Category Archives: New Devices

How to Know Which Type of 3D Printer to Buy

Posted on by Charlene Brown
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For many years, metallic and plastic objects were often cut from larger stock pieces of material or molded. Throughout the 20thCentury, however, the idea that something could be constructed from zero by simply adding more material started to develop. This, in time, became known as 3D printing. Fast forward to the modern-day and suddenly 3D printers are available on the market for everyone. The problem then becomes, how do you know which type of 3D printer to buy? With such new technology, it can be really hard to know what you are looking for. In this article, we will discuss some of the most important things you need to know when choosing a 3D printer. 

Types of 3D Printing Technology

There are no less than 9 different technologies developed for 3D printing. Printing Atom’s review on the best printers has all types of 3D printing technology listed, however, we are just going to briefly explain the most common 3 types. These are:

FDM – Fused Deposition Modeling

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is very commonly used in private homes for 3D printing with plastic. It is sometimes known as fused filament fabrication (FFF) due to the way the process works. This kind of 3D printer works by pushing a plastic filament layer-by-layer onto a build platform. Choosing a 3D printer for you depends on what type of work you will be producing as well as how much of it. This means it is very quick and cheap but can result in rough finishes and products that are not very strong.

SLA – Stereolithography

Stereolithography(SLA) is the original 3D printing process. It uses a laser beam controlled by a computer to draw layers of a designed part, usually creating the support structures first, before moving on to the part itself. The laser beam interacts with a liquid thermoset resin to create each layer of your design. Once one layer is complete, the platform shifts down a level and moves to apply the next layer of resin, repeating each layer until the full design is complete. It creates very detailed, strong, and smooth-surfaced finishes.

SLS – Selective Laser Sintering

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) printers work slightly differently. By melting together two nylon-based powders into a solid plastic as they print, they create durable finishes. They fall somewhere in between SLA and FDM printers as far as finish goes as they create rougher finishes. But, what they may lack in finish, they make up for in durability and strength. These are great for prototyping designs and testing parts.

What Do You Want To Print?

So, now that you’ve understood a little about the three main types of desktop 3D printer, it’s time to figure out which suits you. The first and most important question is; do you know what you want to print? As you can see, there are positives and negatives to each. FDM is much faster but produces rougher and less durable products, while SLS and SLA take longer but increase in durability and finish.

If you plan on printing models or other non-functional parts, maybe FDM is the correct printing process for you. If you are planning on designing parts with more functional purposes, you’d have to consider a more robust 3D printing technology. Some printers will be better for large scale output You may find a different 3d printer for tabletop miniatures.

If you are simply a hobbyist, we recommend you stick to FDM for starters. Knowing what you want to print will inform most of your decision regarding 3D printers.

Open or Closed Frame?

As you may have guessed, 3D printers come in both open and enclosed designs. There are pros and cons to both which can have a big influence on what type you go for. Firstly, let’s discuss enclosed/closed frame printers. One big decider for home printers may be style, and many argue that enclosed printers look much neater than their open counterparts. They can also be much quieter and also produce slightly neater products due to the enclosure keeping drafts or dust out of the printing nozzle. On the flip side, many people prefer an open printer for a few reasons. Firstly, as it is open, you will be able to clearly see the printer’s progress and keep tabs on how your design is coming along. It is also arguably easier to keep clean and work on the printer as it is in action, as well as easier to perform maintenance and upgrades.

Price

It is also worth considering the price. FDM printers can start at a much cheaper value than SLA and SLS, with SLS occupying the highest price point on the scale. FDM and SLA both start quite affordable, so are generally considered good starter printers. Again, it truly depends on what you’d like to print, and how often.

You should now be armed with all the knowledge you need to decide which 3D printer to buy. It’s an enjoyable experience designing in 3D and watching your products come to life. We hope you find a printer you love.

Where to Sell Video Games in 2021

Posted on by Allen Brown
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As an avid video game player, you have probably amassed an extensive collection of games over the years. The good news for collectors is that their stash of old video games doesn’t have to stay stored at home and collect dust. Several fantastic opportunities can help you get rid of your games without throwing them away, and you can make some money out of it. If you’re a gamer and want to give away some of the games that you don’t play anymore, read on to know where you can sell them in 2021.

Trade-In Websites

A popular source where gamers can sell their old video games is a trade-in website. These are online platforms that accept old games, with thousands of different prices for people to choose from, make a shipment order, send it to the platform, and then get paid. In fact, The Old School Game Vault, one of the platforms, says that trade-in websites should have multiple payment methods to suit different clients’ needs, whether it’s money transfers, business checks, or eGift cards. Trade-in websites accommodate sellers that are close by and agree to meet up locally for sale. The platforms are reliable cash-for-video game businesses, and they have a section for buyers as well if they’re interested.  

