Category Archives: iPhone Sync

Google Calendar Down – How to sync Outlook without Google

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

Google Calendar and G-Suite Calendar is experiencing a worldwide outage.

This is a great time to remind people that “big data” has a problem. Google, Microsoft and Apple want to tie you into their corporate cloud ecosystem. The flaw is that it will put your business down if you depend on them.

There is an alternative.

CompanionLink is a vendor of non cloud-based tools. We have a cloud sync system, but it’s only role is to transport your data. With our tools your data is entirely contained on your PC, your Android Phone, your iPhone and your iPad. So when the data network is down, or when your internet is connected, you can continue to add, schedule, complete and make notes. When your phone connects later, the sync will “catch up” to all your devices.

DejaOffice for Android features Android Widgets that give a great preview of your day today.

DejaOffice for iPhone has a highly secure data model and lets you store hidden data in your database. This is great for password or other confidential information.

DejaOffice for PC offers an array of multi-user and secure options, as well as Live Windows Widgets that let you add events and notes without opening any App.

When you need to move data from Outlook to your Phone, keep in mind that CompanionLink and DejaOffice can do this without sharing your data with Google, Microsoft or Apple.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Is Privacy a Luxury Good?

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently opined that “privacy cannot be a luxury good offered only to people who can afford to buy premium products and services” (NYT – May 7 2019). This bears a look at whether privacy is free, or something to be paid.

Read the comments of the article to see through the statement. Google claims to respect privacy, at the same time as working hard to undermine it. No one is fooled when it comes to Google and Privacy; if you use their free services, you have no right to stop them from monetizing that service by selling your data.

Pay for Cloud, Pay for Privacy

At CompanionLink we offer DejaCloud as a paid service. As a paid service, our sole source of income on DejaCloud is the money that is paid. We also offer Software as a paid service. And our only source of income is what people pay to us.

The has come an expectation from some people that software should be free. Vendors like Google and Facebook push free service as a model. But they would not be corporations if they had no income, so you need to watch carefully where that income is coming from.

Apple and Microsoft are not far removed from the fray. Although Apple charges for their phones, they offer free iCloud service. There are serveral reports that Apple monetizes iCloud service by sharing your data with Google. Microsoft has also spoken clearly about monetizing Windows 10 by tracking your purchases.

At CompanionLink we have a simple love for how software used to work. You buy it, you own it. No one should have ulterior motives in selling your data. We make upgrades available and send marketing to our customers as a way to keep our revenue stream steady and provide needed support to our customers. When they get a new PC or new phone, they may not need to pay at that time for an upgrade. But the average of all upgrades has to be there for our team to be able to provide the needed products and services.

At least with CompanionLink and DejaCloud, your data is secure, and not being sold to the highest bidder. We hope through our basic product revenue to stay that way for the future.

FaceTime Stuck On Connecting: What To Do To Troubleshoot Issues?

Posted on by Michael Jones
Reply

Since its first launch, FaceTime has proven to be a convenient and simple way to stay in touch with your family and friends. It is one of the top-rated tools for communication used by millions of people all over the globe.

Unfortunately, despite its popularity, sometimes the app fails. Such issues often catch users by surprise, leaving them without connection. This situation can be rather frustrating. What to do in this case? Our article will give you the answer!

Simple Ways To Deal With The Problem

If you have found the application not responding or stuck on connecting or your iPhone 13 stuck on screens, chances are it is an internal failure of the app itself. Thus, your main task is to define the causes of the issues you’ve faced and find possible solutions. In the guide below, we will tell you about the main steps you could undertake to find the reason behind the problem and fix it. The solutions are offered in a special sequence from the simplest to the most complex ones, so make sure you try them in the same order!

1. Restart

Whenever you face any sort of issues, the first thing to try is to restart your computer or another device. If it’s only the application itself that is not responding, you can reboot your device the traditional way. Otherwise, you may need to use special tools.

You can try doing a force restart, otherwise known as a hard reset.

