Google Calendar Sync is the solution to all of these issues, at least if you use Windows. Meanwhile, what about syncing to the Web? And syncing to Android? And these days, syncing to Windows Phone? But, I had to remember to plug-in my phone to do this. Then along came the iPhone, and iTunes took over, allowing me to sync my Outlook calendar to my iPhone. Instead, my life of syncing Outlook to a phone started years ago when I'd use Microsoft ActiveSync to have Outlook talk to my Windows Mobile phone. I've never been in an organization that used it.
I know there's Microsoft Exchange that many companies use for syncing Outlook to other devices. But what if you want to view your Outlook calendar when away from your desktop? I've found Google Calendar Sync is an awesome solution. It's an outstanding tool for handling e-mail and my calendar.