Syncing outlook on two different Computers

Specifically, I have one Gmail account and I want to check it from two different computers (my desktop and Laptop). Looking around the net, there is no elegant way to do this. I want to be able to keep both outlooks open and synced together but still can be used independently.

The problem I'm having right now is when I download email from one computer, the messages are flagged downloaded and the other computer won't download them.

I've read about people using a usb drive to keep the one PST file between the two computers. That doesn't allow me to use both at the same time. The other solution is buying an outlook syncing software tool. If it comes to that, I might as well shell out 10 bucks a month for a Hosted Exchange account.

The Exchange account is by far the most elegant and powerful solution. I'm gonna see if I can tweak the Gmail account or make several Gmail accounts and link them together......

 

Sometimes, I wonder if people just sit around all day looking to do something really unusual and then toss it out to see if anyone is crazy enough to have tried it before.

How sync'd is sync?

Do you only have to have access all emails, or do you only want to see one grouping?

What is your available hardware and when you say, both outlooks open, do you really mean both open? Can one be closed, and one be open, or must they both be open all the time?

As in, I have two computers on my desk and I want to look at outlook on both and have them identical all the time.

To which I ask, are you crazy? Why would you want to do that? Seriously, is one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen or something? Weird request.

I have done something like this, but not with both programs open simultaneously so I can run back and forth from one room to the other with both email programs open.

For example, I had a dual boot system that shared the PST file so that no matter what OS I was in (Vista or XP) my emails were available.

I also once put the PST file on a server and mapped a drive then had OUTLOOK look to the mapped drive for the PST file. Again, same thing happened. OUTLOOK on machine one was open, check mail, send mail, close outlook. Open outlook on laptop that was pointed at pst file and checked email. Changes were saved to the single file

What I never did was open both outlooks at the same time. I do not know if Outlook keeps the file open all the time, or only during reads and write. If the former, you will not be able to do this, if the latter, as long as Outlook is not set to check email every X minutes, it should conceivably work.





For example, you could

 

I have found a solution. More email accounts. More on that later

 

My desktop rig is my main and I prefer to do my work on my 19". The 14" on my laptop is great if I'm on the go, but if I'm at my desk, that 14.1" FTL.

It's like having a Treo. Desktop is your main rig at the desk. If you aren't at your desk, you check and send email on the treo or laptop. As you check and read email, they are reflected on your other devices. I've drawn up a hacked up system using multiple Gmail accounts. later on that. This is far cheaper than getting an exchange account.