E-Commerce Platforms

Another reliable source that gamers can use is e-commerce platforms, which are also websites, but it focuses on selling any product and not just video games. The trend of selling products online is popular, and gamers have numerous marketplaces to choose from. People can make accounts, list their items, wait for a buyer, and the platform takes care of the shipping and handling for you. It’s an easy, affordable, and flexible choice for people that want to sell their old games online.

Brick-And-Mortar Stores

The online methods aren’t for everyone, and some gamers prefer to physically go to stores and sell/trade their games instantly without the idle waiting time or possible shipment issues. People still love to shop in brick-and-mortar stores, and these establishments specialize in selling second-hand memorabilia, consoles, or video games. Even though technology and digital platforms are growing, traditional stores are still thriving, and they can be excellent sources for you to sell your unwanted games.

Social Media and Forums

Social media platforms and online forums can work for people that have time on their hands. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you can sell your games yourself by utilizing the marketplace feature in social media and forums. Write a good description, choose the price you want, and wait for someone to message you. This method is only good for local meet-ups or if people are willing to ship the games themselves.

When trying to sell your video games, the key is to find a reliable source that can buy your games and make it worth your while. People can even sell their stash themselves if they have the time for it, but they’ll need to put in the effort to get in touch with sellers and ship the games to them. Old video games you don’t need anymore can find new homes and be enjoyed by others, and they can help you make some extra cash along the way.

Are All PCs Good for 3D Modeling?

Posted on by Charlene Brown
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All tools that are used for 3D modeling are intensive, to say the least. Some examples of those tools are Maya, 3D Max, AutoCAD, and Revit. A good CPU is required when working with these programs. The reason is that these tools can make a significant workload on your RAM and CPU that needs to be brought to a minimum. It is also required for that very reason to have large storage and a high RAM. 

The best would be the computer that has a relatively large screen size and a higher resolution. Gaming laptops usually have great performance and graphics that will suit your 3D modeling needs. All that being said, the question arises, are all computers good for 3D modeling? If you were pondering over and seeking answers for such a puzzle, then this article is for you. 

PC Multiple-Core or CPU Highest Clock Speed?

3D modeling will require you to be in front of your computer and to sit patiently and manipulate the 3D software. The software you are interacting with uses the hardware that is running on differently. Meaning, the calculations processing of the PC is different than on the CPU core. 

To elaborate, the computer not being able to offload other cores, which leads to having a multiple-core PC will not improve the speed of processing. It would be wise not to focus on a PC or laptop that has multiple cores but to search the one with a CPU that possesses the highest clock speed. 

What is Needed for Faster Performance?

The CPU performance with the multiple cores does have the highest speed score, however, the heat limits and power consumption could affect the overall workload. The more cores the CPU has, the laptop or PC is more power-hungry as a result. 

More heat is produced, which could be affecting the efficiency as well. For that reason, it would be wise not to go overboard. Because the more cores the CPU has, the lower the clock speed is, while fewer of them make the process much faster. 

How to Choose a Machine for 3D Modeling?

There are two choices as far as building your workstation. The first would be to build your own PC. The second is to purchase a machine with all specs already built-in. No matter if you are looking for the best laptop for 3d modeling or the best PC, both options have their pros and cons. For instance, building your PC will let you customize the hardware while at the same time, the price might be a bit high. So if you have a budget, you could try out this option. In case you would like to save up some money, there are few things to focus on when looking for already built-in laptops or PCs. Look for appropriate RAM, CPU, and graphics card. 

Graphics Card

Graphic cards would process the visuals and the outputs of the monitor. While some CPUs do not have their graphics chip built-in, some do. The computer, which is good for 3D modeling, does not need an additional GPU attached to the monitor. In case your processor has graphics that are integrated, the output goes from the display adapter to the motherboard. 

If you are planning to do video rendering, graphic design on your computer or to conduct 3D rendering, machines with discrete GPU are the best. Have in mind that a discreet CPU is not integrated into the CPU and that it comes with its circuit board, which needs to be plugged into the motherboard of the PC express slot. 

Assembling a “Perfect” PC

In some cases, building up your own PC can be less expensive than buying an already pre-built system. Although rare, it is still possible. The advantage is that it will give you more freedom when it comes to the parts you want to get according to their performance and price. 

