Update: Fix for Google Calendar sync service outage

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Rushang

CompanionLink has a fix to the synchronization service outage with Google Calendar. If you sync calendar data from your PC to your Google Calendar, you will need to install this update.

You can download the free update software here. Install this update on your PC. Make sure to download the software update for the product you currently have. If you don’t know which product you have, here’s how to find out.

Details about the sync service outage with Google Calendar

On November 24, 2009, Google made a critical change to a core field in Google Calendar. We don’t know if Google intended this change, or knows that it affects software that uses the published Google API. It may be the case that Google will allow the software to work again in due time. The change by Google to their published APIs made it unable for CompanionLink’s software to Add or Change Calendar information from PC to Google. Google Contacts is not affected. Sync Google Calendar works fine from Google to PC.

CompanionLink has created a software update that complies with Google’s changes. CompanionLink products with build 3082 and higher will contain this change and can be used to update data from PC to Google.

Service outage when syncing with Google Calendar

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Rushang

CompanionLink has been getting reports from users that as of today morning, their PC calendar has stopped synchronizing with their Google Calendar. CompanionLink was able to reproduce this problem with our in-house tests. We are working on a solution.

Follow the CompanionLink Twitter feed for the latest updates.

Phone breakdown of Android platform (October 2009)

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Rushang

In the October 2009 issue of AdMob Mobile Metrics Report, the company has a telling chart that lists the phones people are using on the Android platform. While the Droid has been available for less than one month, it has managed to grab nearly 25% of the Android market.

CompanionLink continues to align closer with Android devices. CompanionLink already offers a two-way sync solution between PC and Google, which natively feeds the address book and calendar on Android phones. CompanionLink is also working on a two-way USB sync between PC and Android. This will allow users to sync PC (ie – Microsoft Outlook) contacts, calendar, tasks and notes to their Android using the USB cable that came with their device.

Outlook 2010 sync options

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Rushang

Update April 27, 2010: CompanionLink syncs with Outlook 2010 32-bit and 64-bit

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5g4wKaJGNo]

Today, Microsoft announced the public availability of Microsoft Office 2010 Beta. Microsoft says the new version is designed to deliver the best productivity experience across the PC, phone and browser. CompanionLink plays a key role in enhancing the productivity of Outlook 2010 by syncing data to mobile and web-based platforms.

CompanionLink provides complete two-way synchronization between Outlook 2010 and the latest smartphone platforms, popular PC contact management software, and web-based services like Google, Gmail, and Google Apps. CompanionLink synchronizes Outlook contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes. It can be configured to sync data with the following mobile platforms:

Apple iPhone
Google Android
BlackBerry
Palm webOS
Palm OS
Windows Mobile
Symbian OS (via Google)

There are four primary ways CompanionLink can be set up to sync Outlook 2010 data.

Sync option 1: Outlook 2010 wired sync (USB) with phones

CompanionLink can do a USB sync between Outlook 2010 and supported phones. Data either syncs using CompanionLink’s proprietary technology or using helper conduits like BlackBerry Desktop Manager (for BlackBerry devices), iTunes (for iPhones), HotSync Manager (for Palm OS devices), or ActiveSync (for Windows Mobile phones).

Sync option 2: Outlook 2010 sync with Google, Gmail, and Google Apps

CompanionLink can sync contacts and calendar with your Google account. Contacts and calendar sync to Google Contacts and Google Calendar. Once data is synchronized with Google, the free Google Sync service offered by Google can sync that data over-the-air with smartphones. CompanionLink works seamlessly with the Google Sync feature.

Sync option 3: Wireless sync using CompanioLink’s wireless sync service

CompanionLink also offers a wireless sync service that syncs Outlook 2010 contacts, calendar, tasks and notes directly to the phone’s built-in address book, calendar, and tasks apps. The monthly service allows users who are using Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2010 Business Contact Manager without an Exchange Server or BlackBerry Enterprise Service get over-the-air sync capabilities.

With iPhone, CompanionLink has a custom iPhone app (called DejaOffice) that provides PC-like calendar and tasks modules that include categories, priorities, and sorting features that business users have come to expect.

Sync option 4: Sync Outlook 2010 with other PC contact managers

CompanionLink can also be set up to sync Outlook 2010 with Lotus Notes, GroupWise, Outlook 2010 Business Contact Manager, Palm Desktop, ACT! and GoldMine. Two-way sync lets customers work in either software and ensure the other is updated every time a sync is done.

