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hello,
i flashed to 6.5 official and i was wondering if there is any easy way to sync all of my data calender and contacts to my phone now, im really used to the google system. and yes im coming from a g1
Google sync
unfortunately google sync for Windows mobile is a big pile of pooo.
It would sync once, after that you will most likely encounter a problem on scheduled syncs.
At least in my case, i would sync it once installed a new ROM, then delete the exchange settings from the Active sync. This will stop you from going crazy after several failed attempts to synchronize after
Can't you just set up the mobile exchange feature of Google? Not to use a bad word, but my Wiff's iphone is set up that way and all contacts/calendar/email are in perfect sync with her google account? I just selected the "Exchange" configuration.
I have to admit that I have yet to try it with my TP2... I would think if anything it would work just as well
I'm syncing my contact, calendar and mails via active sync protocoll too and it works fine (using google as like as an exchange server, not the separate google sync program).
but it seems you have to exclude items from syncing which you have not activated yet: i don't use "Tasks" in my google account, and until i deactivated it in the exchange/AS settings, i got sync errors. but after deactivating "Tasks"-syncing i never got errors again...
It should be the the same procedure if other components are unused, because if you create a googlemail-mailbox, you'll get contacts too, but no tasks nor calendar. those have be created/activated manually in your google account.
thankS! that removing tasks made it work. although i cant seem to see my contacts. do u think i have it set up where it wont import the google contacts for any reason?
THis may be obvious, but under activesync, make sure that you have Contacts checked off..I don't know if they are all enabled by default
yes that one is selected. i have a lot of contacts that i dont want to manually set up again please let me know if anyone has had this problem and resolved it or thinks they can help me.
but so far i really like this phone!
UPDATE: restarted phone and works even better now! ALL my contacts and now I have 3G instead of H
Hey guys, since a few days I have massive problems with syncing my device with google (contacts, calendar, emails). I used activesync with the snyc settings to m.google.com and suddenly it tries to sync always the entire content from new, every time stating that there are changes done on the server side which requires entire resync. does anybody have the same issues and a solution to that?
I could never get it working right. I use goosync (payservice).
I use this for contacts and calendar but couldn't get the email portion to work reliably. I use IMAP for gmail.
mine syncs fine.
The Jack of Clubs said:
mine syncs fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same, works perfectly for me.
Although i only use google for calender and e-mail, i use dashwire to back up my contacts.
You have probably already tried it, but have you disabled all but one and checked it to see if you still have the same issue?
If it works properly with just e-mail for example, then add in calender and try it again. If it works then add contacts back in or if it breaks remove calender and try contacts instead.
Might help you track down whats causing the issue.
Just an idea.
Mine syncs fine as well. At first I had problems with syncing because I never set up a Calendar or Contacts with Google, so I unchecked everything except Mail. Try that.
Check this out from wmexperts.com:
Has anyone else noticed that they can't sync Google Gmail via Activesync over the past few days? At first I thought it was just me but soon came to find that the "Error Synchronization" message was being displayed on other Windows phones.
The official error code is 0x8600050c (Communications Error) and in looking over at Google Mobile's Help Forum, there are a few solutions available.
The first suggestion is to delete the current Exchange Server relationship and re-create it. Another solution suggests to un-check the email option in Activesync, reboot the phone, re-check the email option and sync. The latter seems to have the most success.
We couldn't find anything official from Google on the cause of these errors or of a "official" solution. If we hear of anything we'll pass it on.
you dont have tasks selected do you?
google sync is not up to snuff as it currently stands.
having tried it, doing this over & over:
The first suggestion is to delete the current Exchange Server relationship and re-create it. Another solution suggests to un-check the email option in Activesync, reboot the phone, re-check the email option and sync. The latter seems to have the most success.
Has been unacceptable.
perveeus said:
google syncis not up to snuff as it currently stands.
having tried it, doing this over & over:
The first suggestion is to delete the current Exchange Server relationship and re-create it. Another solution suggests to un-check the email option in Activesync, reboot the phone, re-check the email option and sync. The latter seems to have the most success.
