How to Sync Google, Salesforce, & More with iCloud

It seems like it should just work. If you set up iCloud to sync with Outlook using Apple’s iCloud Control Panel and you’ve set up Google, Salesforce, or another CRM to sync with Outlook, it should all sync up nicely – right?

When you set up iCloud to sync with Outlook, the iCloud Control Panel creates a unique Outlook Folder, which it then uses to sync with iCloud. It will actually move items from your default Outlook Folder to this new iCloud Outlook Folder in order to facilitate the sync. This doesn’t really change how things look in Outlook, but it does change how things sync.

Many tools that sync CRM solutions such as Google and Salesforce are set to sync with only the default Outlook Folder, with no option to change this. Because iCloud is syncing with a different Outlook Folder, these two sync tools don’t work together. Fortunately, CompanionLink is different.

CompanionLink allows you to choose which Outlook Folder(s) you want to sync with. So if you want to sync Google with Outlook and iCloud, or Salesforce with Outlook and iCloud, it’s as easy as configuring CompanionLink to sync with the iCloud Outlook Folder. From there, any data synced from sources like Google or Salesforce will sync through iCloud to your iOS devices and any other PC or Mac that iCloud is configured on.

For details on configuring which Outlook Folder(s) to sync with in CompanionLink, see our Configuring Outlook support article.

How To Sync The Kindle Fire With Google

The Kindle Fire doesn’t allow you to sync your Google Contacts and Calendar, but CompanionLink does! Here’s a quick guide on exactly how to do it:

  1. Download DejaOffice for free from the Amazon Appstore.
  2. Install CompanionLink for Google on your computer. This works with DejaOffice to sync Kindle with Google.
  3. In CompanionLink configuration, select Android as your device.
  4. Select Direct USB as your sync method.
  5. Select Google as your database from the final drop-down list.
  6. Follow the setup wizard in DejaOffice and you’ll be syncing in no time.

Note: Due to the way USB currently connects to the Kindle Fire, you’ll need to follow a specific pattern to begin the sync:

  1. Connect the USB cord to your Kindle Fire
  2. Unmount the SD card via the Notification Tray on the Kindle Fire
  3. Open DejaOffice
  4. Tap Sync

That’s it! So, whether you are the proud owner of a Kindle Fire today or are hoping to get one soon, rest assured that we’ve got you covered when it comes to syncing your data!

CompanionLink for Google comes with a free 14-day trial. When you’re ready to buy, use the affinity code SYNCKINDLE and you’ll pay just $39.95. If you already own CompanionLink 5 for Google, just make sure you have the latest version by checking our updates page.

CompanionLink Build 5008 Is Now Available

With over 25 changes, CompanionLink build 5008 is a big update. We have been hard at work improving the software to bring you an even better sync. Our latest update focuses on refining the process, eliminating duplicates, and adding a few new features. Read on to learn what we’ve done.  Continue reading

Sync the LG Nitro HD

The past month or two have brought a number of top-tier Android phones: the Motorola DROID Razr, the HTC Rezound, and the soon-to-be-released Samsung Galaxy Nexus. This week, the LG Nitro HD joins the pack.

Sporting a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4.5” HD screen, 4G data speeds, and Android 2.3, the Nitro HD can compete with the best of them. While the Razr, Rezound, and Nexus are all Verizon phones, the Nitro HD brings its power to AT&T. Check one out in stores today.

If you’re thinking about picking one up, rest assured that CompanionLink will sync the Nitro HD with Outlook, ACT!, Salesforce, and more. And if you’re upgrading from an older device, just download DejaOffice to the Nitro HD and in one sync you’ll have access to all your contacts, calendars, tasks, and memos.

Questions? Comments? Shout out in the comments below!

Sony Shutting Down The Sony Ericsson Sync Service

Image Credit: WikipediaSony recently announced that it is shutting down its in-house Sony Ericsson sync service at the end of the year. In their announcement, they suggest exporting your contacts and importing them into Google for future use. Google works with all Android devices, which is where Sony devices seem to be headed.

While this option should work well for some users, we recognize that not all of Sony’s customers will want to store their data on Google’s servers. For those people, CompanionLink has another option.

CompanionLink is able to sync contacts, calendars, tasks, and memos to your Sony device. We support popular contact managers like Microsoft Outlook, Palm Desktop, Lotus Notes, and many others.  And we offer a variety of sync methods, as well as our free Android app, DejaOffice, for managing your data on the go. CompanionLink also offers free phone support. If you ever get stuck with your sync, just give us a call – we’re here to help!

The latest version of CompanionLink currently supports all Sony phones and tablets running the Android OS, and we intend to continue supporting new Android-based Sony devices as they are released. Should you ever upgrade to a new phone that doesn’t happen to be a Sony, rest assured your data will come with you. We sync with Android, Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and more.

If you’d like to try CompanionLink as an alternative to Google Sync, head over to www.companionlink.com/android and download a 14-day free trial!

Give the Kindle Fire a Productivity Boost with DejaOffice!

Image credit: AmazonWe just finished putting the Kindle Fire through its paces, testing both CompanionLink and DejaOffice on the affordable new tablet from Amazon. The results? DejaOffice runs well, and sync with the Kindle Fire works perfectly!

In fact, everything is working as we expected, with the exception of USB sync, which requires a small, but simple workaround. The Kindle Fire automatically mounts its SD card. You must Disconnect from USB Storage, then open DejaOffice and hit sync. We’re looking into a fix to eliminate this step, however.

After testing the Kindle Fire, I think it is important to remember that it’s first and foremost a Kindle – great for consuming media. But with a few easily downloaded apps like DejaOffice, you’ll have transformed your Kindle Fire into a business machine, filled with your contacts, calendars, tasks, memos, and more.