Update: wired (USB) sync with Droid

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Rushang

A week ago, CompanionLink unveiled their plans to develop USB sync software for Android phones. CompanionLink now has more details about the solution.

The sync will be ready for launch within 90 days and will do two-way sync of Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, and Notes between PC and Android phone using the USB cable that ships with the device. No web-based solution like Google is required. No Wi-Fi or Internet connection is needed.

Contacts will sync to the built-in address book on the Android phone. CompanionLink plans to include a way to categorize contacts into groups.

Calendar will sync to a custom app that allows more search and list-view capabilities as compared to the built-in calendar on the Android phone.

Tasks and Notes will sync to custom apps on the Android phone that will allow categorization, sorting, and the ability to assign priorities.

Update 12/21/2009: This direct USB sync solution is now available here.

Outlook USB sync with Palm Pixi

Posted on November 15, 2009 by Rushang

CompanionLink for webOS USB is software that does a direct two-way USB sync between Outlook and Palm Pixi. Contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes sync to the Pixi and can be edited on either the PC or on the phone.

CompanionLink features a Palm webOS app called CL USB Sync^™ that can be downloaded to the phone for free from the Palm App Catalog. This app works with CompanionLink for webOS USB to synchronize PC contacts and calendar to the phone’s webOS contacts and calendar applications. The CL USB Sync app also includes unique tasks and memos apps with categories and sort lists that work like the PC versions of the same applications.

More info about Outlook USB sync with Palm Pixi.

Outlook wireless sync with Palm Pixi

Posted on November 15, 2009 by Rushang

CompanionLink for Google is software that does a two-way ync between Outlook and Google, which automatically syncs with Palm Pixi using Palm Synergy. Contacts, calendar, and tasks from Outlook sync to Google and Pixi, and they and can be edited on either the PC or on the phone.

With CompanionLink, no additional configuration of your router or home network is required. As long as your PC has an internet connection, data will sync two-ways between PC and Google. Pixi will sync any changes you make.

CompanionLink for Google has an “auto sync” feature that automates the entire process. You can set how often the sync between PC and Google should occur, and let CompanionLink run in the system tray on your PC.

More info about Outlook sync with Google and Palm Pixi.

Sync Outlook Business Contact Manager to regular Outlook/Exchange accounts

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Rushang

Outlook Business Contact Manager (known as “BCM”) is a powerful extension to the Microsoft Office Outlook system. It provides CRM-like functionality within the Outlook environment people have become accustomed to. CompanionLink can sync BCM data to Outlook and Exchange folders, to Google, or directly to phones using USB cable or wireless sync technology.

Microsoft’s help and how-to website refers Outlook BCM users to CompanionLink for two-way synchronization with devices that Microsoft does not natively support — such as BlackBerry, Apple iPhone, Google Android, and Palm devices.

Sync BCM data with phones using CompanionLink + Microsoft Exchange

Outlook users with a Microsoft Exchange Server can use CompanionLink’s BCM-to-Outlook sync to get their BCM data on their phones. With CompanionLink, BCM data will sync with Outlook and Microsoft Exchange profiles, which then synchronizes with phones using Exchange ActiveSync or BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

Sync BCM data with phones using CompanionLink’s wireless sync service

Outlook users who need to wirelessly sync their BCM data with their phones but don’t have an Exchange Server can use CompanionLink’s wireless sync service ($9.95/month per user). With this service, BCM data will sync over-the-air and securely with your BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Palm OS devices.

Sync BCM data with phones using CompanionLink + Google

Outlook users can also use their Google account to sync BCM data with their phones. CompanionLink will sync BCM data with their Google account, which will then sync over-the-air with their phones using the free Google Sync service.

iPhone catching RIM/BlackBerry on sales

Posted on October 27, 2009 by Rushang

Source: CNET and ChangeWave Research

From CNET:

“ChangeWave Research on Tuesday released the results of its week-long September survey of 4,255 consumers, which showed that RIM retains its lead in smartphone ownership with 40 percent market share. That’s actually a dip of 1 percentage point since the last survey in June, and the lowest share RIM has registered in two years.”

Here’s the full article.

CompanionLink has custom apps for the iPhone and Palm webOS platforms. These custom apps add business functionality above and beyond what the native apps on those platforms offer.

