Google Launches Email and Calendar Sync for Mobile Devices

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Google Launches Email and Calendar Sync for Mobile Devices

6:15 am on February 10, 2009 | Category: Web Services, Mobile Devices, Cell Phones, Email, Software

Internet search giant, Google Inc., has begun making its web-based calendar and email services available on Apple and Windows Mobile smartphones, allowing users to synchronize their appointments and Gmail contacts onto a wide range of mobile devices.

“Sync uses push technology so any changes or additions to your calendar or contacts are reflected on your device in minutes,” explained Google Mobile engineer, Bryan Mawhinney, in a recent blog statement. “Since Sync is a two-way service, you can make changes on your phone or in your Google account. Your calendar and contacts are always up-to-date, no matter where you are or what you’re doing.”

As soon as ‘Google Sync’ is enabled on a compatible smartphone, it automatically updates address book and calendar details whenever they are edited, allowing users to retrieve this information even if a mobile device is lost or broken.

The Sync service is made possible by Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync technology, according to Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft’s vice president of intellectual property and licensing. The licensing deal with Google is “a clear acknowledgment of the innovation taking place at Microsoft” as well as an example of the company’s willingness to share intellectual property, Gutierrez said.