In any case, this is the first step to take. After the reboot is complete, go back to the application to see if the issue is solved and if not, go on to the next step.

2. Make sure you haven’t missed an OS update

Since FaceTime is one of the default apps on iOS devices, it may work improperly when your OS version becomes too outdated. This means that if you find FaceTime stuck on connecting screen, you might want to upgrade to the newest OS. This will likely solve the problem. In fact, this tip can apply to all the other system or app failures.

3. Reactivate the application

Sometimes, connection failures can be resolved by reactivating the app. To do this, go to your Settings and find FaceTime tab. Open it and turn it off. Then turn it back off and wait until the activation is completed. Once you do this, go back to the home screen and try launching the app now to check if it works.

4. Check your settings

Sometimes, you may be unable to make or receive calls when you are using FaceTime not with Wi-Fi, but with a cellular connection. Why does this happen? Most often, the reason for such failure is just the wrong settings. To check if it is the case, go to your device’s settings and find the section that manages Cellular connection settings. Then, find a tab called Use Cellular Data For and make sure that you allow the app to work when you are not connected to Wi-Fi.

5. Reset settings

One more effective method requires you to resetting all network settings. This action will not remove your files from the device, so you shouldn’t be worried about that. It will only delete all the previous network settings including VPN, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

To try this method, go to your phone’s settings and navigate to the General tab. Next, find the Reset section and pick an option that resets only network settings. Wait for the process to be completed, connect to Wi-Fi again and see if FaceTime works now.

6. Try a VPN

Planet VPN is a completely free VPN service that ensures unrestricted traffic and connection speed. A VPN will allow access to music streaming websites, sport events, games, social media, messengers, and more, while having a safe connection.

Completely free VPN service that provides unlimited traffic and connection speeds; Improves online security and privacy for everyone; The product has received excellent reviews in all app stores and works with all popular devices.

7. The Last Option

What if any of these steps help you? It may be worth your time to check out the best platform to stream on for new options that will work for you.

In this case, it might be a problem with the device itself. It may be worth your time to check out the best platform to stream on or contact the iPhone repair center in your neighborhood. Your last option would be to take your device for a repair.

FaceTime

Average User Rating:

Average rating: 5 out of 5 based on 11 reviews.


Free! Price $0.00

3 Best Ways to Sync Outlook Calendar with iPhone

Posted on by Amit Chauhan
Reply

Outlook is Microsoft’s very own e-mail service. It comes bundled as an integral part of the Microsoft work suite, a platform that enables Microsoft users to efficiently manage the calendar, emails, and contacts. Although Apple is known for exclusivity (from the open-source point of view), still Outlook happens to be hugely popular with iOS users. And what is interesting is that Outlook allows iPhone users to sync their calendar events to other devices. This little boon of a functionality is unknown to many iPhone users, while others seem to be in the dark regarding how set it up and use it. If you are an active iPhone user and the topic at hand interests you, read on to know how to sync outlook calendar with iphone. We present here the top three ways of doing so and additionally, we also let you know an alternative to these three ways. So, let’s get started.

1. Add Outlook Calendar to iPhone with iTunes

If you use iTunes to manage your iPhone, this method is meant for you.

Step 1 – Connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable.

Step 2 – Launch iTunes if it doesn’t automatically pop up.

Step 3 – On the left pane, click the device icon of your iPhone and then click the “Info” tab.

Step 4 – Tick on the “Sync calendars with” option and from the drop down menu, select Outlook.

Step 5 – Next you may choose to either sync “All Calendars” or only “Selected Calendars”.

Step 6 – Click “Apply” and you’re done

2. Add Outlook Calendar to iPhone with iCloud

If the previous option didn’t work for you and you’re still wondering as to how to sync outlook calendar with iphone, you could try your hand at Apple’s web-based cloud storage i.e. iCloud which allows users to back up their iPhone data. Let’s see how.

