Bad Lion: Contacts Sync

The freshly baked Mac OS X Lion 10.7 has a bad Google Contacts Sync

Mail, Contacts and Calendar syncing are not working with Microsoft Exchange — did I miss something? The usual server name m.google.com to be use for Microsoft Exchange failed during configuration with Lion. It was okay with OS X Leopard but it doesn’t work now.

Microsoft Exchange failed OS X Lion

(The Exchange Server “m.google.com” is not responding. Is this a bug or Apple purposely done it? Again, did I miss anything — why it doesn’t work?)

Google Contact Sync Setup

There’s two ways you can set up contacts sync.

One — Via app preferences (Address Book > Preferences)

You will have no problem to pull your contacts from Google with this configuration — only there’s no two way sync. If you would like to make changes you will have to visit Google website.

Google Contact Setup OS X Lion

Two — Via system preferences with Exchange or Gmail

If you have successfully setup “Gmail” you will notice only Mail & Notes, Calendars and Chat were added. Contacts sync is missing.

“Microsoft Exchange” on the other hand — failed to load.

system Preferences mail contacts calendars

Apple Wants You to Use iCloud

I given up using Google Contacts as of this writting. it’s not convenience and the conclusion is Google Contacts on OS X Lion has no two way sync.

Nothing you update locally will be pushed to Google Contact.

 

 


13 responses to “Bad Lion: Contacts Sync”

  1. Could you please explain what you mean by, “the contacts is more like in the ‘read mode’ there’s no real time update”?

    I am having trouble getting Address Book and Google Contacts to sync properly. Enabling exchange seems to do nothing. And the “synchronize with google” option in the Address Book preferences accounts pane seems to work, but it doesn’t seem to update very often.

    Does anyone know how often the “synchronize with google” option synchronizes?

    And has anyone had luck getting Address Book to sync with Google contacts via Exchange?

    • HI Damian!

      Thanks for commenting.

      Read Mode – after the contacts is pull from Google it stay in your local address book and that’s it. nothing else will happen. You can’t edit the contacts on your local(Macbook) and hope it update the server (Google Contacts).

      Real time update – means it doesn’t matter you use another computer, iPad, iPhone or MacBook or visit google.com it should update Contacts, Calendar and or Memo as and when you make Changes. All devices connected to the same account (e.g. Google account) should push for up-to-date infos.

      In Max OS X Lion, this does not happen for contacts sync. (Calendar and memo work fine)

      So far I have no luck with contacts syncing and because of that I didn’t set up contacts on my Mac OS X Lion – troublesome!

      so you’re not alone with the problem 🙂 (hehehe)

  2. Apple is making their products works well with their own products.
    This is the reason why I don’t like to use MacOS and iPhone.
    If Lion works well with my Android phone, I probably will consider to buy a Mac.

    • Hello Katie!!! You’re following the updates of World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan? Looks awesome! Kawaiii

      Apple can really makes thing work well and easy on their own system 🙂 I love the system. As for Android, will it work well on Mac? it’s really depend on the many manufacture of Android phone. Thats the problem – like they say, too many cook spoilt the soup.

      Android is a great OS and because there are too many manufacture, the experience on the OS is not consistent.

      Katie I love your avatar! Kawaii!

      • The problem is, although Google Android developers try hard enough, but still, they need Apple to cooperate in the developments.
        This is the reason why Linux are more compatible with Android for syncing tools, as Linux is an Open Source OS.
        It isn’t hard to Apple to cooperate as the base of Apple, are actually based on FreeBSD, an Open Source OS as well.

        • Yet, Android made many steps away from its parent, its still GPL, but it is not openly accepting patches from public, and its not contributing back to Linux.
          On the other hand, Apple is eliminating GPL software in MacOSX, they gave up Samba, they are planning to give up MySQL, and well.. they are planning to get rid of GCC as well, LLVM+CLang+LibC++ , yet opensource, but BSDL, which allows source to be closed. It will be hard for apple to interwork with Linux/Android, if they are trying to get rid of crucial GPL software meanwhile…

        • Your same page as Lulu! She has been complaining about that for years and I feel you 🙂

          This is my opinion

          To Apple, it’s a commercial decision. So if ever developers want to make it work on their devices or system you have to do it by their rules.

          The ironic thing about Apple is that, they are probably so systematic that majority of their products are more hot sales than the rest of the company competing. Of cause things are not like this before the arrival of iPod.

          Base on this successful business plan, Apple will not easily change their game plan for many years to come.

          This will making your request diminish than it come true.

          commercialize products can be exciting for many level of users but to geek community – maybe an alternative.

          for now I’m totally rule by the fruit. 😀

          Cheers

          • I’d like to not be called ‘a geek’ , i’m trying to avoid that lifestyle, my motto is ‘i am into it as long it is useful to me’

  3. i wonder what will be the next beastie, they used tiger, leopard, snow leopard and lion, a panther maybe?

    Ubuntu mascots on the left side, MacOS mascots on the right side )

    • I think it would be the end of the beastie. (Panther was in Mac OS X 10.4) Lion was in a pre-iOS era and the new version of OS X might probably depart from the current X completely.

      The meme online seem to suggest the departure and I see no reason why Apple will not do that. With the testament of 1million download on the first day, Apple will develop the Mac OS into a super iOS. (Super iOS? LOL)

      what a cute graphic hahaha

  4. I don’t have a Mac so I know very little about this post, but I am just stopping by to say Hi to you. 😀 Happy weekend, Netster!

    • Hello Daisy! Miss you much. Sorry haven’t been visiting your blog lately. Was really busy.

      You too have a great great great weekend hehehe 🙂