As soon as I do my bring write-up of using Google to replace MobileMe, Google goes and makes things a whole lot easier:
Today, we’re offering more people easy access to their information on the go with two-way calendar and contacts sync for iPhones and Windows Mobile devices, and two-way contacts sync for mobile devices that support SyncML. This will be a particularly handy improvement for people who regularly use Google tools, like corporate employees, university students, and busy families.
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For iPhone and Windows Mobile devices, Google Sync allows you to get your Gmail contacts and Google Calendar events onto your phone. Sync uses push technology, which means that any changes you make to your calendar or contacts from the browser or phone will be reflected on your device within minutes. For phones that support SyncML, the tool will allow you to get your Gmail contacts onto your phone. For all of these devices, synchronization happens automatically over the air, without having to manually sync your phone. The connection is always on, which means your information is always up-to-date, no matter where you are or what you’re doing.
Here’s how to set it up on an iPhone or iPod Touch – but there are a few known issues.
This shouldn’t hurt companies like Spanning Sync, (as Google Sync just works Google Cloud <–> Mobile Devices) but Google Sync only pushes contacts to the phone (not back to the Cloud) so NuevaSync still seems to be a better option for now. but NeuvaSync’s team may be drinking.
Update: I set it up on my iPhone, and the syncing seems fast and accurate, but it does not support multiple calendars – all my events are lumped into one calendar. Not cool.
Update 2: Nevermind. This page explains how to set it up. I don’t understand why the service doesn’t automatically sync all calendars, though.
Update 3: I’m back with NuevaSync… I need contacts to sync both ways.
Update 4: After several emails stating that Google Sync syncs contacts both ways, I tried it again after lunch, and behold, contacts do sync both ways. Sort of. It’s not perfect – Google’s Cloud overwrites the device if there’s a difference. NuevaSync still seems to be the best choice.