Category Archives: News

BB10 sync

Posted on by Rushang
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BlackBerry 10 arrives on January 30. BB10 sync to standalone Microsoft Outlook is a topic that no one is talking about. If your company runs a Microsoft Exchange Server, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 will manage over-the-air sync of Outlook data to BlackBerry 10 devices. People without Microsoft Exchange who are using the version of Microsoft Outlook that came with MS Office are left without any tools for bb10 sync.

Google Sync end-of-life affects BB10 devices

Google’s end of life announcement for free Google Sync services devastates BB10 users with Outlook. People with free Gmail accounts can no longer sync Outlook to Gmail to BB10 devices.  This directly affects standalone Outlook users because their data is now isolated on an island (ie – Outlook) with no options from RIM to get the data to BB10 devices. Legacy BlackBerry devices used BlackBerry Desktop Manager to solve this problem. However, BBDM will not ship with BB10 devices.

CompanionLink announces BB10 sync for standalone Outlook

CompanionLink will offer direct BB10 sync support for standalone Microsoft Outlook. BB10 sync options will include USB sync that works similar to BlackBerry Desktop Manager, and DejaCloud sync that works over-the-air. CompanionLink will ship their BB10 sync solution the same day the first BB10 devices arrive in people’s hands. Support for Outlook 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, and 2013 will be included. For more info on BB10 sync, bookmark this page that will be updated by CompanionLink as more news about BB10 emerges.

Phablet sync

Posted on by Rushang
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Phablet appears to be the latest literary phenomenon that will become a household name.  A phablet is a smartphone with a large enough screen to encroach on the definition of a tablet.  Huffington Post writes about the ire the term phablet is beginning to draw.  Samsung Galaxy Note can be credited as being the first mainstream device to challenge the sacred phone/tablet threshold.  (Dell made a valiant attempt to crack the phablet marketing with Dell Streak. However, they didn’t have the marketing cloud of Samsung.)

The first Galaxy Note device had a 5.3-inch screen.  Galaxy Note II stretched the limits even further with a 5.5-inch screen.  Galaxy Note III is rumored to have a gargantuan 6.3-inch display.

Phablet sync with phones and computers

The linchpin behind phablets is to achieve nirvana between desktop productivity and the mobile form factor.  People with mobile devices do not want to squint to read tiny, high-resolution font.  They hate being given a 10×10 pixel area button that accurately engages on only 60% of their tap attempts.  People who want a “large enough” screen for business productivity in a pocket-able form factor turn to phablets.

Phablet sync is a key factor in mobile productivity.  Business users of phablets need  a way to get their contact records and calendar agenda onto their phablet.  With phablets going mainstream, PC to phablet sync and smartphone to phablet sync will be in demand.

CompanionLink offers a simple solution for this called DejaCloud.  With one username and password, contacts and calendar information will be synchronized between PC, smartphone, and phablet.  This technology is available today for phablet early-adopters.

BlackBerry Link Outlook sync

Posted on by Rushang
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BlackBerry Link Outlook sync screenshot

Source: Rapidberry.net

Industry blogs shows that RIM will replace BlackBerry Desktop Manager with a product called BlackBerry Link with their new BlackBerry OS 10 launch. Screenshots leaked on various blogs show BlackBerry Link will manage pictures, music, video, and documents. However, there have been no screenshots showing support for BlackBerry Link Outlook Sync. Will RIM abandon their reliable USB sync between Microsoft Outlook and BlackBerry?

CompanionLink plans to support synchronization between Microsoft Outlook and BlackBerry OS 10 devices. You can choose from USB sync (works like BlackBerry Desktop Manager) or secure DejaCloud wireless sync. Please bookmark this website to stay current with the our latest news about BlackBerry 10 Outlook sync.

Outlook 2013 with Gmail (end of life for Exchange ActiveSync)

Posted on by Rushang
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Integrating Outlook 2013 with Gmail just got a little more complicated. Google announced that they will cease support for Google Sync (which runs on Exchange ActiveSync technology) for new users on January 30, 2013. New Gmail accounts will not be able to use Exchange ActiveSync without a paid Google Apps account.

Here’s a workaround for integrating Outlook 2013 with Gmail.