Has been unacceptable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I agree, but to Google's defense, they say this is in Beta, but we are spoiled with great Google products so we are expecting too much. I do wish they would put more effort to it though, it has been like this since November when I tried it and I haven't seen anything improved in 3-4 months.
wpbear said:
Yes I agree, but to Google's defense, they say this is in Beta, but we are spoiled with great Google products so we are expecting too much. I do wish they would put more effort to it though, it has been like this since November when I tried it and I haven't seen anything improved in 3-4 months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh don't think I am bagging google & all their great products & freebies.
But it just seem they set expectations so high, that they use the excuse of "beta" forever before releasing anything (witness gmail was an invite forever!).
I'm just spoiled!
schoolio said:
Check this out from wmexperts.com:
Has anyone else noticed that they can't sync Google Gmail via Activesync over the past few days? At first I thought it was just me but soon came to find that the "Error Synchronization" message was being displayed on other Windows phones.
The official error code is 0x8600050c (Communications Error) and in looking over at Google Mobile's Help Forum, there are a few solutions available.
The first suggestion is to delete the current Exchange Server relationship and re-create it. Another solution suggests to un-check the email option in Activesync, reboot the phone, re-check the email option and sync. The latter seems to have the most success.
We couldn't find anything official from Google on the cause of these errors or of a "official" solution. If we hear of anything we'll pass it on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same problem a few days ago. I deleted the Exchange Server relationship and re-created it, and it's worked fine since. I've had similar problems periodically in the past - I chalk it up to it being a free service.
I got google sync to work, just got my touch pro2 on sunday. works with my main google calendar, saw a user around here recommend ActiveGCSync for additional google calendars, will try that tonight. The only problem I had is i initially synced all my gmail contacts to my phone (most without names or phone numbers), so then I unchecked 'contacts' thinking it would take them out, but instead it removed ALL the contacts from my phone But now all my phone contacts are backed up in my gmail I guess I will have to clean up the mess manually and sync them back up...
I spent a good part of my day so far editing all my gmail contacts and merging duplicates and the last tihng I did was set up a bunch of new 'groups' under the contacts in gmail. I was hoping that after I sync'd back up that I would be able to use the google created contact groups as a means of filtering my contact list, but this seems not to be the case.
From searching around here I ran across a program called 'Seven' and others, which I will explore if there isn't another way. But I was hoping someone could give me some ideas other than individually editing the "Category" of each contact, which seems to be the field which it looks at for "Filter" under the menu soft key.
Thanks
I use Seven Beta to sync all my mail accs. On creation gives me the option for sync of contacts and calendar as well. Everything works great.
burtonsnow8 said:
I use Seven Beta to sync all my mail accs. On creation gives me the option for sync of contacts and calendar as well. Everything works great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you sync google contacts that you have put into groups, and then can you use the TouchFlo contact list to filter them by those groups?
Had the Desire for about a week and like it a lot but will have to return it because Exchange sync doesn't work and that's a key feature for me.
1. Set up account and set 1 home screen to the mail widget and for a couple of days it worked perfectly until I saw new emails on the home screen widget that didn't appear in the mail app itself! How can the widget apparently be more up to date than the source of the data - the mail app?
2. After this could no longer sync e-mail - it appears that contacts and calendar sync but e-mail shows "sync protocol error"
3. Removed account and set it up again and it worked perfectly for about 24 hours and then exactly the same thing happened. Removed account, removed battery, reset account and its working again....for about a day before I get the same result (home screen widget showing e-mails that aren't showing on the mail app itself and I get sync error).
4. Removed all apps and reset to factory settings and set up account again but the same thing has happened again after about a day. It seems that if it tries to sync and can't connect because there's no signal eg I'm on underground then it locks and can no longer sync
It's Microsoft Exchange server 2003 SP2 and colleagues have no problem with i phones or blackberries and I've been using WM phones for years without any problems. Unfortunately phone is useless to me if this doesn't work and disappointed that HTC claiming feature that in my case clearly doesnt work
More information on above
Forgot to say that although I wasn't getting any e-mail update I was able to send e-mails all the time that this was going on! So I could send but not receive.
apart from a similar issue the first few days in, my Desire sync's fine with my exchange 2007 server. although I've not used the mail widget
Sent from my HTC Desire using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
fredfox_uk said:
apart from a similar issue the first few days in, my Desire sync's fine with my exchange 2007 server. although I've not used the mail widget
Sent from my HTC Desire using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After posting the above, I had this happen again this evening. If occurred when the connection changed from "H" to "G" I'm missing 55 mails
I'll have to try and figure out what's happening
I've had exchange working great for the last 3 weeks. Then it decided to stop working. I've deleted the account and re created it and no joy. Just won't sync. I'm gonna try with moxier now and see if that works.
