I love Google. Ever since I’ve registered a Gmail account, I’ve given more of less every one of their services a shot, from the blog search engine to the now defunct Google Browser Sync. Overall, I have found their services reliable, practical, and just kick ass in general. 

I have already been using IMAP Gmail on my iPhone, and like every proud iPhone owner I never miss a chance at anwsering/correcting people by whipping out Google from my pocket. I thought I was in the geek-nirvana… always connected to whatever I wanted to be. Right up until I stumbled upon Google Mobile Sync. 

The concept is pretty simple: one phone, one Exchange server, and all your contacts and calendar entries are syncronized from whatever your smartphone is to the great big internetz. For the more visually inclined, have a video.

GOOGLE HAS FREED US OF CABLES, THE ARCHAIC MEDIUMS THAT USED TO UPDATE OUR ADDRESS BOOKS! Imagine you’re on the job, Mr. X sends you a very important business email telling you that he wants you to call back. No problem, you add the dude as a contact in your GMail account (because you are using your business POP3 on your GMail for superior organization of course). Then, two hours later on the train to whatever important place, you want to call up the dude, and his number has MAGICALLY been pushed to your address book. Badabing badaboom. No more messing around with awkward browsing in your Gmail contacts via 3G. You are free of wires, or typing in long names like Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Jr the Second or numerous phone numbers on your iPhone’s teeny tiny on-screen keyboard which makes typing a 9 instead of a 0 so easy. I think that’s pretty cool.

Or consider this: you’re a busy man, the manager of whatever facilities, let’s make it a hospital. Like any self-respecting busy man, you have a suave secretary who juggles with managing your schedules, returning your phone calls, and typing up your stuff. With Google calendar, you can share a calendar with Nancy, the said secretary, and have her manage all of your time, remotely, while not having to place a single phone call and being updated within literally SECONDS (I’ve tested this… push is that fast). Meeting with CEO of SOandSO Corp over, where to? Whips out iPhone. The press conference at the Imaginary Hotel isn’t on my calendar anymore… it’s been cancel. But hey, I’ve have a flight to Toronto to catch in an hour so I can help another hospital with their problems relative to whatever. Oh my, even the details relative to my flight are mentioned on my calendar. The obvious downside is that you don’t get to hear Nancy’s sensual voice every hour, but hey, it’s much better than to take quick, half-assed notes in a paper agenda, isn’t it?

I know, MS Exchange isn’t anything new. But having your very own little private slice of one of these for free certainly is. So for the love of god, just get your sync on. It takes about 5 minutes to configure, and the most difficult thing for me was to clear out my Gmail contacts.

I love centralizing. Long live Google.