Good grief, how did I miss this one?
As I began to build my business over a year and a half ago, I determined that, by working from home, I needed a strong cell phone to take with me when I needed to hit the road. For example, if I’m stuck getting my oil changed in the middle of the day, I would like access to my email and so forth so that I can keep working. I purchased a lovely green Moto Q with the accompanying data plan. At the time, I was using Vista with Microsoft Outlook (I never said I was a smart one), and the Windows Mobile-enabled phone allowed me to sync up with my contacts, send and receive emails, and manage my calendar.
It was a mess.
Everything on the phone felt bulky, and I had to clear the email out every day, because every time somebody sent me an email, a copy was downloaded to my computer and another copy was downloaded to my phone. I got notifications on both machines, and I hated it. When I made the switch to Gmail for my email management needs (the standard-bearer for email these days) and got rid of Outlook and Vista altogether, I used my web browser on the phone to access email, calendar items, etc. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was lightweight and it got the job done.
Flash forward to last week: my buddy gets a brand-new cell phone and is going crazy loading it up with all sorts of new doodads and what-nots. Then he asks me if I’ve ever heard of Google Sync, because he just set up a Gmail address. I didn’t at first, but upon further research, I found the website for Google Sync. Google Sync links your phone to your Google account – you can manage your calendar and your contacts database on either your computer or your phone, and Google will sync the two machines together automatically, without hooking your phone up to your computer. This is cloud computing as its finest.
I strongly recommend you set up Google Sync on your phone, and here’s why:
It’s insanely easy to set up.
Easy is what Google does. When you click the link to go to the Google Sync website, it gives you a step-by-step guide to setting it up on your phone. No muss, no fuss. Set it once, and reap the benefits forever.
You don’t have to install anything.
Google Sync uses Microsoft Exchange technology. In other words, you already have all the necessary software to use it. Google’s instructions walked me through just a couple of steps and then it synced it all together for me immediately. No bulk.
You can easily manage everything on-the-go.
In the last few months, I’ve had to set up various meetings while away from my computer. So when somebody asked me if I was free a certain day, or wanted to set up a meeting at some point, I had to pull out my phone, open Internet Explorer, let it load, go to Google Calendar, then browse to the date that we were discussing – and Google Calendar’s mobile site isn’t the greatest. Now, because it automatically syncs up with my phone’s built-in calendar, managing my appointments is near-instant. It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing.
Keep your contacts all in one neat, tidy place.
As I was growing up, my mother kept an address book. When we needed to look up somebody’s address, we went into the closet and hunted for the address in this book. When somebody’s address changed, my mom had to cross it out in the book and write it somewhere else. With Google Contacts, you can fill in as many different fields as you want – phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, etc. – and have it clean, easy, and searchable. Changing information is a snap, and you obviously don’t have to deal with pages and pages of crossed-out names.
Additionally, now you carry your entire address book in your pocket at all times. Pretty handy!
Can you say “backup”?
I’ve touted the praises of online backup solutions and why you need them once before, and this falls right in there. How many times have you seen a new Facebook group along the lines of “Steve Idiotface lost his phone – I need your numbers again!” No more. When you get a new phone, just re-set up Google Sync on it, and your contacts will be restored, along with all your appointments and dates to remember.
I’m in love with Google Sync, and I’m pretty disappointed in myself. I’m a Google nut, and you’d think I would have had that one figured out already. Check out Google Sync right now, or if you are using it already, share your thoughts in the comments!
Tom is an entrepreneur and freelance writer, working out of his apartment full-time, or wherever he feels like taking his laptop. He doesn't take long European vacations or blogs on the beach. He's an Average Joe that took control of his life. He wants you to do the same.