Step 1 – If you don’t already have iCloud installed on your PC, just download and install it from Apple’s official site.

Step 2 – Convert your entire Outlook folder into an iCloud folder. iCloud uses it’s own unique folder system.

Step 3 – Check mark all the items that you’d like to sync (including calendars).

Step 4 – Click “Apply” and that is it.

3. Add Exchange Calendar to iPhone with iPhone Mail App

This option allows you to make use of your iPhone to add your Office 365 account to it. Note: This only works if you use Office 365 Exchange folders on your PC. This will not work with IMAP or Pop3 Accounts. Here’s how.

Step 1 – Open Settings on your iPhone.

Step 2 – Click on Password & Accounts.

Step 3 – Next click on Add Account and tap outlook.com.

Step 4 – Enter your Office 365 account credentials.

Step – Grant the app the permission to sync your data when prompted.

Step 5 – In the list of accounts, tap Outlook.

Step 6 – Choose what you want to sync with your Outlook account (ensure to enable Calendars).

4. Choose direct sync Outlook with iPhone

Finally, here’s the best alternative regarding how to sync outlook calendar with iphone in case none of these ways is fit for you. CompanionLink’s iPhone Outlook sync software allows for fast, easy and direct syncing from Outlook to iPhone. Probably the best tool to sync Outlook data to your iPhone, CompanionLink is safe, secure and trusted by numerous iPhone users.

Do give it a try and enjoy hassle-free syncing of your Outlook calendar with your iPhone. If none of the above options help you resolve the issue with syncing to Outlook, you may have a problem with the functionality of your phone. In this case, we advise you to contact the local phone technicians immediately.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

How to Securely Sync Your Phone Calendar and Contacts

Posted on by Amit Chauhan
Reply

Smartphones: Indispensable tools but beware of data loss

Our phones have become more like e-wallets or, let’s say, e-storage devices, akin to a vault where we have an ocean of all our important as well as ‘not-so-important’ data stored. In face of such a scenario, could you imagine losing either your phone or your data? That would be nothing short of a nightmare, wouldn’t it? Well, not anymore! With the option to synchronize all your data across devices, the potential loss of valuable data is increasingly becoming a prospect least likely. But wait, that’s not reason enough to snub the possibility of losing your precious data because syncing usually requires a third-party tool and that’s what the catch is. Not all third-party tools and software available out there for syncing your phone data and contacts do what they claim to. What you therefore need is a reliable tool that can sync your data across devices with entirety.

Sync Android with Outlook without sharing your data with Google, iCloud or Microsoft.

CompanionLink: Providing trusted syncing solutions for a range of devices

With a swarm of third-party tools available for syncing data, finding out the best one could be a major hassle. The hassle magnifies if you are looking to sync your outlook data and contacts wherein you need to use Exchange in order to send your valuable contacts’ data and calendar data securely to your phone. What then is the solution? Well, CompanionLink Software Inc. is a US based software firm that aims to bridge all gaps that exist between third-party sync tools and a seamless data syncing experience. CompanionLink’s Android sync software is perhaps the best tool out there to sync outlook contacts with android and the best part of the story is that with CompanionLink’s software, you do not have to use Exchange when you sync outlook contacts with android; just USB or WiFi or Bluetooth or DejaCloud is all that you need as CompanionLink offers direct sync using these options. Now that’s what is called ‘delivering what is promised’.

Secure syncing: That’s what CompanionLink stands for

Whether you are an iPhone an Android lover, what ought to concern you is the fact that you are constantly sharing your data with either Apple or Google or Microsoft. Does that ring a bell in your mind regarding the security of your data? If it does, you have another strong reason to try CompanionLink as it offers fast and secure sync from your PC to your Phone. Another problem faced by users of licensed tools for effectively syncing data over devices is that the license of the tool belongs to the PC. When one buys a new computer, a new license of the tool needs to be purchased. Thankfully, that’s not the case with CompanionLink. The license for any of CompanionLink’s tools is for you and not for your PC. CompanionLink uses your email address to register the software on a new computer. Now that’s pretty smart, isn’t it?

