Google Discontinues More Services, Including Sync

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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Spring cleaning is coming early to Google Calendar, a whole season early to be exact. As of January 4th, Google will be dropping several apps and services deemed to be in low demand and will be eliminating them from the lineup.

“Last January we renewed our resolution to focus on creating beautiful, useful products that improve millions of people’s lives every day,” read Google’s official blog. “To make the most impact, we need to make some difficult decisions.
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Hmm, sorta miffed at the removal of sync. I haven't found anything that works better with all of my devices.
 
Posted that and realized it needed explaining before someone came in here and started suggesting things without knowing why I use it. My exchange server requires all devices connected to it to yield security rights to it, and encrypt the device. Well my tablet for example is mine and frankly I don't want it encrypted. I only want the calendar, I don't need email. As such Google sync was the one thing that allowed me to achieve this.
 
Here we go again, Google making things more gooder.
I like the line, Google has suggested alternatives on its blog. Right. :rolleyes: Just like we are still waiting for Google alternatives to iGoogle.
 
Am I missing something.. Isnt Sync whats used on every android dev for gmail & contacts?
 
Google needs to stop using "sync" for so many products.

My first reaction was "that's the only reason I use Chrome, jeez!"

Then "wait does this mean no Sync for Outlook 2013?"

Then "but the Gmail setting on iPhones isn't that good."

Then I gave up.
 
Great so now on iOS I get to either choose IMAP which will not be push enabled, or use a Google App on my device instead of the native mail client and lose my integrated inbox. Thanks Google. Gettin' more and more done with you every day.
 
vertices said:
Great so now on iOS I get to either choose IMAP which will not be push enabled, or use a Google App on my device instead of the native mail client and lose my integrated inbox. Thanks Google. Gettin' more and more done with you every day.
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Same here, each update of Youtube is worse than the last. They really have no shame in how far they are willing to push customers for the sake of fractionally more monetization opportunities.

That and their complete disregard in right to privacy on their privacy-settings defaults (and even where to find them) and google+ debacle are really starting to get me miffed.

Looking to uninstall Chrome and get off of my trusty gmail, but there's really no easy way I know of to archive my mail elsewhere and of course there's the challenge of contacts migration and informing everyone of my new address.
 
Hmmm... employees at work that use Gmail and our Exchange server at work aren't going to be happy if there's no Google Sync.
 
Ducman69 said:
Same here, each update of Youtube is worse than the last. They really have no shame in how far they are willing to push customers for the sake of fractionally more monetization opportunities.

That and their complete disregard in right to privacy on their privacy-settings defaults (and even where to find them) and google+ debacle are really starting to get me miffed.

Looking to uninstall Chrome and get off of my trusty gmail, but there's really no easy way I know of to archive my mail elsewhere and of course there's the challenge of contacts migration and informing everyone of my new address.
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I'm looking into migrating my private domain from Google Apps to Outlook.com. At least it supports ActiveSync and that won't be going away. I too am looking at ditching Chrome. Now I need to search for an option for Google Voice. I may just end up going back to carrier voicemail. I worked so hard on becoming fully Google integrated now looking to do the exact opposite.
 
And the whole cleaning house lie? They clearly are not happy with their promise of giving free email. First they stop giving away free Google Apps. But this leaves them with many users already, so lets start slowly crippling it to make them go elsewhere. Well it's working. Time to start paying closer attention to Bing as well.
 
vertices said:
Great so now on iOS I get to either choose IMAP which will not be push enabled, or use a Google App on my device instead of the native mail client and lose my integrated inbox. Thanks Google. Gettin' more and more done with you every day.
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Get used to it, google now has the lions share of the smartphone market now is their time to slow down on compatibility and start creating lots of reasons for people to not use other platforms. In the past while we have seen lots of interesting announcements from google that show that they are fully aware and implementing this tactic. Things like no windows 8 apps and these items.
 
Well, no platform will disable ActiveSync on the device as it's needed for corporate email. So looks like it's time to move from Google Apps to Outlook.com for my private domain. I know Microsoft won't disable ActiveSync. Then I will have my freedom of device back.
 
Wait so they are killing google sync, but activesync will still let you pull your calender and contacts?
 
Not exactly. Google Sync is ActiveSync. Android will still have ActiveSync support. They are killing support for ActiveSync connections to the free Google Apps service. So pay them money or use IMAP if you use Google Apps.
 
vertices said:
Not exactly. Google Sync is ActiveSync. Android will still have ActiveSync support. They are killing support for ActiveSync connections to the free Google Apps service. So pay them money or use IMAP if you use Google Apps.
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Well I guess if I can't pull my contacts and my calender from my personal gmail account on my WinMo phone, I'll just have to ditch google and move completely to MS.
 
