Google Working With Microsoft On Outlook Plug-In Bugs

Google (NSDQ:GOOG) launched a Gmail-driven Outlook synchronization for businesses to great fanfare last week, but it turns out that there are still some kinks to be worked out before Google Apps Sync for Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) Outlook delivers the "seamless" Outlook experience touted by the search giant.

"The quick story is that it's not a big deal. Outlook search still works as it always has. There are some other plug-in issues that we're working through," a spokesperson for Mountain View, Calif.-based Google said Wednesday.

Google Enterprise Communications Manager Andrew Kovacs told ChannelWeb that he couldn't predict when a Google Apps Sync issue with Windows Desktop Search would be resolved, but that "we're working with Microsoft on it."

A Microsoft blog posted Wednesday pointed out a problem with indexing and searching Outlook data that results from registry key modifications made by Google Apps Sync plug-ins. Google confirmed the issue in its own blog post later in the day, and went a step further -- serving up several more unresolved issues with Google Apps Sync.

Plug-ins that don't work with Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook include Microsoft Office Outlook Connector, Acrobat PDF Maker Toolbar and Outlook Change Notifier, according to the post on the Google Enterprise Blog by Chris Vander Mey, a Google Apps senior product manager.

Vander Mey also noted that "[p]rograms that interact directly with the Outlook data file, including Windows Desktop Search and PGP.com's encryption plug-in, don't currently work well with Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook."

At last week's launch, Google trumpeted its new integration with Outlook as a major improvement over earlier attempts to couple the Gmail back end with the Outlook experience, part of the company's strategy to compete with Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft's Exchange server by delivering cloud-based, enterprise-class e-mail to users accustomed to the established Outlook e-mail client's look and feel.

But Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook was never intended to perfectly replicate Outlook right out of the gate, according to Kovacs.

"The focus of this product was to make [Outlook's] e-mail contacts and calendar work as seamlessly as possible with Google Apps. We also recognize that a lot of users have additional plug-ins with Outlook, such as Salesforce.com. There still some issues, but it's not a surprise that there are, it's not unexpected," Kovacs said.

Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook is available globally as a plug-in for PCs running Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2) or Vista (Service Pack 1). The current edition only supports English-language syncing with Outlook, but Google says other languages will be coming soon.