So, that brings us to the conclusion that in order to do away with a multitude of hassles associated with third party sync software, CompanionLink is the answer. With CompanionLink and the seamless experience it offers, you no longer have to depend on just any untrusted application to sync outlook contacts with android.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Case Study: Android Outlook USB Sync causing Windows Sockets Error

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

A customer contacted us this week who had been using a competing Android Outlook Sync product. A Windows Update caused the sync to fail with a Windows Sockets error.

We recommended CompanionLink for Outlook, which can synchronize directly from Outlook to Android using a USB Cable. There are a number of Outlook Android sync products, but only a few companies will handle it like old Palm Hotsync from PC to Phone using a USB cable.

The customer was in a hurry, having already spent hours on the problem. So we recommended our RunStart service. With this service a technician logs into the computer to set up the software. The sync needs to match up the Contacts and Calendar items that are already on the phone, so it is helpful for an experienced technician to watch for any problems with duplicate data.

It is not uncommon to see duplicate data when switching from one sync product to another. The reason is that your data is already on both sides of the sync. So if there is any formatting changes, a computer product may not recognize similar contact and calendar data. CompanionLink 8 contains a dedupe utility that can quickly clear duplicates from Outlook and your Phone. There is no extra charge for this function.

CompanionLink offers a competitive upgrade for anyone who has purchased a product from one of our competitors. You can purchase the “Upgrade” price, even if you are buying from CompanionLink for the first time. Here is a link for a Competitive Upgrade to CompanionLink for Outlook.

Here is a link with added RunStart service, and an additional $10 off your purchase – total $78.95. With this service, you will be on a fresh new solution in just a few minutes, and ready to carry on your normal day’s business.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Case Study: Migrate from Microsoft BCM to DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

Recently we were approached by a customer who used to use BCM, and wanted a solution that worked with Office 365.

The customer had used Microsoft Business Contact Manager from 2013 to 2018. They had Contacts, Accounts and Communication History. This customer had tried a migration tool to move BCM contacts to Office 365 contacts. This tool was not successful. (CompanionLink Professional can move BCM Contacts to Outlook contacts using a folder-to-folder sync.)

At the time the customer contacted us, they had not used BCM for many months. So the BCM database was out of date.

Our new product DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook adds certain CRM functions to Office 365 Outlook (Outlook 2019). Among these functions are History Also, DejaOffice can import from older CRM systems like Microsoft BCM which was discontinued in 2016.

The customer also purchased Premium Support, which is a service where our technician could log into his computer and set everything up.

What we did was Sync the old BCM database to DejaCloud. We moved the Accounts, Contacts and Communication History. Then on the new computer, the customer installed DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook. In addition, the customer uses a Mobile Phone and DejaOffice has the complete database there also.

The entire operation of moving the old database to DejaCloud, and sync to the new PC took our technician about 30 minutes. Most of this time was checking the data each step of the way. The actual sync time was about five minutes for both sync phases.

Now, the customer can make a new contact from an Outlook email. When they look up a Contacts, they an see the communications history imported from the old PC. And they have Caller ID and History on their Phone.

Here is a link to order this same service – DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook along with Premium installation and one year of support. Give us a call at (503)243-3400 to schedule an installation or talk about your needs.

DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $69.95



DejaOffice responds to Google Disruption

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

The high tech keyword for our century is Disruption.  Investors seek disruptive partners.

Disruption means an innovative company enters a stable market environment, generally with a low cost service, and knocks the current players out of the market by providing lower prices and better service. In this sense, Google has been disruptive to the Search Engine industry by providing a fast effective tool without visible advertising.  They have also disrupted the Cell Phone OS market, the Internet Browser market, and the Online News market. They have captured a firm lead in all these areas.