Sent from my HTC Desire
Identical problem here with my Desire.
It is not just a simple receive problem because I can delete emails from the main "Inbox" folder, than switch to the "Deleted Items" folder, sync and retreive the emails I've just deleted.
But syncing the main "Inbox" folder is not working anymore.
Seems like internal index data for that folder is broken.
This is not a server problem because just deleting the sync account and re-creating it magically fixes it until something screws up again.
This is clearly a case of bad application coding. Damn try-catch statements
Had the same problem myself on 2 different phones, I found that going into account settings and doing a save without changing anything (it says it is checking your password) fixes it.
Seems to happen if you make a lot of changes via outlook and the phone looses its place.
LM
MufDvr said:
Had the same problem myself on 2 different phones, I found that going into account settings and doing a save without changing anything (it says it is checking your password) fixes it.
Seems to happen if you make a lot of changes via outlook and the phone looses its place.
LM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried, but does not work for me.
I wonder if the application event logs on the Exchange server will give more information on the failure? Is SSL set up correctly? Some people have been having problems with self-issued certificates.
fredfox_uk said:
After posting the above, I had this happen again this evening. If occurred when the connection changed from "H" to "G" I'm missing 55 mails
I'll have to try and figure out what's happening
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny you mention about it breaking when going from "H" to "G". I thought I had seen bandwidth related success with my exchange syncing. On WIFI, I could sync the whole inbox, but I would get failures when trying on 3G. I then reduced the inbox to "last 7 days only" and it worked. Going back to higher bandwidth, suddenly I could have the whole inbox without sync errors.
Deleting & recreating Exchange sync account works
For me, deleting and recreating the Exchange sync account workedto get rid of "Sync protocol error". Not funny, but at least there's a way out.
So far so good...
Suspecting some local index file is broken if the sync task is suddenly aborted, I have avoided killing any task and guess what ? So far so good...
Will keep you informed.
P.S. Even if this is the real issue, the sync code is BROKEN.
Hi,
Has anybody gotten to the bottom of this? I've found several threads about the same error across several HTC phones on several different forums.
Deleting and re-adding the account seems like a last resort?
All my contacts are synched via Exchange so if i delete it i assume i lose all of them? And then would i lose corresponding text messages? Anything else? Do all my links to Facebook, Flickr etc get lost? I can see some weird strings of code in my contacts on Outlook now so is the Desire clever enough to pick these up and link everything back together again?
If i can get everything back by just re-adding the account then I'll give it a go but it really does seem far from ideal.
Hi all,
Sorry to bump but i've still not taken the step of deleting my exchange account through fear of losing information.
Obviously it will delete my contacts but will it also delete corresponding SMSs, links to facebook, twitter etc (in Outlook I can see some funny code strings in each contact which i think may be the links)?
Basically, will anything be permanently lost or will i simply need to re-add the account to get everything back as it was?
Is there a way to back up my contacts first? HTC Sync?
Thanks
When I removed an Exchange account from the stock mail app it didn't remove the linking data (which appears in the notes field of your contacts). And there would be no reason for it to delete SMSes, although with the contacts gone, it may not be able to link the phone numbers to names.
HTC Sync could sync your contacts to a separate Outlook installation, or you could use one of the many backup apps (search around here for reviews).
I've only had my Desire for 24 hours but I elected to go with Touchdown right from the get-go after advice from a colleague. So far, it's working a treat (fingers crossed it stays that way). Is anyone here using TD and experiencing these issues, or is it just with the native mail app?
I have a simular issue where Exchange mail stops receiving and sending emails. I only pick up that there is an issue, when attempting to send a email.
This happens regularly, and I have reported this issue to HTC.
My fix when this occurs is to untick and retick SSL option and save.