Assembling a PC can be quite an intimidating experience if you are doing it on your own, although there are many tutorials online that can help with such a task. Before deciding to build up your own PC, it would be wise to do the research first. Here are some of the components you might need in case you are considering to find everything on your own:

  • Computer case
  • Cooling
  • CPU 
  • Graphics card
  • Input devices like keyboard and mouse
  • Memory
  • Monitor
  • Motherboard
  • Operating system
  • OS
  • Power supply unit
  • PSU
  • RAM

Many PCs and laptops are at your disposal, and many of them can handle your 3D modeling experience. If you are searching for one, it would be wise to dwell on this information and according to it, make the best possible decision. After doing some educated research, you will surely be able to obtain the machine that will be able to sustain anything you throw at it. 

Buying Guide: What to Look for in a Laptop

Posted on by Charlene Brown
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Thanks to the continuous advancement in the world of digital technology, the market is now flowing with hundreds of laptop models, and the options are seemingly endless. Considering how many laptops there are, you’ll find it extremely difficult to make up your mind. Every laptop has its own unique features, so unless you know exactly what you’re going to use that laptop for, choosing the best one will pose a challenge. To overcome this, you can use the guide below to narrow down your options.

Choose an Operating System

One of the very first considerations to take into account as you purchase a new laptop is the operating system (OS). You may have already heard of the decade-old debate between macOS and Windows OS enthusiasts, but now you will find more competitors on the market, like Google Chrome’s OS for example. Windows is well known for its versatility and array of options, which is why many people gravitate toward it. So far, Windows has proven to be far more open-ended than any other operating system and is ideal for game development and business-related programs. MacOS is comparatively user-friendly and easy to grasp. Additionally, Apple provides a resourceful support network, which will help you with any minor technicalities. Google Chrome OS, which only powers Chromebooks, can only run google chrome-based programs, which makes it a great option for those who need a laptop only to read their emails and watch Netflix, for example.

Pay Attention to the Hardware

It’s crucial that you research the hardware of the laptop you’re about to buy, as this will determine what it is capable of doing. You should also take the brand into account, as this can determine the quality of the hardware. If you take a look at these top laptop brands, you’ll know how the brand can drastically affect the performance of the laptop, irrespective of its specs.

With that said, you must look for an adequate processor, something between Core i3 and i7 would be ideal if you’re getting an Intel core processor. Ryzen processors are also great, but they can be hard to find. Graphics cards will also vary in performance. Seeing as they can make a laptop quite expensive, look for one with a graphics card that will suffice your needs. NVIDIA and AMD are the main two vendors for Graphics cards, with RTX 20-series being the latest and the 30-series coming soon. The GTX 10-series is also capable of running demanding programs. The buying guides on laptop circle are a great resource.

Know What You’ll Use It for

Laptop prices can be as low as $600 to more than $1000. Assuming that you have a budget and certain usage in mind for your new laptop, you can make your choice fairly easily. Manufacturers produce great laptops that cost $600 or even less for those who’re looking for laptops only for word processing and internet browsing. Mainstream laptops can have higher specs and will have better hardware than their formers. However, if you want a high resolution and super-powered graphics card, you can try laptops that will cost $1000 or higher. Ultrabooks and business laptops are a great example of this, as they both have intriguing features even for the average user. You can buy a gaming laptop that practically packs in the best specs there are, like a high-performing graphics card, an excellent processor, and enough RAM to run taxing programs.

Look for Long Battery Life

If your laptop will remain stationary, you won’t have to worry about battery life. However, if you need a portable laptop, the battery life should be a concern to you, as you won’t always find an outlet outside to charge your laptop. Thus, an ideal battery life, in this case, must extend to 7 or 8 hours. To know how long battery life can extend to, make sure to check out online reviews.

Pick the Right Size

No matter what specs you’re looking for, your laptop can come at a large size, which will defy the purpose of portability. While it is generally great for laptops to be small and compact, the display size must be at least of a moderate size if you’ll use design programs. Generally speaking, laptops display sizes will range between 11 and up to 18 inches. The 11 to 12 inches accompany the lightest systems, which will make them highly portable. Display sizes of 13 to 16 inches are quite common and still are moderately portable. 17 to 18 inches are designed for laptops that stay on desks all day. These laptops are created for demanding games and workstation-level productivity.

Choosing a laptop for your specific needs requires serious research and consideration. This means that you’ll have to check several online reviews, compare different models, and even try the laptop of your choice at the store. Lastly, be sure to buy your laptop during a sale season to get the best price. 

Making Your Ideas Come to Life: An Intro to 3D Printing

Posted on by Claire Ward
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3D printing is an excellent technology that can be used by both hobbyists and industrial-scale companies. But it all starts with an idea, of course. You’re likely aware that 3D printing is very commonly used for creating action figurines, board game pieces, and miniature house models, but did you know it’s also used in the aerospace, automotive, and robotics industries?

