Thunderbird, Lightning and Google Calendar Sync for iPhone
I wanted to be sure I could take my calendar information with me on my iPhone. Since I’m not a Microsoft Outlook user anymore, I had to find another way to sync up my information.
Recently, the latest calendar plug-in for Thunderbird (Lightning) was released and after the upgrade, I also added this Thunderbird plugin to allow bi-directional updates to Google Calendar directly from my Lightning calendar.
I did have to update my Thunderbird to make it work with the new plugin…so I was a bit behind the times. Review this step-by-step tutorial for setting up Google Calendar to share information with Lightning, if you want an easy to go way to get it running. Here’s a quick video tutorial for how to make it all work: http://www.youtube.com/v/4_TnR1HlKkY.
I just got mine up and running. I’ll probably tweak it a bit.
If you are using another iCal application, you can check into using GCALDaemon to sync between Google Calendar and any other iCal format program — and you, too, can begin enjoying access to your calendar on your shiny new iPhone!
i don’t get how this has anything to do w/syncing w/an iPhone.
will - July 5, 2007 5:30 am
so you’re saying you can then sync google calendar with the iphone? what about contacts from thunderbird?
micah - July 5, 2007 9:10 am
Hi Will-
This is just a way to use my own Mozilla-based calendar system and Google’s public calendar to always have a sync’ed copy of my calendar available from my iPhone.
By using this method, I can see my private calendar from any location where my iPhone has a signal. Thus, I don’t have to use Outlook to keep an up-to-the minute version of my schedule with me all the time.
(Hope this helps.)
Angela Parker - July 5, 2007 10:47 am
Micah –
No, this doesn’t incorporate contacts from Thunderbird, but I’m working on a way to do that. I’ll report if/when I find it.
Angela-Parker - July 5, 2007 1:35 pm
I stumbled across http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2007/11/07/funambol-does-slick-wireless-contact-sync/ that explains how to use funambol to do contact syncing with thunderbird. You can either do it through there webapp or they have a version for jailbreak iphones.
Brian - January 2, 2008 11:24 am
The text on your site is unreadable unless I highlight it. More contrast, please.
someone - January 17, 2008 4:30 am
Thanks for the heads-up! I had embedded the YouTube video, which apparently broke my theme on this post.
I’ve now used the link only, so the text is back on a white background, as intended, and is legible!
Angela Parker - January 17, 2008 8:31 am
Dear Angela,
Thank you for yout help with Thunderbird, Lightning and Google Calendar. I saved a lot of time with your suggestions. everithing works fine but i am missing how Thunderbird and Lightning will now sync with my Iphone. Could you please help with that?
Grazie,
Andrea
Andrea - March 12, 2008 3:11 pm
You can easily 2-way sync your ipod touch or iphone with google calendar if it is jailbroken. I’ve been using NemusSync, which is a “featured” download in installer. It works well enough. Ultimately, if all your computers and iphone 2-way sync with google calendar, then all of them will have identical calendars, no matter which one you use to edit the calendar.
viranh - August 10, 2008 8:25 pm
As viranh, I’m using NemusSync to sync bidirectionally all my appointments. Unfortunately syncing the contacts are not yet implemented but in the ToDo list (the author write me it’s just a problem to have time to implement it). Maybe if people write to him to implement soon this feature….
BTW, the new version in compatible with FW 2.0.x. More info at http://www.nemustech.com/iPhone/NemusSync.html
Bye
Alex - August 30, 2008 3:56 am
Is there a way to automatically have emails in Outlook sent to the iPhone?
Jerry - September 2, 2008 1:11 pm
Jerry –
If you have access to your server, you can set up your email as IMAP, rather than POP. This means that the email will stay resident on your server and can be seen from both Outlook and the iPhone. Any changes you make to email on your iPhone will be reflected on your server (and visible in webmail) and in your Outlook.
Likewise, if you make changes in Outlook, it will be visible everywhere. It also means you won’t have to delete items in both places or wonder about replies and sent mail (they will be in the IMAP sent folder).
IMHO, not nearly enough people with multiple devices utilize this option.
Hope this helps!
Angela Parker - September 2, 2008 3:15 pm
Thank you Angela, apreciate your quick reply. Here is what I am trying to do:
I have a doctor I work for, he has an iPhone that currently syncs without issue with his Outlook. I don’t have access or permissions to the domain or exchange server. He primarliy uses Thunderbird for email and is a bigger fan of this email application than he is of Outlook.
He wants to be able to sync his iPhone with Thunderbird, not sure if push and pull are options, or if push is even an option, but that is what he would like to do. I know that the exchange server is pop, but that the iPhone supports imap, smtp, and pop, but not sure of the configurations.
So, to make it short and sweet, here are my limitations:
1. I do not have access to the exchange server.
2. I would like to have the doc be able to sync his contacts and email from Thunderbird.
What are my options from where you sit, thank you, Jerry.
Jerry - September 2, 2008 5:41 pm
is there a way to bidirectionally sync ur iphone with thunderbird or google calender without haveing a jailbroken phone?
alonzo torres - September 3, 2008 1:23 am
@alonzo
Not directly. You can install iFunambol to do that.
I found also a nice guide here: http://internetducttape.com/2006/08/11/the-holy-grail-of-synchronization-how-to-synchronize-microsoft-outlook-multiple-locations-google-calendar-gmail-ipod-and-mobile-phone-with-funambol-scheduleworld/
Have a nice day
Alex - September 3, 2008 7:38 am
thanks alot alex XD
alonzo torres - September 3, 2008 3:50 pm
Yes, thank you Alex for taking the time to answer my question, anyone else have anything to add?
Jerry - September 3, 2008 4:36 pm
there seems to be a problem with schedule world.Here is my issue im using thunderbird with the lightning pluggin that pulls my google calender and email from gmail and google to my desktop
i also have a iphone which is not jailbroken eventho i know how and might someday jailbreak it i dont see the use if u have to fix it everyother week due to new patches apple is shooting out like a Gatling gun
on top of that im on windows vista and since im going thru all this its making me want to do 2 things forget about calender sync or get a mac i will never buy mobile me ever so thats out of the question
so im trying to get my iphone and my wife’s iphone to sync to one google calender without haveing to jailbreak it all the replys i get end up to be for mac only or the phone needs to be jailbroken in order to use it does anyone know a solution to my problem or am i just S.O.L
btw besides the three no’s jailbreaking the phone ,buying mobile me and not being on mac i dont care what else it takes to get google calender to my wife’s and my iphone
alonzo torres - September 3, 2008 5:00 pm
Below is a link I found helpful to Sync your Google Calendar to iphone. I currently have thunderbird with lightning add-on with bi-directional syncing. You then can use the link below to sync your iphone to Google calendar. Long way around, but it works for me. I have not found a way to sync contacts yet.
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/07/27/syncing-google-calendar-to-your-iphone/
Kurt - January 6, 2009 1:45 am
Thanks, Kurt! This is the option (the free one) that I’ve been using on my iPhone. Works for me too!
Angela Parker - January 7, 2009 3:18 pm