Well i've removed and re-added the exchange account and so far everything seems to be working ok. Will keep you folks posted - hopefully it doesn't happen again!
Chaps,
Just joined, but I think I have your answer... Task Killer. If you run any of the task killer apps, they can kill the exchange as it is happening, leaving the inbox status in a corrupt state, and the only way to fix this is to delete the account and start over. But then, if the task killer kills the sync, you will have to do it oveer, and over again. Task Killers are great for killing the main apps, but use them on the desire in manual mode only, and only kill the main apps, not the background processes.
Regards
Jaffa
I don't believe it is caused by task killers - I use Advanced Task Killer but it doesn't even list email as open even though it is. I noticed my inbox started having issues after changing sync from 7 days to 14 - it kept re-downloading the last few messages, then after 1 day simply stopped updating the inbox. All other folders fine. I suspect it's a space/size issue - some reports from POP users sound similar. HTC / Android really need to address this. Slowly getting sick of my HTC Legend...(Legendary failure!)
Ok... Its finally time I use this phone to sync with outlook 2007 that I have on my computer..
I don't care much about contacts.. What I need it for is reminders..
Throughout my day I have about 10-20 reminders.. I really want to have this sync with my phone..
I honestly don't even know where to start but assume this should be a VERY simple task?
THANKS
EDIT** If it helps I have "Pure Widget Calender Widget"
I just have it up, but it doesn't do anything besides show me a calendar as of now.. LOL
I have my outlook 2007 calendar synced and it works great. There is a desktop client that you need to install called Google Calendar Sync (google it) and that will keep your outlook calendar synced with your gmail one. Once you get the two synced up, set up your calendar widget to display your gmail calendar and you should be good to go. You can add an event in outlook, gmail, or directly on your phone and it will be populated across all three automatically.
_MetalHead_ said:
I have my outlook 2007 calendar synced and it works great. There is a desktop client that you need to install called Google Calendar Sync (google it) and that will keep your outlook calendar synced with your gmail one. Once you get the two synced up, set up your calendar widget to display your gmail calendar and you should be good to go. You can add an event in outlook, gmail, or directly on your phone and it will be populated across all three automatically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok my one question is this.. Say I set all my reminders through my computer outlook.. I shut down and leave the office.. Now I'm screwed right?
I should sync before I shut down my computer? I don't want my phone to sync every hour because it would kill battery I assume..
Or how does it work?
I'm not entirely sure what the frequency that the client syncs with outlook is, but you can do it manually. Add your reminders, hit sync, then shut your laptop down. That client only syncs your outlook with your gmail so it's sync frequency will have no effect on your battery life. As long as you have your gmail account sent to sync on your phone, the new reminders should get pushed the same way contacts do. I really don't think that has a significant effect on your battery life either. Of course you can turn off all auto syncing and do it all manually but that would probably get annoying really quick.
Why mess with Google calendar sync at all? Why not just set up ActiveSync? I have mine set up to always sync, with no off peak time. Works fine, computer doesn't need to be on, and doesn't affect the battery at all.
Sent from my blah blah blah blah
I've never even messed with active sync at all. I always thought you needed to connect your EVO to your computer to sync with it. How does it get the data from your outlook into your EVO?
_MetalHead_ said:
I've never even messed with active sync at all. I always thought you needed to connect your EVO to your computer to sync with it. How does it get the data from your outlook into your EVO?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am with you.. I also don't know how it gets the data..
I do like your way though..
I don't mind.. Everyday before I leave I just hit the sync button.. Even if I forget its not that big of a deal as the reminders are usually a few days out..
Still.. If active sync is better some how, I too want to know more about this..