You’re probably not trying to 3D print parts for a DIY rocket ship, and you should probably be aware there’s a ton of FAA licensing required to even attempt launching a rocket, but we all need to start somewhere. So whatever your idea is, whether it’s printing your own Batman figurines or more practical and cool 3D prints, we’re going to go over some of the basics of 3D printing and where to start.

How and why beginners should outsource 3D printing work

Before you fully commit to the world of 3D printing, it’s a good idea to outsource your early ideas first. This will give you a better idea of what 3D printers are capable of, and what they aren’t, as well as save you a significant chunk of money on the upfront investment of purchasing a 3D printer and the necessary materials.

This is because beginners will typically fall into two camps. The first camp will buy a budget 3D printer that is not capable of professional quality, and have bad results with their initial ideas. The second camp may spend too much on a high quality, 3D printer, then decide it’s not for them after all, and have wasted a lot of money.

By outsourcing your early 3D printing work, you’ll save a lot of money and can request work done on different types of AM systems, and then ask questions to the company about their process and get help deciding on which 3D printing technology is best for you.

Using a professional service such as 3D Hubs, which offers 3D printing in Nashville and Austin, you just need to upload a CAD model, get a free quote, and then you can receive your parts in as little as 2 days.

This also gives you the opportunity to speak with professionals on the different processes and materials used in 3D printing, depending on the job being done, which can help you ultimately decide what type of AM system you’ll buy down the road.

What are the different types of 3D printing processes?

There are many different types of 3D printing processes, but some are more commonly used than others depending on the type of job being done.

Hobbyist 3D printing such as model figurines and game board pieces would typically use SLS or DLP because of the high level of detail available, whereas large industrial parts would more commonly use FDM process.

Is this making your head hurt? Let’s briefly examine what each of the common 3D printing processes means.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

SLS is used for both prototyping and small-batch production of functional plastic parts with good mechanical properties.

In SLS, a laser selectively sinters polymer powder particles, fusing them together and building a part layer-by-layer.

MultiJet Fusion (MJF)

HP’s Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) can be used for both prototyping and small-batch-production of functional plastic parts.

In MJF, parts are built by jetting a binding agent onto thin layers of polymer powder particles (typically nylon) and then sintering them using an IR heat source.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

DMLS produces high performance, end-use metal 3D printed parts for industrial applications in the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

FDM is the most widely available 3D printing process, mainly used for low-cost prototyping and design verification with very fast turnaround times.

Stereolithography (SLA)

SLA is most suitable for visual applications where an injection mold-like, smooth surface finish, and a high level of feature detail are required.

Similar to SLS process, SLA uses a laser to trace out and build individual layers, but SLA uses a liquid resin instead of the powder used in SLS.

Conclusion

There’s truly a lot to understand about 3D printing, and that’s why we mainly recommend outsourcing your initial ideas first, and talking with the company about their recommended process for what you have in mind.

Common Problems with Smart Phones and How to Fix Them

Posted on by Allen Brown
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We can confidently say the majority of the world’s population now own smartphones. With the rising number of these smartphones, you will get the high end, the midrange, and the low-end quality phones from different brands, make, and prices. 

Unfortunately, all these types get problems once in a while, making you stranded on how to solve them. In this write-up, we will examine some of the major issues that happen to these smartphones and ways to fix them. Check the list below.

Overheating

Due to constant use, most smartphones end up overheating. Sometimes, the heating becomes too much in that you can’t use your phone comfortably. Overheating on different types of smartphones can damage its interiors, battery, and screen, requiring immediate action to avoid such. You can quickly solve this problem, depending on the cause. If it’s too much sunlight, then keep your phone away from direct sunlight. If it’s from use, close all the apps and leave it for a while. If heating is caused by charging, switch off, and leave your phone to charge fully.

Screen Cracked

Glass is a breakable material for screens of the iPhone. If in case, it is accidentally dropped, the force upon impact could cause the glass to crack or shatter. If the iPhone is subjected to much pressure like if it’s sat or stepped on, then the screen can crack or even shatter. When an iPhone gets wet, the water that enters can cause great damage to the internal working parts of the phone including the screen. Any exposure of an iPhone screen to extreme temperatures for instance hot summer afternoons as well as freezing winter nights too can damage it beyond repair. In extremely rare scenarios, manufacturing malfunctions may cause the screens of iPhones to break. You may need to find a specialist to help with iphone screen repair.

Much Trash

Most high-end smartphones nowadays come with a self-trash-cleaning technique. But if you are using an old model, even some new ones, you need to solve it since it affects your phone performance. According to netchimp.co.uk, almost a third of smartphone users complain of their phones lagging and becoming slower day by day. You can solve this problem by cleaning trash, cache, and uninstalling unnecessary apps. You can also download trash-cleaning apps from the phone’s app store and remove that trash to create some space. If it doesn’t change anything, visit a technician for troubleshooting or get a new phone.