Google Sync will continue to support Google Apps for Business
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If I understand this correctly, they are just eliminating the individual user accounts for Sync, but keeping the business services going. I hope that is the case. I rather enjoy Google Apps Sync. It saves me from having to have an Exchange server and still provides redundancy for users, with their uncanny ability to corrupt/move/lose/delete PST files...
 
MrCaffeineX said:
If I understand this correctly, they are just eliminating the individual user accounts for Sync, but keeping the business services going. I hope that is the case. I rather enjoy Google Apps Sync. It saves me from having to have an Exchange server and still provides redundancy for users, with their uncanny ability to corrupt/move/lose/delete PST files...
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I have the free Google Apps running 35 users across 4 domains (all personal no business). I cant find good information to see if I loose sync.
 
NVM I loose it, I will have to make some changes. Most of my users will be unaffected because they can still set up accounts as "gmail" (at least I hope). On the other hand I sync just a calender on 4 devices through sync.

I may just ditch google all together in protest (as if that will make a difference).
 
Hmm... I was trying to figure out how to merge my iPhone contacts/calendar with my Gmail contacts (and maybe make a calendar). Now it looks like that's all moot. I feel some relief going with an iPhone 5 instead of an Android phone with my recent smartphone upgrade, never thought I'd have to say that.
 
vertices said:
Not exactly. Google Sync is ActiveSync. Android will still have ActiveSync support. They are killing support for ActiveSync connections to the free Google Apps service. So pay them money or use IMAP if you use Google Apps.
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This.

Personally, I don't see this as the end of the world. Now you just have to use open standard protocols to sync to Google as opposed to Google's Activesync. Considering I believe you have to license Activesync tech from Microsoft (in this case, Google has been paying for it), this kinda makes sense. They're cutting back and forcing people to use open standards that they don't have to pay for unless you want to pay for Activesync yourself.
 
You have got to be kidding me. So can someone clarify.

I have my wife and I setup with two email addresses on gmail which I sync the contacts to using exchange. This is for back up of contacts as well as for when we get new phones or restore it is an easy process to rebuild the contacts on the phone.

So what happens now? I am fucked?
 
It boils down to this. It doesn't matter if you use Gmail or Google Apps. Unless you pay money to Google for your email account, meaning a Google Apps Business account, you are losing ActiveSync support.

You can still connect to Google Apps Free with any device. However you will no longer be able to simply add it as an Exchange server connection. Instead you will have to add it as an IMAP connection, and then also setup CalDAV for calendar sync, and CardDAV for contact sync.

So basically they are just making it more difficult to use, and then you lose push mail. So as far as functionality, you are really just losing push. You can still sync contacts and calendars, albeit in a different way.

Either way, I'm done and will be switching to Outlook.com for my private domain.
 
Oh, and you can't add Google Apps Free accounts as Gmail accounts on iOS. It won't work. You used to add them as Exchange accounts but now will have to add them as "Other" and select IMAP. You will then also see the options to setup CardDAV and CalDAV.

Or you can use Google's Mail App, but I wouldn't do that.
 
I have a live account on outlook and it looks like I can "use" the other two emails underneath that account for it to be all in one spot.

Gotta see if I can get my contacts setup.
 
So I sync my chrome @ work and I sync my chrom @ home with two different emails. This is going away? wtf?
 
They are stopping Google Sync (email, calendar, contacts synchronization with phones), not Chrome Sync.
 
so are they also stopping Google Calendar sync beta to sync outlook with google calendar?
 
Yes. They are pretty much removing the Exchange ActiveSync protocol as mentoined before.

http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2716936

Google Sync was designed to allow access to Gmail, Google Calendar, and Contacts via the Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync® protocol. With the recent launch of CardDAV, Google now offers similar access via IMAP, CalDAV, and CardDAV, making it possible to build a seamless sync experience using open protocols. Starting January 30, 2013, consumers won't be able to set up new devices using Google Sync, however, existing Google Sync connections will continue to function.
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well at least there is this

What do I need to do if I’m already using Google Sync?

Nothing! Existing users can continue to use Google Sync on their current devices. So as long as I keep my work laptop I'll be able to sync my outlook and google calendars.
 
Cali3350 said:
And Google gets more shitty.
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They're elbowing their competitors now that they make up a majority of the smartphone market.

Exclusivity or pay. That's exactly what MS and Apple have been doing for years, but now that Google is all grown up they've decided to join the game :p
 
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