There is a second aspect to disruption that investors seek.  Once a company gains ascendancy over the competition, the disruptive company raises their prices to consumers so that the disruptive company becomes highly profitable. Consumers end up being worse off than they were before.

With Google, the profit motive appears to increasingly be made by isolated Silicon Valley based executives, with little feel for how they play out in the real world.  It is a sad truth that where Google once stood for innovation and low cost development tools, now they are nearly a constant headache to fend off their mistaken motivations and increasing prices.

Google Calendar API – Batch Endpoints Change

In March 2018, Google Announced that their Batch Endpoint for many API commands was changing.  The current API URL is to be deprecated March 25th 2019.  Somehow, Google figures that every customer with an API dependent software tool created before March 2018 will update their tool within this year grace period.  Clearly Google Management has no idea how long software cycles are.  We still have customers using Windows XP!  No one likes to change software versions.  More information is available here: https://www.companionlink.com/support/google-batch-endpoint-advisory.html

Google Geocoding API – Whopping Price Increase

In June 2018, Google announced that their website Geocode API was going to increase their pricing.  Geocoding is what is used when we look up an address, and replace it with a Logitude/Latitude value for map purposes.  Google Geocoding also includes location pictures and mini-map.  We use this in DejaOffice for iPhone, DejaOffice for Android and DejaOffice on the PC.

The price for a basic lookup changed from $0.005 per lookup to $0.02 per lookup.  What this means for DejaOffice is that our service in map lookups changed from being under $100, to suddenly becoming a $2000 per month bill.  This is for a free APP on the App store!  We quickly changed our Android and IPhone map lookups to the new Mobile Maps API, which was suggested by Google as an alternative. Customers saw this change go into place in November, and it seems to be a good drop-in replacement.

Google Geocoding API – Whopping Price Increase – Redux

So in February, Google announces that they “improved” the Mobile Maps API.  We have a six month window to switch to the improved version.  The improved version will change $0.02 per lookup.  Just Wow!

First we have a required App change, and second, we get our $2000 bill back.

So in DejaOffice you can count on mapping changes again in the next four months.  It is likely we will add an in-app tool to add funds for people who use a lot of mapping features.  Also we will be adding more location info to our sync, so once you map a contact or calendar event, you do not have to look it up again, thus avoiding a chargeable item.  Isn’t Disruption fun!

Google READ_SMS and READ_CALL_LOG Permissions

In November 2018, Google informed us that they would be removing all apps that used READ_SMS permission on Android.  In DejaOffice, we use these to add SMS text to Contact History.  We also use READ_CALL_LOG to add call followup information, and DejaOffice Caller ID.

Google’s handling of this issue is largely machine based, and heavy handed.  We have requested an exception.  However, DejaOffice does not fit into their set list of apps that are allowed these permissions.  They will remove DejaOffice from the App store if we do not remove these capabilities from the App.  We have applied twice, but can’t get by their machine blocker (probably named HAL – Open the Bay Door, Hal!)

So in February 2019, we have been forced to remove a number of DejaOffice features from our Android product:

  1. Read SMS Text to Contact History
  2. Identify incoming calls using DejaOffice Contact list
  3. Follow up on inbound calls to add a Contact History item

We are seeking another external tool, maybe Whatsapp, which may allow us to restore this functionality through that tool.  But obviously, Google Android is wanting to limit our access, and cannot be flexible because an innovative product does not fit their rigid expectations.

Google is a great technology partner.  But these moves show they clearly are going the path of IBM, then Microsoft, then Apple, then Google.  An innovative Disruptor, upon market dominance, becomes an intractable barrier to innovation.

An Ode to Ecco Pro

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

As we begin the rollout of DejaOffice PC CRM, some of the pioneers of small business Contact managers are on my mind.

A caller this week mentioned Ecco Pro, which was a very popular program back in the mid 1990s.

Ecco Pro as I recall was built on a foundation of an outline manager. Originally it was only an outliner. As it grew, there was a Contacts, Calendar, Task and Notes application. Originally published by Arabesque software, the company got purchased by NetManage in Seattle.

