles servers?
I'd be more than happy to pay a few bucks for a Windows Mobile app that syncs my Pocket Outlook directly with Google calendar.
And a lot more for an app that syncs Pocket Outlook with Google mail.

Neutral

Frank @ Nov 6th 2006 9:22AM

I have been waiting for something like this to come out for quite some time. I thought Google would have been the one to create it but if a 3rd party can do it, and do it well... all the power to them.

If you check out Toffa it is a Sync company focused toward businesses. Even though the beta is free I can see them adding features like syncing Contacts and also your Mail with your mobile device and giving small businesses a cheap option to running a Exchange server.

I know if this service was proven and they add Contacts and Mail I would drop my Shared Exchange email account in a instant.

Neutral

OptimusPrime @ Nov 6th 2006 11:17AM

So I tried it out on my W800.

It's only failed so far, no sync :(

Oh well.

Neutral

RH @ Nov 6th 2006 11:29AM

It would be very useful if it worked. It didn't work with my SE w810i, "Session failed. Invalid server response."

Neutral

Michael R @ Nov 6th 2006 12:54PM

Wow, no blackberry support.

Neutral

PEZ @ Nov 6th 2006 2:06PM

GOogle just need to become a MVNO or make their own MobileOS. Their applications are simple, usable and carry their own weight. A google mobile OS would tie so many things people want together, it could become more popular than most movbile OSes in a few short years, or less.

Either than or a FULL fledged google mobile application installable on all current platforms would rock. Though, I would really like a dedicated situation for handleing my google documents, photos, calendar and so on. Rock on google!

Neutral

sxt173 @ Nov 6th 2006 3:31PM

I'm actually hoping that Google will provide a full push service for their calendar and email, utilizing multiple platforms (i.e. MS Exchange, BB, Oracle, etc..)

Neutral

Alex @ Nov 6th 2006 4:15PM

I would rather one that syncs with outlook, then I can sync that with my Treo....over the air requires data, and I don't have a data plan (in Canada they are really expensive)...

Neutral

diem @ Nov 6th 2006 4:51PM

i tried it + it works...
you have to register at the site as well as fill in all the data on the phone app.

I too suspect that google will be offering PUSH in the future, however it will probably come out in some proprietary format, and is probably a year away.

my only complaint is that it only SYNCS my data, and not the calendar info that I have shared with my wife. we try to arrange our schedules with the google calendar, and here info is not translated int he SYNC. ahh well.. its a start...

-diem

Neutral

Big John @ Nov 6th 2006 5:29PM

No BlackBerry support. Yawn.

Neutral

zyphbear @ Nov 7th 2006 11:27AM

Couple Issues:
1) No Blackberry Support.
2) gcalsync.com already exists for many other mobiles, was recently brought open source, it includes blackberry support (it ain't perfect either, but if your mobile supports Java, give it a try since it is also F-R-E-E). (some users find it has issues with syncing or with the signing of the Java not working right.)

So another GCal syncing program that just doesn't work 100% right. Come on Google, you released a mobile Gmail app, get with the GCal App! (yea, i know you can text into GCal, but sometimes when you are really trying to look at your schedule, it would be nicer to LOOK at it instead of texting.)

On a side note to all those Blackberry users, anyone notice your Gmail is REALLY delayed on your blackberry lately? Mine went from within 5 min to 12 hours to now as much as several days later, resent the service books and still not working right. All other mail is still on time.

Neutral

Stu @ Nov 8th 2006 5:18AM

Actually Blackberry devices are supported, you just need a 3rd party SyncML client installed on the device to make it compatible.

Nexthaus have developed a SyncML client for the Blackberry devices.

Neutral

Mohan Chunkath @ Nov 11th 2006 12:05PM

Worked fine for me...am using an O2 XDA IIi...works in both directions too:-)

Neutral

Peter Koscovitch @ Nov 18th 2006 5:46AM

I can't figure out how to make it sync from my phone.

Neutral

ramdom374 @ Nov 27th 2006 5:31PM

A direct Over The Air sync with the Google Calendar is available at http://www.saraiya.com . It works on all the newer blackberries.

Neutral

Chou Doufu @ Dec 9th 2006 3:11PM

Besides having to give them your Google account information, another privacy concern about Goosync are reports, confirmed by Goosync on its Google Group, that some Pocket PC users are having their calander's mixed up with other users whose handheld has the same device ID.

For more about this and the other pros and cons of Goosync, see: http://www.squidoo.com/goosync/

Neutral

Chris Jukes @ Dec 18th 2006 6:52PM

Hi Folks,

Update: Issue with duplicate PocketPC ID's now fixed.
Authentication Proxy and recurring events will be addeded this week.

Cheers
Chris

Neutral

colinparker1967 @ Nov 25th 2007 1:31AM

I recently set google calendar up to send me reminders by email, and noticed the other day that calendar entries were appearing in my blackberry's calendar. A bit of experimentation has confirmed that the blackberry is using email reminders to populate it's calendar... I have now set google calendar up to send me reminders 48 hours before events and have an uptodate diary on the blackberry for the next couple of days. Who needs more software? Currently experimenting with invites to see if they have the same effect.