How to Use Google Sync with Google Calendar, Gmail Contacts, and Your BlackBerry

Written by:  • Edited by: Simon Hill
Updated Jul 5, 2011
• Related Guides: Google | Blackberry | Google Sync

Google has recently updated its synchronization client for BlackBerry devices. In addition to calendar synchronization, Google Sync for the BlackBerry now allows you to keep your Gmail Contacts in agreement with contacts in your BlackBerry Address Book. Configuration and use are covered here.

The Syncing Problem Finally Solved

In the past, there was just one problem when it came to syncing your Google Calendar and Contacts from Gmail: There really wasn't a very effective solution to be shared. Finally, in late 2008, Google expanded their calendar sync capability to include contacts. Problem solved, as Google Sync for your BlackBerry promises to: "Synchronize the built-in calendar and address book on your BlackBerry with your Google account."

Getting Started with Google Sync

To get started, point your favorite Web browser at http://www.google.com/mobile/blackberry/sync.html. If you're in the US, you can enter the number of your mobile and Google will send you a text message with the download link. Alternatively, you can open http://m.google.com/sync with the built-in Web browser on your BlackBerry.

By selecting the "Google Sync" icon, download the client to your BlackBerry. The BlackBerry's download screen will be quite familiar to you if you have ever installed an application over-the-air before. The application name, version, vendor, size and description are all identified in this download screen. In the current example, I am downloading version 0.5.13 of Google Sync for the BlackBerry; this version has a size of about 260 kb. Once you have reviewed this information, and are interested in proceeding with the download and installation, click on the "Download" button. The download shouldn't take more than about 15 seconds. (Of course, your mileage will vary depending on the signal strength of your connection, etc.) Once downloaded, the client will be installed for you. (Note that a reboot of your BlackBerry will be required if you have a previous version of the Google Sync client installed.)

Configuration

From your BlackBerry's Home Screen look for the new Google Sync icon (Yin-and-Yang stylized arrows embracing the letter "g"). A status screen summarizes the last time your calendar and contacts were successfully synchronized between Google's cloud and your BlackBerry. On a monthly basis, data usage is displayed in kb - an especially important metric for those on anything other than unlimited data plans!

While the Google Sync client is open, you can use the Menu button on your BlackBerry to explore the options.

Under "Options", you will be presented with the client's configuration options:

  • Synchronization frequency - Locate the "When To Sync" configuration option. Note that you can have synchronizations take place when you demand them ("Manual") or on your behalf ("Automatic"). If you opt for automatic synchronization, Google Sync will be enabled soon after modifications are made to your calendar or contacts.
  • Contact synchronization - This is the highly coveted functionality I introduced at the outset. As of this version of the Google Sync client, contact synchronization is either enabled or not enabled. There are no other configuration options.
  • Calendar synchronization - Google Sync has had this capability for some time. Therefore, it is not surprising that this more-mature functionality has a few configuration options available. In addition to the option to enable calendar synchronization, the Google Sync client accounts for past and future events. For example, you can retain events for the 1, 2 or 4 weeks just past, and synchronize forward in time for periods of 4, 8, 16 or 24 weeks. Before you get too carried away though, keep in mind that the more data you synchronize the less free memory your BlackBerry will have. Finally, you can choose to synchronize alarms and even multiple calendars.

The "Sync Now" option is selected by default. If you select it, note that you will need to allow for encrypted communications between your BlackBerry and Google's cloud. You will need to allow the connections for the client to communicate on your behalf. One word of caution is in order: First-time through, it may take Google Sync some time to perform the synchronization. You can help it along by choosing to synchronize only your contacts or only your calendar and in the latter case, keeping the past/future event requirement to the bare minimum. Once this initial synchronization has taken place, I expect you will find Google Sync quite unobtrusive, as it will be only the differences in your calendar and contacts that will require synchronization - and as noted earlier, these differences will be synchronized more-or-less as they happen (and/or when you demand them).

Of course all of this presupposes you have a Google account ... and that you know it - as you will be expected to log in as necessary.

What's Next?

Google Sync is a powerful, native application for the BlackBerry. First it allowed your Google Calendar to be synchronized with your BlackBerry, and now your Gmail Contacts can also be synchronized. What's next? Google's recently added Tasks to Gmail. For now, Tasks are only available via Gmail Labs. Given that task management is a focal point for devices like the BlackBerry, I expect that at some point in the future, Google Sync will be able to synchronize your tasks in addition to your calendar and contacts.


Comments

Showing all 8 comments
 
Ra Jan 26, 2012 5:54 PM
RE: How to Use Google Sync with Google Calendar, Gmail Contacts, and Your BlackBerry
is it possible to sync your tasks with bb
AJ Sep 7, 2010 8:46 PM
Google Sync w Blackberry Calendar.
So I got google sync on my blackberry, and I installed it - it synced everything contacts, & calendar. but I wanted to know how to get the info thats already in my Blackberry calendar to show up on my Google Calendar, -its not working.

Thanks,
AJ
Juan Sep 7, 2010 1:57 AM
Works Wonders Still
Just uploaded my bb 8320 contacts to my gmail .

btw: what Darren-Lee wrote about it replacing your existing contacts no longer happens Sep, 7 2010. it just leaves them side by side. Thanks a bunch for this fix. :)
DJ LEGACY Oct 29, 2009 4:07 PM
Multiple accounts
I have about 5 gmail account, personal and businesses i owned. I have to log on to one e-mail account with google sync from my bb 8900 from T-Mobile.

If you make a new event on your calendar you can assign the e-mail address to it, that e-mail will sent the invite you attached too (if you use it)

Now how can i get all the events on my bb calendar to be shown on the account am log into sync with, but the other accounts from google aren't logged into google sync..

example: the account am logged on too its LEGACYPRODUCTION now I have my mobile dj business known as PARTYKINGDJS isnt logged on too ggogle sync. how can i get it to work and show it all on the account of LEGACYPRODUCTION
Donald A Levi Sep 21, 2009 3:00 PM
syncing problems -- BB Storm /Verizon
I successfully loaded Google sync and have done several syncs. The calendar works perfectly, but only a few contacts [8 out of 250] came through. [When it didn't work right, I deleted and reloaded. It still didn't work -- showing sync completed, but no changes.] Looking at Contacts in Google Mail, I see no problems.

Any suggestions.
Darren-Lee Aug 18, 2009 5:38 AM
watch out!
I just tried this...one word of warning though. All gmail contacts and groups online get overwritten by what you have on your blackberry. So if you have any contacts that are only on gmail and not on your bb, then export those contacts first (to a google csv file), do the sync to upload all your blackberry contacts to gmail, then import the csv file you created back to add in the extra gmail contacts back in.
Massacrino Jul 25, 2009 5:19 PM
you need a data plan to use google sync on a bb
These days on a BB Pearl 8120 google sync works ONLY over gprs/umts, so you need a data plan! The only online application that can use wifi on this phone is the web browser. I find this bizarre, to say the least.
laura sina Jul 12, 2009 7:23 PM
thank you
this was incredibly helpful, thank you. i was trying to figure out how to import my blackberry contacts to gmail for the bb desktop manager (which was beyond frustrating), and i'm surprised this wasn't offered by gmail as an option right off the bat.

instructions are simple and easy to follow, thanks for the help! worked like a charm.
 
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