[Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] majin:
[size=+3]BIG problems about Synching

Android DoCoMo SC-03E Samsung Galaxy S III alpha

and Outlook (PC/WEB)

by KIES or by featured Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync[/size]​

One of the most important reason why I did choose to move from the glorious Windows Mobile devices to a new Android device (DoCoMo SC-03E Samsung Galaxy S III Alpha) has been that Microsoft had decided to LOCK the OFF-LINE sync between Windows Mobile devices and PCs with Windows 8 + Office Outlook 2013 by Microsoft Windows Mobile Device Center.

So, I was pretty sure to not get problems from Android… but NO! It has been not like that.

STILL A LOT OF PROBLEM BOTH with OFF-LINE SYNC (by Kies) AND with ON-LINE SYNC (by Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync).

As you know, most of people (like me) uses NOTES/DESCRIPTION fields in Contacts, in Calendar appointments and in Tasks items.

BEFORE, on Windows Mobile, if you did write too much long Notes/Descriptions, you did get some kind of warning from your Windows Mobile Device.

Anyway I never had problems from Contacts’ Notes and Calendar’s Notes… Just for Tasks I did have the limit of 20 KB (a reasonable long text).

[size=+1]NOW… this is what happens with Android.[/size]​

[size=+2][CASE 1] PERFORMING KIES (OFF-LINE Sync way)[/size]

If you Sync your Outlook’s stuff using Kies,

Kies CUTS:

Contacts’ Notes/Description longer than 256 digits (characters)

Calendar’ Notes/Description longer than 255 digits (characters)

Tasks Notes/Description longer that 1000 digits (characters)

So, on the Galaxy you will find JUST those short notes!

THEN, on the GALAXY you can EDIT those SAME Notes/Description until the limit of 1000 digits for each of them.

Ok, let’s do it… then let’s Sync again by Kies.

As expected, you will get on your PC into Outlook:

Contacts’ Notes with 1000 digits (characters)

Calendar’ Notes with 1000 digits (characters)

Tasks Notes with 1000 digits (characters)

Do you think it is fine? Do you think this is the end?

[size=+1]NO![/size]

If now you go ON OUTLOOK (PC) to edit something on Contacts, Calendar Appointments (Telephone number, Date… something else) and THEN you Sync again by Kies, you will get AGAIN the CUT!

Contacts’ Notes CUT OVER 256 digits (characters)

Calendar’ Notes CUT OVER 255 digits (characters)

Tasks Notes CUT OVER 1000 digits (characters) [obviously]

So, the meaning of the story is that, if you wish to SYNC OFF-LINE, you have to be really care about the info in your NOTES fields and about EDIT some item on OUTLOOK (PC).

The only way (PROBABLY) for not losing some important INFO (into the Notes/Description fields) is to manage the items’ NOTES/DESCRIPTION fields JUST FROM the GALAXY.

[size=+2][CASE 2] PERFORMING MICROSOFT EXCHANGE ACTIVESYNC Account (ON-LINE SYNC way)[/size]

If you Sync your Outlook’s stuff (from PC) using your Outlook/Hotmail account (connected with the Microsoft’ servers) then you should sync and get those items on your “DoCoMo SC-03E Samsung Galaxy S III Alpha” by the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync function (featured on the Galaxy).

BUT it is not exactly like that.

If you Sync your Outlook’s stuff using Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync function featured on Galaxy and then you go to open (in EDIT mode, for example if you want copy/paste something from a Contact, from a Task...),

GALAXY CUTS:

Contacts’ Notes/Description longer than 1000 digits (characters)

Calendar’ Notes/Description longer than 1000 digits (characters)

Tasks Notes/Description longer that 1000 digits (characters)

You could think that 1000 digits are enough, but the problem is not exactly just that.

If you go on the Galaxy and you OPEN in EDIT mode the Notes/Description fields on one of those Synched TASKS, THEN the SYNC FUNCTION CRASHES FOR ALL TASKS ITEMS (even on the new Tasks created from the Galaxy) and you can’t Sync any Tasks between the GALAXY and the Microsoft Exchange server.

E-mail, Contacts, and Calendar Sync still keeps on working, but Tasks Sync totally stops.

[The only way to get Task Sync back working again is to remove the Microsoft account from the Galaxy and re-add it].

So, the meaning of the second part of this story is that, if you wish to SYNC ON-LINE, you have to be really care about the info’s length in your NOTES fields and you have to be really care about to EDIT some item on GALAXY Phone.

The only way (PROBABLY) to not get lose some precious INFO (filled into Notes/Description fields) and to not get crashed the Exchange ActiveSync on the Phone is to manage the items’ NOTES/DESCRIPTION fields JUST FROM the GALAXY.

I’m getting verytired that the modern Smartphones, so evolved and expensive, have problem on this BASIC functions.

What the developers think about, when they think to develop a new device?!

People doesn’t use so expensive Smartphones just for listening music or watching YouTube!

[Size=+2]The final meaning of this story is…

If you are thinking to buy a Smartphone to get synchronized with your Hotmail/Outlook,

DON’T BUY AN ANDROID SMARTPHONE.[/size]​