Syncing iPhone 4 to Outlook running in VM

Discussion in 'General Questions' started by GreenLantern, Oct 2, 2011.

  1. GreenLantern

    GreenLantern Junior Member

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    Greetings

    I just purchased Parallels 7 and will be running MS Outlook in a Windows 7 VM. I am wondering how easy or even possible it is to sync my iPhone with Outlook. Does iTunes have to also be installed in the VM? Where can I get all the data I need to set this up to work?

    Many thanks.

    GL
     
  2. carlosrodzbotet

    carlosrodzbotet Hunter

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    I'm using Parallels 6 because after reading all the posts here I'm afraid to do the free upgrade to 7. Parallels 6 is working fine for me but I'm hoping what I do with iTunes works the same for your situation.

    I bought Outlook for Mac thinking I would sync my iPhone with it now that I have a Mac Air with Lion OS. Wrong! If you use iTunes on the Mac OS then you won't be able to sync with Outlook for Mac or with Outlook 2007 for Windows because iTunes on Mac OS only gives you the option to sync with Google. Why? Who knows seeing as Google is one of Apple's enemies but oh well.

    I installed both Windows Outlook 2007 and iTunes (Windows version) in the VM (Windows 7). iTunes for Windows gives you the option of syncing with Outlook. Everything works great and I can sync with Outlook 2007 since I'm a daily Calendar, Notes, Contacts , and email user in Outlook. In fact that's the main reason I stay with iPhone and haven't even tried an Android phone, because I have everything in Outlook.

    Hope that helps you.
     
  3. GreenLantern

    GreenLantern Junior Member

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    Thanks for the heads up!

    Hi Carlos,

    Many thanks for your information. As a result I was able to cancel an order that I had placed on Friday for MS Office 2012. Like you, I automatically assumed that I would be able to synch my iPhone via Outlook. You save me a couple of hundred dollars. But now I still have a problem.

    I think I see the writing on the wall. Apple wants to get everyone onto their iCloud service and is making it VERY tough to find comparable alternatives.

    You can swim against the current but it might be easier to just play ball. Thanks again.

    GL
     
  4. carlosrodzbotet

    carlosrodzbotet Hunter

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    It's cheaper for you to buy MS Outlook 2007 because I have also read that Outlook 2010 has issues when syncing with iTunes so who knows what Outlook 2012 will bring.

    I'm using MS Outlook 2007 and iTunes 10.5 on my Toshiba PC and it works perfect. I also use it here on my Mac Air (Lion) with Parallels 6 and it works great with only 1 issue: When I click on the App Store in iTunes it crashes. I just posted a new thread asking for info on that but if you're like me and don't use app store that much anyway then it's not a big deal. I can always use the Toshiba for now until this is fixed.

    Since your most important thing is syncing iTunes with Outlook in the Windows VM then go for it because it works great. Just make sure you install iTunes for Windows 64 in the VM and don't use iTunes in the Mac OS side because it won't sync to Outlook.
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2011
  5. Skysurfer

    Skysurfer Member

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    21
    I have a similar situation in needing to connect my iPhone to Outlook 2010 and I have met with partial success.

    After speaking with Apple customer service, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that you can sync almost everything between the two: contacts, calendar and notes. The bad news is that you can only achieve that level of sync via USB cable and not wirelessly...yet.

    Specifically, doing a wireless sync through iCloud "should" work for contacts and calendar, but not notes. I have not tried it, yet. And the wifi to Outlook 2010 sync through iTunes does not work at all.

    I hope Apple fixes this wireless issue soon.

    Lawrence
     
  6. carlosrodzbotet

    carlosrodzbotet Hunter

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    If you sync through iTunes then you don't need wifi. Did the Apple Rep tell you you could use Mac iTunes? You must use iTunes for Windows because that's the only one that lets you sync to Outlook.
     
  7. Skysurfer

    Skysurfer Member

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    I prefer wireless as I do not need to fumble around with the MBP's ports and the sync would be automatic.

    Regarding iTunes... as of my conversion with Apple yesterday, the Mac version will not communicate with the Windows version of Outlook. On a related issue, I installed iCloud on the Windows side. If/when iCloud becomes more Outlook friendly, it will be able to sync with Windows Outlook.

    Lawrence
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2011
  8. carlosrodzbotet

    carlosrodzbotet Hunter

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    135
    The Mac version of iTunes will not communicate with ANY Outlook not just with Outlook for Windows. It won't communicate with Outlook for Mac either so don't waste money there like I did. The ONLY version of iTunes that syncs with Outlook is the Windows iTunes.