I don’t recall that it was very expensive at the time. Maybe $99 or $59 or something like that. I never used it. At the time we were working primarily with TeleMagic (DOS) and GoldMine (DOS). Both TeleMagic and GoldMine used dBase II format files, an so it was easy to make add-on products. Ecco had a proprietary file format.

By 1997 Ecco Pro had about a million users. Inexplicably, NetManage closed down the entire program. There were rumors for years that someone would buy it, but no on ever did. Ecco died a corporate death; sold to a company that did not know what they had.

Douglas P. Rice has a great writeup about being hired by NetManage just before the big fccollapse.  We don’t often think about how software was sold before the internet was commonly used, and it’s funny to read that they did not ship product updates online.

More resources:

James Kendrick – Memory Lane – Ecco Pro

Wikipedia – Ecco Pro

EccoMAGIC – EccoMagic Forums

A decade after Ecco went off the market, the Ecco User’s Group approached CompanionLink to write a sync to Phones at that time (BlackBerry, Pocket PC).  I was staunchly against it. First, there is no API. Second, the user base could not grow; only shrink. The CompanionLink Meme is to provide free telephone technical support to our customers. Some call this foolish, but I feel that many people need the help from time to time. But I don’t want to get caught getting unlimited phone calls for an unsupported product.

For those that wanted Ecco Pro to be a Contact Manager, we finally have a new product for you. DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone will handle Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes, and synchronize them easily to Android and iPhone. At $49.95 we hope it can be a worthy successor to this industry pioneer.

DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $69.95

Maximize your Productivity with DejaOffice CRM App on iPhone XS Max

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

Our iPhone XS Max arrived today.

While Samsung has explored the phablet space, many phones with 6″ or more screen size, Apple has only recently realized how productive you can be with a larger display.

There are plenty of articles to cover the may features of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. There are plenty of articles to explore that.  One of the concerns is that few iPhone Apps take advantage of the larger real estate. 

When we first created DejaOffice, our goal was to make a PC-like experience for the iPhone.  Part of this experience is to allow a smaller font size which maximizes the display.  You can really see that benefit by comparing to the Outlook App:

DejaOffice App on the left.

Outlook App on the right.

Same phone, same database, actual screen shots September 2018.

The difference is as clear as a Dynamo Display! DejaOffice is a must-have for people who need to communicate with customers on the road.  You can access more data with fewer taps, use colors to show customer types, easily call or text while you are moving, and synchronize everything back to your PC in less time than it takes to open Outlook.

DejaOffice uses our proprietary sync technology to synchronize using USB, Wi-Fi and DejaCloud.  These are secure methods that handle more fields and data types than Microsoft Exchange sync.

On the PC side we feature CompanionLink for Outlook, or CompanionLink Express for Act!, or IBM Notes and CompanionLink Professional for GoldMine.  For Contacts Calendar, Tasks and Notes, DejaOffice is clearly more productive with the large screen devices.

Handy Links:

CompanionLink for Outlook – $49.95

For Act! sync to iPhone XS Max

Compare Outlook App to DejaOffice, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes on iPhone

DejaOffice Classroom

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Outlook 2019 on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone – Resources and Announcements

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

Sync Outlook to Android and iPhone

CompanionLink for Outlook Sync with DejaOffice

Microsoft has now confirmed Office 2019, with updates to Outlook, will be coming soon.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4133312/office-2019-commercial-preview-frequently-asked-questions

It appears that Consumers who subscribe to Office 365, will be getting Office 2019 as an inline release.

This looks something like the Windows 10 Creator’s update, where suddenly you wake up, and after waiting an extra hour for your PC to reboot, you had a new version of Windows 10 with virtually nothing different.

Businesses hate the downtime, so they will get a Commercial Preview.  This allows them to download it for testing and training purposes.  Also, people to don’t use an Office 365 Subscription will be able to download Office 2019 at some point.  See our link on how to use Outlook without a Subscription.