Slow Speeds When Online

Have you ever browsed online and waited for long for a page to load or open? You aren’t alone. According to starzsoft.com, slow online speeds are a nuisance to everyone who uses the internet, whether on a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Sometimes the issue does not get caused by the smartphone, but by the network provider. What if all other devices, using the same network, are working okay? You can try to troubleshoot your smartphone. Before then, you need to check your system by having your device use different types of networks before coming to a conclusion of seeking other advanced means.

Not Enough Storage Space

Sometimes our phones get filled either by the media we feed them, apps, or even cache. The problem is rampant nowadays since people are obsessed with their smartphones and are online every time. They are either downloading their favorite images, browsing or taking photos and uploading them to their social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Whatsapp. You can fix this problem by yourself. First, you need to recognize what’s filling the space by checking your phone memory. If it’s photos, you can transfer them to a new SD card or move the media into cloud-based storage. If it’s in a cache, you can clean it, thus freeing some storage. One more tip, always buy a smartphone with more storage space.

Phone Crashing

Have you ever opened an app and it crashed? The feeling you get from such is minimal as compared to when your phone crashes. Imagine waking up to a blank phone with nothing to display? This issue happens mostly on mid-range smartphones when their software fails to launch. How do you solve this? Mostly, that’s a technical issue. 

If your phone is at a warranty, you can get it back to your dealer and get it repaired or exchanged with a new one. Another better option is restarting your phone and checking if the problem clears. But if it’s a recurring problem, do not get it twisted but rush to the dealer.

Slow Response Time

Before introducing high-end phones, the first smartphones were a form of stress, but we didn’t have a choice. You could wait for a long time to load an app or operate more conveniently. Nowadays, a small percentage of such phones do exist. To solve this, cut off media, apps, and also widgets as you check its performance. Do not load it with more apps than it can accommodate.

Other malfunctions include the battery draining fast and hardware issues, which you can quickly fix. We have provided the best tips in this article which you can share with your friends and save the agony of buying new phones which might cost you a fortune.

Challenges in Mobile App Testing and their Solution

Posted on by Balamurugan
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Mobile application testing is evolving with the rapid development in mobile technology. The device manufacturers are coming up with new features and new operating system versions. All the new features and functions are creating challenges for the testers to perform functional testing and non-functional testing. Let’s have a look at some of the challenges that the testers face while testing an app.     

Context Awareness

Context can influence the operation of an app or its functions with data from its environment. Applications can be in different contexts with different data which creates a problem in the entire testing process. Also, smartphones rely on constantly changing environments and usage patterns that impact the context.

Security Issues

When it comes to testing an app on cloud-based devices, private cloud is much more secure rather than the public cloud. A secure private cloud will have an extra layer of enterprise-level security. Although the public cloud is also safe to use for testing the apps, the better option is to go for private cloud to avoid any high-level data breach.

Operating System versions

OS fragmentation is an issue that worries most of the testers. Apple has launched iOS 13 and that means that the new apps need to be compatible with the currently popular versions including 10, 11, and 12. Although when it comes to Android, the problem is much severe. Android has 29 API levels and at least 9 API levels are still widely used by the users. There is a great percentage of users who still use Android 6. So the testers need to make sure that all the functionalities work fine on all the devices irrespective of the OS version.    

Device Screen Sizes

The mobile device manufacturers are upgrading their screen technology and coming up with larger and better screens. There are devices with different screen sizes like 5, 5.5, 6, 6.3, 6.5 inches, etc. This creates problems for testing as the app should be tested on a variety of devices to be compatible with different screen sizes. Now there are foldable devices in the market which means there is a need to test the app for foldable screens too.    

Parallel Testing

Enterprises are looking to automate most of the testing to increase productivity. Although parallel testing is not practiced in most of the cases. It means that the test scripts are not executed on multiple devices all at once. Users can test a device with an Android operating system, and a device with an iOS running on it at the same time to maximize the test coverage.

Conclusion

It is required to perform mobile testing at a scale to assure quality. Users can connect with tens or hundreds of devices using appropriate tools. It’s better to record the test script and run it on multiple devices using the right automation testing tool. Users can also opt for a performance testing tool to simulate network condition. If required then use a load testing tool to test the functions for performance under difficult conditions. This enables users to expand test coverage.

How to Sync Outlook with Nokia 7.2 without using Exchange or Google

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
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I am a huge fan of Nokia’s line of Android Phones. For decades Nokia dominated the pre-Smartphone market. Then they got sidetracked by Microsoft into the failed Windows Phone effort. Nokia’s hardware is great! The Windows Phone operating system was full of primary colors and awful apps. Not so great.