    I don't mind the usb sync because as long as I'm on the computer my iPhones are connected this way when I leave they are fully charged as well. I'm only going to use the wifi sync for pictures because I prefer to keep all the confidential things I have on Outlook off the internet (cloud) where we see daily how servers are being hacked.
     
  9. Skysurfer

    Skysurfer Member

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    Carlos,

    Have you looked into Dropbox? It's at least a generation ahead of iCloud, gets excellent reviews, and addresses my security concerns. I work in venture capital and exchange a lot of sensitive information that all too often requires a bigger or faster pipe than email. So, Dropbox is an ideal option for me.

    Lawrence
     
  10. carlosrodzbotet

    carlosrodzbotet Hunter

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    Thanks. I did check it out a while ago but don't really have the need for it at this point. I might go back and mess with it a little again. Did you know that Apple tried to buy Dropbox at one point? Steve Jobs was mad because they told him no. LOL!
     
  11. Skysurfer

    Skysurfer Member

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    That is a great story.

    Lawrence
     
  12. MRJames

    MRJames Junior Member

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    Iphone Sync to Wifi on Itunes on Parallels

    Has there been an update that allows you to sync an iPhone 4S to iTunes in Parallels on a VM? I want to be able to sync my Outlook Calendar & contacts without hooking up by iPhone 4S to the USB going to my computer.

    I see that in November of 2011 you couldn't sync your Parallels Outlook contacts and Calendar wirelessly to your iPhone but was wondering if it is possible now?

    What about using google calendar or something to do a wireless sync to your Outlook?
     
  13. carlosrodzbotet

    carlosrodzbotet Hunter

    Messages:
    135
    I haven't seen anything. I have iTunes on both the Parallels Windows 7 side and on the Mac side (I do lots of testing, jailbreaking, etc.). My 4S can't do a wireless sync on the Windows iTunes but it will do it on the Mac iTunes.

    I really don't use that feature anyway because the only time I plug my iPhone to charge is in my laptop so it gets charged and sync'd at the same time. I also only use the Mac iTunes for testing and use the Windows 7 iTunes for everything else because the Mac iTunes doesn't give me the option of syncing with Outlook, only with iCal and I use Outlook for everything.

    Actually that's still the main reason why I still use the iPhone exclusively also. The day HTC or Samsung or anyone else brings out a nice phone that plays as well with Outlook as the iPhone and iTunes play together, then I'll buy one for testing.
     
  14. MRJames

    MRJames Junior Member

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    11
    Itunes problems

    Thanks so much.
     
  15. George22

    George22 Bit poster

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    Quick and Easy Solution: iCloud Control Panel for Windows

    Not sure if this is still an issue for all on this thread but the solution I used was to install iCloud Control Panel for Windows (v1.1) and it wirelessly synched my contacts, tasks, and calendar from Outlook 2011 for Windows via the Apple Cloud. This took me 5 minutes to get EVERYTHING up and running seamlessly with my iPhone.

    There are a few Parallels forum threads that I came across as I started going down the rabbit hole...all causally related (e.g. trying to synch via windows iTunes but that wouldn't recognize the iPhone, etc)...so hopefully this remediates the ultimate issue that relates to those threads as well.

    At any rate...I have a MacBook Pro (Lion OS) running Parallels 7 and Windows 7 with MS Office 2011. I am a heavy user of Outlook (task and appointment management and contacts) and once I started to use the iCloud with my Mac what used to synch seamlessly through iTunes just stopped. Even if I disabled iCloud and monkeyed with settings on my iPhone and MacBook I still could not get everything to synch properly. For tasks and Notes I use Toodledo and synch with gSyncit which works well. However, calendar and contacts would not work. Once I installed iCloud Control Panel for Windows it automatically synched EVERYTHING (including tasks to the mac to do list app) wirelessly via the Apple Cloud. The only thing to be aware of is that it removes the tasks, calendar, contacts from the traditional outlook data file (at least through the Outlook UI interface) and puts it in groups for the iCloud (it has a sub-label to indicate that it is for iCloud). You can manage your iCloud Control Panel from the Windows Control Panel under Network and Internet if you have to modify anything after initial install and configuration. Honestly this took me 5 minutes to solve what was a huge problem!! It took me much longer just to search for a solution. Now I can rest easy knowing everything works and can go hang out and play the new Zelda (Skyward Sword) with my daughters instead of screaming and cursing at my computer.

    Hope this helps you.
    George
     

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