THANKS
_MetalHead_ said:
I've never even messed with active sync at all. I always thought you needed to connect your EVO to your computer to sync with it. How does it get the data from your outlook into your EVO?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're looking at it wrong - your not sending data from outlook to your phone. When someone sends you an email or a meetingmaker or something like that, it doesn't go right to "outlook" - it goes to your exchange server which then sends the data elsewhere for you to access (like outlook). I don't know about you, but I can also access all of my corporate email through a web client also, outside of outlook - this works similarly. What activesync does is tells the exchange server to not only send your data to outlook, but also send it to the activesync account on your phone. Again, even though this is all in real time, this uses no battery (because of how it's set up, it's not continuously polling for new data) - and sometimes I even get my email on my phone before it appears in outlook. I have it synced with my exchange calandar and email 24/7, and have never had any battery issues with it - not even negligable battery usage.
fachadick said:
You're looking at it wrong - your not sending data from outlook to your phone. When someone sends you an email or a meetingmaker or something like that, it doesn't go right to "outlook" - it goes to your exchange server which then sends the data elsewhere for you to access (like outlook). I don't know about you, but I can also access all of my corporate email through a web client also, outside of outlook - this works similarly. What activesync does is tells the exchange server to not only send your data to outlook, but also send it to the activesync account on your phone. Again, even though this is all in real time, this uses no battery (because of how it's set up, it's not continuously polling for new data) - and sometimes I even get my email on my phone before it appears in outlook. I have it synced with my exchange calandar and email 24/7, and have never had any battery issues with it - not even negligable battery usage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok then... 2 things..
I don't really want my email to my phone.. Can I just get my calender reminders only using active sync?
The other thing.. How do I do this? LOL I used to do this with my old Touch, but its been years and totally forgot.. Thanks
fastfed said:
Ok then... 2 things..
I don't really want my email to my phone.. Can I just get my calender reminders only using active sync?
The other thing.. How do I do this? LOL I used to do this with my old Touch, but its been years and totally forgot.. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
settings -> accounts & sync -> add account -> exchange Activesync
during the setup process (which is painless, but you may need to get some info from your IT group like server info) you'll choose what you want to sync to your phone. The options it gives you are email, contacts, and calandar. If you just want calandar, make sure that box is checked, and the other ones aren't.
actually, you may need to set it up first, then go back into
settings -> accounts & sync -> exchange Activesync to uncheck email and contacts, if you don't want it to sync everything. hope that helps
Im confused on what my domain should be.. and my server address should be the same as my email for outlook right?
It keeps coming back as authentication failed... Please verify username and/or password..
Also I have access to everything I need
fastfed said:
Im confused on what my domain should be.. and my server address should be the same as my email for outlook right?
It keeps coming back as authentication failed... Please verify username and/or password..
Also I have access to everything I need
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That I can't help you with. It's supposed to be the same, but that's not always the case. On my end, I had to get server and domain info that I'd never heard of before. Try to get your hands on some "setting up ActiveSync" documentation from your company, it shouldn't be too hard to find, and will have all the details you need to enter.
Sent from my blah blah blah blah
fachadick said:
That I can't help you with. It's supposed to be the same, but that's not always the case. On my end, I had to get server and domain info that I'd never heard of before. Try to get your hands on some "setting up ActiveSync" documentation from your company, it shouldn't be too hard to find, and will have all the details you need to enter.
Sent from my blah blah blah blah
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL.. I am the company..
I have a hosting company. Email address, business website..
Just don't know what to input..
fastfed said:
LOL.. I am the company..
I have a hosting company. Email address, business website..
Just don't know what to input..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
check the settings on the hosting end. you may have to give them a call to find out the information you need. i had to use the webmail login information to get it to work.
i use ExchangeActiveSync extensively. i get all my work emails as they arrive on the server and its pretty neat that it syncs my calendar as well. I have the HTC Agenda widget on one of the 7 screens, it pulls in my outlook calendar, google calendar and my facebook events. its pretty awesome!!!
I'm with start logic for my hosting company...i guess I'll give them a call unless someone here knows the information? Thanks
rajas_evo said:
check the settings on the hosting end. you may have to give them a call to find out the information you need. i had to use the webmail login information to get it to work.
i use ExchangeActiveSync extensively. i get all my work emails as they arrive on the server and its pretty neat that it syncs my calendar as well. I have the HTC Agenda widget on one of the 7 screens, it pulls in my outlook calendar, google calendar and my facebook events. its pretty awesome!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
How are you guys using ActiveSync with your Evo? Is this Microsoft's ActiveSync or something else? I used it for years with my Windows Mobile phones and would kill for the same functionality with Android.