CompanionLink’s iPhone app (called iClink) adds a custom Calendar and Tasks module to the iPhone. The custom Calendar allows business users to link their contacts to their calendar events. It’s important for business users to not only see when a meeting or call is scheduled, but to also quickly read past notes about the person with whom the event is with.

CompanionLink’s Palm webOS app (called CL USB Sync) allows USB sync between the PC and Palm device. It also adds a custom Tasks and Memos app that allows categories, priorities, and sort features. These features cater to users who extensively use Tasks and Memos, and need a robust way to categorize them for quicker access and viewing.

USB sync with Palm Pre

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Rushang

CompanionLink announced the first USB sync solution with Palm Pre. Before this solution, users had to sync data over-the-air or through their web-based Google/Gmail account. For many, this was an unnecessary step that they didn’t want to do. Also, users with sensitive customer data could not store their data in the cloud or sync via WiFi.

CompanionLink for webOS USB is a new software solution that does a direct USB sync with Palm Pre using the MicroUSB cable that comes with the phone. Data is securely synchronized two-ways when the phone is docked to the PC.

Data is syncs:

Contacts
Calendar
Tasks with categories
Memos with categories and priorities

Follow up to Mav 2010 tradeshow (Scottsdale, AZ)

Posted on October 12, 2009 by Rushang

[slideshare id=2202113&doc=mav-slideshare-091012163809-phpapp01]

Take-aways from the tradeshow in Scottsdale:

1. CompanionLink has at least one way to sync ACT! data to all the top smartphones
2. Most smartphones have more than one way to sync with ACT!
3. CompanionLink offers 3 tiers of support

Comparing Google Apps Sync with CompanionLink

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Rushang

One June 9, 2009, Google announced a tool that can sync Microsoft Outlook contacts, calendar, and emails with Google Apps Premier edition and Google Apps Education edition. (Source)

But how can people with free Google or Gmail accounts sync with Outlook? And what about support?

Google says that the Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook is for Premier and Education edition customers. So you can’t use that.

CompanionLink has a solution for everyone using a free Google account. It’s called CompanionLink for Google. It syncs Outlook contacts, calendar and tasks (no email) with any Google, Gmail, or Google Apps account. CompanionLink works with all editions of Google Apps (Standard, Premier, Education, Government, Non-profits, etc.). The one-time purchase also comes with free email and phone support for as long as you own the product.

Keeping private Outlook data out of ACT!

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Rushang

There are two ways that you can keep your private Outlook contacts from synching to ACT!:

1. Keep your private contacts in a separate Outlook folder from your corporate contacts, then configure DoubleLook to sync only with the Outlook folder containing your corporate contacts. You can find this setting under the Outlook Folders tab in the DoubleLook configuration.

– or –

2. In Outlook, categorize your private contacts as “Personal”, then configure DoubleLook to ignore records in the Personal category. You can find this setting under the Personal Category tab in the DoubleLook configuration.

There are two ways that you can prevent your private Outlook contacts from syncing to ACT!:

1. Keep your private contacts in a separate Outlook folder from your corporate contacts. Then configure your CompanionLink product to sync only with the Outlook folder containing your corporate contacts. You can find this setting under the Outlook Folders tab in the software’s configuration.

– or –

2. In Outlook, categorize your private contacts as “Personal”, then configure your CompanionLink product to ignore records in the Personal category. You can find this setting under the Personal Category tab in the software’s configuration.

How to select specific ACT! Groups to sync

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Rushang

Don’t need all 20,000 ACT! contacts on your phone? CompanionLink has a way to limit the sync to only the data you actually need.

The “Groups” tab in CompanionLink lets you choose specific ACT! Groups that you want to sync. Here’s a video that shows you how.

Video: How to sync Lotus Notes with Google

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Rushang

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/5208777]

Speed Patch for BlackBerry phones

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Rushang

Starting with CompanionLink Express and Pro builds 3068 and higher, BlackBerry users who have over 1000 contact records and who are running BlackBerry OS 4.5 – 4.7 will be prompted to install the speed patch on their phone at the end of each synchronization, as part of the Sync Completed message.

The patch increases the sync speed by logging record transaction times.
This allows CompanionLink to synchronize by looking only at changed records on the BlackBerry instead of querying the entire BlackBerry database for changes. This frequently cuts sync times down by 50% or more.

Users can install the patch by downloading it directly onto their device. You can get more details here: companionlink.com/speedpatch

Small Business Productivity, Tools and Tips – Android and iPhone Sync

Category Archives: CompanionLink Products