Tech Tip: Avoid duplicates when switching to CompanionLink USB for Android phones

Android does a great job of keeping your contacts in sync between Google and your phone, but many users find that CompanionLink USB offers a more complete sync solution. However, users switching to CompanionLink USB run the risk of duplicating contacts upon the initial sync. To ensure a seamless migration to direct USB sync, follow these steps:

1. On your Android phone, disable Google contacts sync: https://www.companionlink.com/support/howto/disable-google-contacts-sync.html

2. On your PC, configure CompanionLink USB to Purge and Reload (Options -> Purge and Reload All).

3. Sync your Android phone using CL USB Sync.

CompanionLink USB - Purge and Reload

This will clear your phone of all existing contacts, so make sure all your contacts are on your PC before performing the above steps. If you don’t have your contacts on your PC, you can first use CompanionLink USB to sync all your contacts on from your phone into Outlook. CompanionLink will then wipe the phone and do a fresh reload to ensure there are no duplicates. Once CompanionLink has synced contacts via USB, be careful about turning Google contacts sync back on unless you have also wiped all contacts from Google.

More info about CompanionLink sync solutions for Android, and a 14-day free trial, can be found at www.companionlink.com/android.

New Update to CompanionLink USB Sync

We have great news if you use CompanionLink to sync with Android via USB cable! We have just released a major update to the Android app that works with CompanionLink on your PC to sync data.

The update brings many new features to the Android onboard app, including month- and week-views to your calendar. Touchscreen navigation has also been improved with the addition of swipe commands to move calendar day, week and month forwards or backwards. In addition, we have updated calendar category support that includes color-coding for easier identification of key appointments. Speed and stability have also been improved.

There is no charge for the app update. Here’s how you get the update:

1. Tap on the Android Market app on your phone.

2. Tap on Downloads to see all the apps you currently have.

3. Tap on our app, which should say “Update available” next to it.

We always welcome feedback as it helps to improve our software. Send your thoughts to www.companionlink.com/feedback.

To download a 14-day trial of CompanionLink, visit www.companionlink.com/android.

Watch your productivity skyrocket with Tasks on Android

Many business professional rely on the “tasks” or “to-do” functions found in popular desktop software such as Microsoft Outlook to help keep themselves organized. Tasks are useful for prioritizing your day, or just keeping track of the things you don’t want to forget. Anyone who has read David Allen’s Getting Things Done will tell you that the key to time management is to organize your priorities on an external to-do list. This way, the brain has can better focus on the task at hand than on keeping track of all your tasks.

CompanionLink’s software for Android phones allows you to carry your tasks with you, ready to access at a moments notice. Users are able to sync tasks/to-dos from Outlook, Lotus Notes, ACT! by Sage, Novell GroupWise, Goldmine and Palm Desktop to an Android phone via a secure USB connection.

CompanionLink works through the CL USB Sync app users download to their Android phone. This app has advanced Tasks functionality to group and sort by category, date or alphabetically. Power users who use categories to manage their Tasks on the desktop will be pleased to find that these categories sync across to the phone. With the powerful built-in search feature, managing hundreds of tasks is a breeze.

For more information and to download a free trial, visit www.companionlink.com.

CompanionLink Support Notice for DEVOUR and CLIQ

Motorola DEVOUR and CLIQ use a technology called MOTOBLUR.  While our software syncs contact data correctly to these phones, MOTOBLUR impedes the “viewability” of the data so it appears that contacts have not synchronized over correctly.

We recommend all DEVOUR and CLIQ users sync their contacts wirelessly through Google using CompanionLink for Google and not via direct USB sync. We are currently working on a solution to the problem, and will post a notification once the fix is available.

We apologize for any inconvenience. Any questions or comments can be directed to support@companionlink.com

Notes and Tasks apps (with categories) for the Droid, HTC Hero, and other Android-based phones

A few weeks ago, CompanionLink announced their upcoming USB sync solution for the Droid, HTC Hero, and other Android-based phones.  The solution will sync PC software (like Outlook and Lotus Notes) with phones running Android OS using the USB cable that ships with the device.

The solution will also include a free Android app that will run on the phone.  The app will contain custom calendar, notes and tasks modules that include advanced features such as categories and priorities.

Here are two screenshots that show CompanionLink’s apps in development.  The first screenshot shows the Notes app with the ability to use categories to sort and view notes.  The second screenshot shows the Tasks app which categories and priorities.

Memos app with categories for Android-based phones like Droid

Tasks app with categories for Android-based phones like Droid

Update: wired (USB) sync with Droid

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.

Direct USB sync with Droid

CompanionLink is working on a direct USB sync for the new Motorola Droid.  This will let users securely sync data by docking their Droid to their PC with the USB cable that came with their phone.

Currently, users of desktop software like Outlook, Lotus Notes, GroupWise and ACT! are required to use a wireless sync protocol.  For example, data syncs from their PC to their Google account, which then natively syncs with the Droid.  CompanionLink for Google provides this functionality between PC and Google.

While this serves the needs of many customers, this can pose security concerns for people who don’t want to host their sensitive data on Google or have it transmitted wirelessly.  CompanionLink is looking to address that with a direct USB sync solution.

Click here to sign up to receive an email announcement when direct USB sync between PC and Droid is available.