Fellas, just talk to your IT departments for the following basic info:
Domain name
Server name
You should obviously have your username and password already. ActiveSync is both a desktop application for old WinMo phones and a feature of Exchange. iPhones, Android phones, and a few others can sync with an Exchange mailbox by talking nice to ActiveSync running on your mail server.
HOWEVER, some Exchange admins retain tight control over what types of devices can sync with your mailbox, and some even require you to request sync to begin with. Mobile sync is turned off by default and must be enabled on your mailbox.
Buy your network admin a drink, he'll hook you up. I would ;-)
Just got my Fire Phone a couple of days ago and I knew exactly what I was getting into when I bought it. First thing I did was install Play Store along with all the apks are are important from Google.
But as the title suggests, I am just curious on if there is a way to sync Google Contacts quickly. My Contacts apps syncs fine with my Gmail, but it takes every bit of hour for them to sync. Whereas as when you add a contact in Gmail on the computer they sync immediately with an Android Phone. We have tried the different syncs options on the Fire Phone but to no avail. Just more curious than anything. If there isnt a way, it really doesnt bother me to much instead of being more a nuisance than anything.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
beeson76 said:
Just got my Fire Phone a couple of days ago and I knew exactly what I was getting into when I bought it. First thing I did was install Play Store along with all the apks are are important from Google.
But as the title suggests, I am just curious on if there is a way to sync Google Contacts quickly. My Contacts apps syncs fine with my Gmail, but it takes every bit of hour for them to sync. Whereas as when you add a contact in Gmail on the computer they sync immediately with an Android Phone. We have tried the different syncs options on the Fire Phone but to no avail. Just more curious than anything. If there isnt a way, it really doesnt bother me to much instead of being more a nuisance than anything.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you get them to sync? My contacts app doesnt show any contacts I have on Google. :/
rjmohit said:
How did you get them to sync? My contacts app doesnt show any contacts I have on Google. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to set up the Fire Email app with my Gmail address to get the contacts & calendar to sync. I actually like the email app more than I thought I would but can't seem to find two critical things:
-Notify once for emails (not every email)
-Different notification sounds for different accounts
Am I missing a setting somewhere?
rjmohit said:
How did you get them to sync? My contacts app doesnt show any contacts I have on Google. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was pretty automatic for me. I logged in using my gmail account. I will try to help you though but you prolly already have all the correct settings. When you open your email app from the OS (not some installed app from the store), left swipe to get to your settings. In my email app, the only email I have as an account is Gmail. Go to settings in the menu. Bottom option. On next screen click Contacts Settings. From there you have an option to Synchronize contacts. Make sure that is set to on. Try that and let us know what happens. This is where is may take to up to an hour for it to sync. My original question here was if there is a faster option to get the contacts to sync because many times I need the contact sync immediately.
It prolly just built into the OS to sync at a certain time frame.
ItsDon said:
I had to set up the Fire Email app with my Gmail address to get the contacts & calendar to sync. I actually like the email app more than I thought I would but can't seem to find two critical things:
-Notify once for emails (not every email)
-Different notification sounds for different accounts
Am I missing a setting somewhere?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
beeson76 said:
It was pretty automatic for me. I logged in using my gmail account. I will try to help you though but you prolly already have all the correct settings. When you open your email app from the OS (not some installed app from the store), left swipe to get to your settings. In my email app, the only email I have as an account is Gmail. Go to settings in the menu. Bottom option. On next screen click Contacts Settings. From there you have an option to Synchronize contacts. Make sure that is set to on. Try that and let us know what happens. This is where is may take to up to an hour for it to sync. My original question here was if there is a faster option to get the contacts to sync because many times I need the contact sync immediately.
It prolly just built into the OS to sync at a certain time frame.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha!! I basically disabled the built in email app and installed googlecontactssyncadapter.apk in an effort to sync contacts. Unsuccessful, I moved to using CM11 and loving it!! Thanks for the detailed explanations!
I disabled most of the amazon apps as well, and noticed that my contacts stopped syncing. Looked into it a little more and saw that it was tied to the email app. The email app is okay, but it doesn't have any of my gmail labels so that was out, and it was using too much juice as was so I had to find an alternative. This app will connect to google, or a number of other contact sync services, and you can set the sync rate on it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.dmfs.carddav.sync