A few years ago, Nokia got released from Microsoft and have re-built a credible smart phone line. The latest release is the Nokia 7.2. Retailing for about $350 her in the US, this is a phone you can own and use for years, and not feel Samsung Shamed. .

Just like a Nokia is a mid-priced phone, many people use mid-priced Outlook. There’s no need to pay for the expensive Office 365 subscription, which only gets you owned by Microsoft’s in-app ads. Many people use Outlook 2010 and 2013 because you can actually own it, and it does not change randomly in the middle of the night.

CompanionLink provides the ideal solution by providing sync without using Exchange.  When you sync using CompanionLink’s system you get many features that Exchange Sync lacks; Color Categories, Task sync, Notes Sync, and Calendar Events linked to a Contact.

To sync Outlook to Nokia 7.2 without Exchange

  1. From Google Play Store, install DejaOffice on your Nokia 7.2 phone
  2. On your PC, download CompanionLink for Outlook on your PC.
  3. Configure both for DejaCloud Sync
  4. Watch your Outlook Contacts and Calendar appear on your phone.

DejaOffice is a Free for your Nokia phone from the Google Play Store.  CompanionLink runs on a two-week trial. Click here for details about CompanionLink for Outlook.

Click here for more information on Using Microsoft Office without a Subscription.

Special features of DejaOffice:

  • Time zone management, so when you land your Calendar doesn’t go wonky
  • Calendar Colors that match Outlook
  • Templates that save time entering new Appointments and Tasks
  • Persistent alarms to be sure I don’t miss anything.
  • Recurring tasks compatible with Outlook
  • Optional:  Franklin Covey task priorities  A1, B2, C99
  • Works same on Android and iPhone, Phones and Tablets.

Check out https://www.dejaoffice.com for more information.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Galaxy Note 10-Plus – First impressions from an Android App Developer

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
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I’ve been using it for a week now as my personal phone. I have always been a great fan of Galaxy Note phones, and have used Note, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9 and now 10. The Kindle App is my primary library now, and also I read a lot of news stories. I have several investment apps that show charts. I like the larger screen size for that.

Here’s my first week’s impressions:

Size

Not a problem at all – same width and height as Galaxy Note 9-Plus, and slightly thinner. The screen is huge, but the phone itself is the same size.

Moving Apps

Samsung SmartSwitch moved nearly all of my apps and settings. It is really mysterious what it moves and what it does not move. My pictures and documents move fine, and the app icons, and some of the app settings. A couple of my Critical Apps did not come up and I had to reinstall, notably Investing.Com, Fidelity, Worden and Kindle just needed a new login. My morning wake up up alarm moved, but did not turn on or have the right tune – two days to fix that.

Here are instructions to move DejaOffice. It took me less than a minute.

Bloatware

Samsung removed a lot of the bloatware that interfere with Galaxy Note 9. That’s good. But then they added even more. After an OS update the old phone goes through optimizing 144 aps, and the new phone does 265 apps. so it looks like they added 120 background apps. It takes about an hour to turn off and disable things like “Ant” which I guess is a radio, Flipboard, Samsung Pay. The Samsung browser now had bloatware in the browser to tell you to sign up for Samsung Pay. More and more I use the Duck Duck Go security browser on my phone. I’ll do a blog post on that soon.

On-Off Button and Bixby

After forcing Bixby on us in Galaxy Note 9, Samsung is allow you to turn it completely off in Galaxy Note 10. So it’s off for me. Mysteriously Samsung now use the old left-side Bixby button as the on-off button. After 6 years of turning on the phone on the right side, I still think this was a “wrong decision”. The right side button worked great. Why move it? I find many old habits will have to change. When I view the phone in landscape mode in my holder, on/off was on the top and easy to hit. Now it is on the bottom and I have to remove my phone from the holder to turn it off.

Cost

For me cost is a factor, but it is required that we have each of the newest phones i the office for tech support purposes. I pay $41 per month for T-Mobile jump plan, plus $11 per month for insurance, and the Jump cost for this phone was about $250, so figure $75 per month for the newest phone for me.

I do not believe 5g will really change how we use phones, so I would not recommend the cost for 5g, at least not yet. Maybe not ever. I’m a big fan of Mid-Tier phones like Nokia 7.1, OnePlus, and the mid-tier Galaxy line. I think this is a better use of money. A top tier phone is like a new car – the resale drops 40% of your investment in the first six months – so it hovers halfway between luxury and waste of money. But if you want the leading edge of phone design, Galaxy S10-Plus is the best 2019 will have to offer – At least until iPhone 10 comes out.