What’s in it?

More importantly, how will Outlook 2019 change my world?  So far, for guidance, we have two sets of announcements.  One set from the above website June 2018:

Outlook – “Manage email more efficiently”

  • Updated contact cards
  • Office 365 Groups*
  • @mentions
  • Focused inbox
  • Travel and delivery summary cards

The contact cards have not changed in the last 18 years, and no one uses them, so sure, updating is fine.  Office 365 groups looks like a co-worker management function.   Focused inbox relates to email and letting Microsoft sort your mail into important vs unimportant, but you can turn this off.  Summary cards sound intriguing, but this doesn’t look essential.

So far, so good.  In the June 2018 announcement is no significant change to Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes.  I would stop here because this is not a story

Outlook User Interface Changes.

However, in Fall 2017, Microsoft made some pretty clear announcements that the interface for Microsoft Office would be changing soon.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/16/16481190/microsoft-outlook-windows-mac-redesign-features

A summary of those changes are:

  1. Ribbon will go away.  O_o
  2. List view is to be Mac like.
  3. Calendar simplified

I remember when the ribbon was introduced, we all hated it and asked Microsoft for a setting to turn it off.  Microsoft made a statement they would not give us a setting.  Now, the “new thing” is to take away the thing we hated.  Awesome.

The Mac-like interface looks scary.  Outlook on Windows, as used by something like a billion people, is not a toy. It certainly is concerning if you come in to work one day, and suddenly your PC reboots and your contact list and calendar look different.  So this is something to watch.

While Microsoft has not updated their October announcement, they have rolled out a new design for Outlook.com (the old Hotmail web site).  It shows a new fluent design UI that is reminiscent of their Apps.  So this looks like a hint of what is to come for Windows.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/14/17121032/microsoft-outlook-web-redesign-features

So it looks like we will see these changes in Fall 2018, which is actually Spring 2019 in Microsoft Years.  The future will tell this tale.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

How to Fix iPhone X to Sync Outlook Calendar and Contacts without using Exchange, iCloud or Google

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

With iPhone X, we finally enter the era where phones are REALLY more expensive than computers.

More importantly, we enter an era where every phone vendor is REALLY making money farming your data on the phone. Every service, and every piece of information on the phone, including your location as you move around, and your browser history, is considered free fodder for the vendors to consolidate and sell to the highest bidder.

One thing you can do, is turn off all the public information settings. Set your phoen to private, deny any information gathering by Microsoft, Apple and Google. Go into your account on each of these services and turn on the privacy settings.

Finally, and most importantly, don’t use iCloud, Exchange or Google to transfer your valuable company information to your phone. CompanionLink provides a great alternative. CompanionLink is dedicated to keeping your data private, and also making it easy to sync to your phone. With CompanionLink software, you can use USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and DejaCloud sync to send data directly from your PC to your Phone without hitting any cloud service that farms the data for profit.

On the phone, we feature DejaOffice CRM App. This is an App we wrote, because our perception is that phone calendars are feeble. On the iPhone, the month view doesn’t show you anything about your data except a dot. On the iPhone, to see a week schedule you have to turn the phone sideways. On the iPhone, if your appointment rings and you are away from the phone, there’s nothing further to remind you, until you are way too late for your meeting. With DejaOffice, Day, week and month views have all your data, and are just one tap away. With DejaOffice, persistent alarms make sure you get notified when you get back to your desk, so you don’t miss your meeting. With DejaOffice, when you go on a trip, your calendar doesn’t go haywire the minute you land in a different time zone.

DejaOffice is free to try. Just download from the Apple App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dejaoffice-crm-with-pc-sync/id364736446?mt=8

CompanionLink has a free trial for 14 days: https://www.companionlink.com/iphone/

If you have any questions, give us a call. Unlike ANY of our competitors, we are happy to pick up the phone: (503)243-3400.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 660 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.