Syncing the HTC Rezound

It’s a great time to be in the market for a new smartphone, especially for Verizon customers. With the DROID RAZR now available and the Nexus Galaxy around the corner, the carrier has quite the holiday line-up. But they’re not done yet. The HTC Rezound, released today, completes the trio of powerful Android phones available from Verizon this season.

The folks over at The Verge have an impressive review of the Rezound available, and I’d encourage you to check it out if you’re interested in learning more about the phone. If you’re interested in learning more about syncing the Rezound, however, you’re in the right place.

As with most any Android device, you’re able to sync contacts, calendars, tasks, and memos from a whole host of CRM software to the HTC Rezound. Learn more about your options at https://www.companionlink.com/phones/htc-rezound.html or head over to our downloads page to get your 14-day free trial and start syncing today!

An Update On Syncing the DROID RAZR

The DROID RAZR is now available! We’ve been busy testing ours to ensure complete compatibility with CompanionLink and DejaOffice, and I happy to report that it performs as expected.

To sync the DROID RAZR with Outlook (and more), just make sure you’re running the latest version of DejaOffice (1.12.3) and connect the RAZR in “Charge Only” mode. After that, you should be set to sync.

If you’re new to CompanionLink and DejaOffice, we have some great resources to help you get started. Visit our Getting Started page to learn how to set up a reliable sync. Check out our Android Setup Guides for help configuring our software. And head over to our Support Center if you need more help getting everything up and running. Whether your a seasoned Android pro or are new to the platform, we’re here to help!

Now go on and enjoy your sleek new phone!

Backup Your Data With DejaOffice

DejaOffice now automatically creates a backup of your data for you – every time you sync!

The latest release of DejaOffice for Android (1.12.3) introduced a great new feature that’s somewhat hidden behind the scenes: automatic backup. Every time you sync your data, DejaOffice automatically creates a backup first. Since this feature has the potential to be quite useful, I wanted to be sure to highlight it here.

With automatic backups, if you accidentally delete a contact, or if your database were to somehow become corrupted, you can rest assured you have a backup to restore from. And DejaOffice keeps the 3 more recent backups, so even if you don’t notice an issue right away, you’re still safe.

To restore from a backup, just follow the instructions below:

  1. Ensure CompanionLink is not running on your PC.
  2. Connect your Android device to your PC and mount it in “mass storage mode”
  3. Open the “Computer” or “My Computer” folder on your PC, then select your device’s SD card/removable drive from the list.
  4. Browse to the “\clusb\backup” folder.
  5. In this folder, you will see a file named “companionlink<date>.db” (e.g. companionlink2011-11-04.db). This is a backup of your database prior to your most recent synchronization.
  6. Rename this file to “companionlink.db”
  7. Copy the file to the “\clusb” folder. Choose to replace the existing companionlink.db file if prompted.
  8. That’s it – your data is then restored to the date of that backup.

1: Select your SD card

5. Locate your backups

If you have any questions or feedback about our new backup feature, let us know in the comments below!

Four New Devices Released – And We Sync With All Of Them

November 2nd has proven to be a rather popular day for new devices – HTC, Samsung, and T-Mobile have all released new devices today. HTC has released the Radar 4G – a new Windows Phone 7 device at an attractive price point. Meanwhile, Samsung unleashed the Galaxy Tab 10.1 on T-Mobile’s 4G network. And lastly, T-Mobile is bringing two new MyTouch phones to the table: The aptly named T-Mobile MyTouch and the MyTouch Q.

Read on for a closer look at these devices, as well as to learn about syncing each of them using CompanionLink! Continue reading

Sync Outlook to Windows Phone via Windows Live

 

Sync via Windows LiveGreat news for those of you using Windows Live and Outlook: Sync via Windows Live is now in beta!  As you might expect, it works like our Sync via Google option: just put in your Windows Live credentials and we’ll wirelessly sync Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks from Outlook to Windows Live. From there, the data syncs down to your Windows Phone 7 or any other device configured with your Windows Live account.

This feature is currently in beta, but you can try it for yourself today by downloading the latest build of CompanionLink 5 (build 5004). When you select Windows Phone 7 as your device, you’ll see Sync via Windows Live as one of the sync options. Just follow the prompts from there and you’ll be set to begin syncing with Outlook or any other CRM system we support.

I should note that you can also opt to sync directly to Windows Live by selecting “No Device – Sync with Windows Live – BETA”. This allows you to sync Outlook to any device that your Windows Live account is set up on. And it’s not just Outlook – you can sync ACT!, Lotus Notes, Salesforce, and more with our new Sync via Windows Live option! So go ahead and get started today.

We’d love to get your feedback on Windows Live sync! Send us a message at marketing@companionlink.com or leave a comment below!

Sync The HTC EVO Design 4G

Sync the EVO Design 4GJust the other day, Sprint released the HTC EVO Design 4G.  At just $99, this Android-powered phone is a great buy. In fact, the EVO Design 4G features a lot of the power and style of the EVO 3D – just without the 3D. When it comes down to it, the value you get for your money makes the EVO Design 4G a hard phone to beat.

Tech Specs:

  • 1.2GHz dual-core processor
  • 4” qHD display
  • 5-megapixel, 720p camera
  • 4G data speeds
  • Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

As with nearly all new Android devices, we’re able to sync the EVO Design 4G with a variety of CRM software, including Outlook, ACT!, Salesforce, Lotus Notes, and more. To learn more, visit companionlink.com/android/outlook or download your 14-day free trial at companionlink.com/downloads today!