Sync Facebook Photos With Outlook Contacts
Microsoft's Outlook email client comes with an option to add photos to contacts that have been added automatically or manually by the user.
This does make sense as it becomes easier to identify contacts in the email program. It can however mean a lot of work if the address book lists more than a few dozens contacts.
OutSync is an add-on for Microsoft Outlook that can semi-automate that process, at least for the contacts that are also Facebook friends of the user running the add-on.
Update: OutSync has been discontinued. The author of the program gives several reasons for the decision. First, the integration of Facebook in Windows Live, then the release of Facebook Connector for Outlook, and finally, Windows Phone support for integrating and syncing Facebook contacts with the phone's address book. End
OutSync
The idea is simple. Check Facebook to see if Outlook contacts are friends of the user on the social network website. If they are, check if they have added a profile photo to their Facebook account. Copy that profile photo over to Outlook to add it as the account photo in the email software.
The process to sync Facebook photos with Outlook Contacts is a four step process. It begins by downloading OutSync from the developer's website. The first startup may take between one and two minutes. The computer user then needs to log in to Facebook from within OutSync and wait until the program has matched all the contact information.
At this step it is possible to block contacts from being synced which might make sense if a photo is already assigned to them, or if the photo does not match the contact. Pressing the sync button will update the selected Outlook contacts with the information found at Facebook.
The main benefit of OutSync is for Windows Mobile users. Updated contacts are automatically synced with Windows Mobile devices by Exchange server or ActiveSync. Thus new and fun photos appear during calls and other places where contacts are used.
Outsync is compatible with Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007 running on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows Server.