Special features of DejaOffice:

  • Time zone management, so when you land your Calendar doesn’t go wonky
  • Calendar Colors that match Outlook
  • Templates that save time entering new Appointments and Tasks
  • Persistent alarms to be sure I don’t miss anything.
  • Recurring tasks compatible with Outlook
  • Optional:  Franklin Covey task priorities  A1, B2, C99
  • Works same on Android and iPhone, Phones and Tablets.

How to Sync Outlook Contacts with Android: Use CompanionLink for easy and secure sync from Outlook to your Pixel 3a phone. This is a better system than Google, who sells your data, or Microsoft who hosts your data on their exchange server. Here are some setup guides for CompanionLink sync:

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Sync Galaxy Note 10+ with Microsoft Outlook

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
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The Best Sync system for Galaxy Note 10+ and Outlook Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes.

My Galaxy Note 10-plus arrived today. Very nice phone. Here’s some first impressions:

Size

It is actually the same size as Galaxy Note 9 so don’t get scared by size. And yes, the screen is a whopping .4 inches bigger, in the same size phone. They did this by basically eliminating the top and bottom bezels. Say goodbye to Bezels forever.

Headphones

Actually I use my bluetooth earpiece as a headphone now. It’s not for music, just for convenience. I listen to audio-books and phone calls. Been using the New Bee headset which works great.

DejaOffice for Android

This app really takes advantage of the screen real estate. I can view my contacts easier than ever and move around the screens very easily. DejaOffice CRM features are getting beefed up. There’s a new capability to condense SMS messages into Contact History. This lets me easily read back on past messages using DejaOffice PC CRM (DPC).

Outlook Calendar Sync

DejaOffice CRM works like Outlook for your phone. It keeps your Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes all together. It remains the only Phone App that fully supports Outlook colors. For people who haven’t color coded your day yet, this is a real treat. It really helps the glance view to see whether a day is green or red, or contains any special items. Outlook supported Calendar Colors 20 years ago. Why doesn’t the Outlook App do it?

Special features of DejaOffice:

  • Time zone management, so when you land your Calendar doesn’t go wonky
  • Calendar Colors that match Outlook
  • Templates that save time entering new Appointments and Tasks
  • Persistent alarms to be sure I don’t miss anything.
  • Recurring tasks compatible with Outlook
  • Optional:  Franklin Covey task priorities  A1, B2, C99
  • Works same on Android and iPhone, Phones and Tablets.

How to Sync Outlook Contacts with Android: Use CompanionLink for easy and secure sync from Outlook to your Pixel 3a phone. This is a better system than Google, who sells your data, or Microsoft who hosts your data on their exchange server. Here are some setup guides for CompanionLink sync:

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

WSJ Shockingly Good Phone article features Nokia 7.1

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
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The Wall Street Journal published a great article this week called: Shockingly Good Smartphones You Can Get for $350 or Less (WSJ -Paywall).

It makes a point that we tend to think of first-run phones as being $1000. But that there is a variety of Mid-Priced phones that are pretty effective.

The main recommendation is Nokia 7.1 which happens to be one of my favorite phones. As the Article points out, it is a good modern phone running Android Oreo 8.1, with a nice screen, good camera and is pretty free of the bloatware that comes on Android devices.

The other featured phones in the article are the Lenovo Moto G7, and the Xiaomi Pocophone F1.

For all the mid-range phones, you can download DejaOffice from the Android App Store, and easily set up CompanionLink for Outlook to synchronize Outlook to the phone. DejaOffice for Android features widgets for the Android home screen to show your calendar, Category colors on Calendar, and integrated Tasks and Contacts so your whole work desktop is in one place on your phone.

It’s great to see Nokia is back to making great main stream phones again!

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Maximize your Productivity with DejaOffice CRM App on iPhone XS Max

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
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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 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

The Best Way to Synchronize Samsung Galaxy Note 9 to Outlook without using Exchange

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
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Why does the Outlook App not work like Outlook?

CompanionLink provides an Android App called DejaOffice CRM with PC Sync.  It is better than the Outlook App in many ways.  Click here for a comparison of DejaOffice App vs Outlook App on Android.

To sync Outlook to Galaxy Note9 without needing an Office 365 subscription.

  1. From Google Play Store, install DejaOffice on your Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+
  2. On your PC, download CompanionLink for Outlook on your PC.
  3. Configure both for DejaCloud Sync
  4. Watch your Outlook Contacts and Calendar appear on your phone.

DejaOffice is Free.  CompanionLink runs on a two-week trial.

Click here for more information on Using Microsoft Office without a Subscription.

Samsung Galaxy Note9 is the latest flagship from the world leader of Smartphones. There’s nothing faster or more effective.  Here I have an argument with Apple.  With iPhone there is no Widgets, and Widgets are so useful, you’ll never catch me using a phone without them.

What is a widget?  A widget shows App information on the phone desktop.  A widget allows me to quickly see my day view, and my contact list – without opening an app.  I can quickly tap on the location and get to my next appointment.  No search, no scroll.  Just one tap and I’m in maps.  One tap and I can call or sms.  Automatically updated all day.

Special features of DejaOffice:

  • Time zone management, so when you land your Calendar doesn’t go wonky
  • Calendar Colors that match Outlook
  • Templates that save time entering new Appointments and Tasks
  • Persistent alarms to be sure I don’t miss anything.
  • Recurring tasks compatible with Outlook
  • Optional:  Franklin Covey task priorities  A1, B2, C99
  • Works same on Android and iPhone, Phones and Tablets.

Check out https://www.dejaoffice.com for more information.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Galaxy Note 9, Outlook, Outlook 2019, Office 365

How to sync Samsung Galaxy S9 to Outlook without using Exchange

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
Reply

Why can’t Outlook App actually work like Outlook?

To sync Outlook to Galaxy S9 without needing an Office 365 subscription.

  1. From Google Play Store, install DejaOffice on your Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+
  2. On your PC, download CompanionLink for Outlook on your PC.
  3. Configure both for DejaCloud Sync
  4. Watch your Outlook Contacts and Calendar appear on your phone.

DejaOffice is Free.  CompanionLink runs on a two-week trial.

For more information on running Office without a subscription click here: https://www.companionlink.com/support/kb/How_to_Use_Outlook_without_Subscription

Samsung Galaxy S9 is the latest flagship from the world leader of Smartphones. There’s nothing faster or more effective.  Here I have an argument with Apple.  With iPhone there is no Widgets, and Widgets are so useful, you’ll never catch me using a phone without them.

What is a widget?  A widget shows App information on the phone desktop.  A widget allows me to quickly see my day view, and my contact list – without opening an app.  I can quickly tap on the location and get to my next appointment.  No search, no scroll.  Just one tap and I’m in maps.  One tap and I can call or sms.  Automatically updated all day.

Special features of DejaOffice:

  • Time zone management, so when you land your Calendar doesn’t go wonky
  • Calendar Colors that match Outlook
  • Templates that save time entering new Appointments and Tasks
  • Persistent alarms to be sure I don’t miss anything.
  • Recurring tasks compatible with Outlook
  • Optional:  Franklin Covey task priorities  A1, B2, C99
  • Works same on Android and iPhone, Phones and Tablets.

Check out https://www.dejaoffice.com for more information.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.83 out of 5 based on 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

SM-G960 and SM-G965, Outlook, Office 365

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 658 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

How to Sync Outlook Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes with iPhone 6s

Posted on by Wayland Bruns
2

There seems no end to sync solutions for iPhone.  The problem is; they all devolve into Apple-like simplicity.

Face it.  We use Outlook because it is fast, effective, and the whole world supports it.  It is forced on us by our business, it runs our mail, it runs our appointments, and the less time we can spend there, the more we can do our jobs.

cl djo hero

With iPhone, the best known solutions are feeble, at best.  With Apple iCloud, you need to create a different Outlook folder and move your data to it.  You need to put up with problems with it, with mail and other things.  And then, when it gets to iPhone, you have no Tasks any more just reminders.

With Office 365 and the Outlook App you have a different set of problems.  It all gets to the phone ok (except for tasks again) but the only thing that is marginally good with the Outlook App from Microsoft is the email.  Hello Microsoft:  Email is NOT a problem on the iPhone.

So that’s what CompanionLink and DejaOffice are here to do. Synchronize Outlook Contacts, and Outlook Calendar, and Outlook Tasks to the iPhone.  Not only to move them, safely and securely, but DejaOffice provides an Outlook-like ecosystem on the iPhone and Android so that you can continue to do Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes just like your PC.  So if you want to schedule an appointment, or make a task for a contact, you can do that in one App on your phone.  If you have Recurring Tasks, CompanionLink and DejaOffice is the only solution available that supports them on all platforms.

CompanionLink also works for Outlook for Mac 2011 and Outlook for Mac 2015.

Here’s how to sync Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Memos:

  1. On your PC or Mac; Download the CompanionLink for Outlook 14-day trial
  2. On your iPhone or Android phone, download DejaOffice for Outlook
  3. Set up USB, Wi-Fi or DejaCloud sync

That’s it!  You’ll have your data on your phone.  For more information here’s our info page for CompanionLink for Outlook.