1. Set up Outlook 2013 with Gmail IMAP to get email capabilities in Outlook.

A. Set up your Gmail acccount with IMAP.
Incoming Mail (IMAP) Server – Requires SSL
- imap.gmail.com
- Port: 993
- Requires SSL:Yes

B. Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server – Requires TLS
- smtp.gmail.com
- Port: 465 or 587
- Requires SSL: Yes
- Requires authentication: Yes
- Use same settings as incoming mail server

C. Full Name or Display Name: [your name]

D. Account Name or User Name: [your full Gmail address] (user…@gmail.com). Google Apps users, please enter user…@your_domain.com

E. Email address:your full Gmail address (user…@gmail.com) Google Apps users, please enter user…@your_domain.com

F. Password: [your Gmail password]

2. Use the CompanionLink for Google tool to sync Outlook 2013 with Gmail.

CompanionLink will sync Outlook and Gmail contacts, calendar, and tasks. It’s available as a free trial for 14 days. Just $14.95 to buy and works on multiple PCs.

Credit steps in #1 above to Tiaan.

How Will You Sync the iPhone 5?

Posted on by Kaena
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Most of the tech news today is focused on Apple’s announcement of the new iPhone 5. The new device is stunning and we’re just as excited as you to get our hands on one. As we have with each new iPhone release, CompanionLink is fully committed to supporting sync with the iPhone 5 as soon as it’s available. What exactly does that mean?


DejaOffice – A Complete CRM for iPhone 5

DejaOffice is a business-friendly CRM app for the new iPhone 5 that includes contacts, calendar, tasks, notes, and expense capabilities. Why use DejaOffice instead of the native iPhone 5 apps? It’s simple: DejaOffice was built to support advanced CRMs like Sage ACT!, Lotus Notes, Salesforce.com, and Outlook Business Contact Manager (just to name a few).

  • DejaOffice supports color-coded categories. Many CRM systems use color categorization to keep data organized. CompanionLink supports the syncing of categories and their respective colors to DejaOffice on the iPhone 5, allowing you to filter and sort your records by category.DJOI - Categories
  • DejaOffice keeps your private data safe and secure – password protect sensitive records in your database. Records can be masked with asterisks ******** or hidden completely.DJOI - Private Records
  • Link contacts with calendar events, tasks, notes, and expenses like a true CRM. Linked records sync back to your CRM with the link intact.DJOI - Linked Records
  • DejaOffice allows your data to sync with the native Apple contacts and calendar, so features like caller ID and calendar alarms still work fine.

We’re currently working on adapting DejaOffice to the larger screen on the iPhone 5. We’ll be ready for launch day!


CompanionLink is iCloud-friendly

iCloud has been a success for Apple ever since it launched not too long ago. This is great if you work from a Mac, but what if your business data is in a CRM like ACT! or Palm Desktop?

CompanionLink can sync your PIM or CRM data to the iCloud folders in Microsoft Outlook. This means that your data will automatically sync with the iCloud service and your new iPhone 5, allowing you to access your business data while benefiting from the convenience of iCloud.

iCloud is great as long as you stay within Apple’s ecosystem, but what if you want to venture out and pick up an Android tablet or Kindle Fire? CompanionLink is currently working on our own cross-platform cloud service call DejaCloud. When it becomes available, DejaCloud will allow you to keep your PC, iPhone 5, and Android devices all seamlessly in sync. We expect DejaCloud to become available for iPhone 5 this winter!


The Best Fit for your CRM

CompanionLink can sync iPhone 5 with a wide variety of PIM and CRM databases. DejaOffice preserves your CRM data, and makes it easily accessible, even when offline. Why choose CompanionLink and DejaOffice for your CRM?

iPhone 5 with Sage ACT!
-No record limits
-Activities can be completed on the phone
-Supports proper international dialing formats
-Categories are set based on ID/Status or any other ACT! field
-Contact links to activities are preserved

iPhone 5 with Outlook Business Contact Manager
-Select which BCM folders you wish to sync with
-Syncs contact links from calendar events and tasks
-Supports Outlook category colors on the phone

iPhone 5 with Lotus Notes
-Syncs all Lotus Notes data, including custom recurring types
-Supports Lotus Notes categories
-No Domino server required

CompanionLink works with many other CRM databases in addition to the ones mentioned above. CompanionLink starts at $14.95 and comes with free email and phone support. To purchase CompanionLink, download a free trial, or for more information, please visit:
www.companionlink.com/iphone/

The killer feature Windows Phone 8 needs to make a dent in the smartphone wars

Posted on by Rushang
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Android is the brand of choices. They let you pick your carrier, color, and device maker.  Android offers options and flexibility.  Apple iPhone is the brand for a magical ecosystem that works in harmony if you use their phone, apps, and computers.  The user experience is unparalleled.

And Windows Phone plans to make a dent…?

They can indeed.  The answer lies in looking at the past and coming to terms with their core.  Once upon a time, people preferred the old Microsoft Windows Mobile devices over popular BlackBerry and Palm Treo options because of the tight integration Microsoft delivered with business software like Exchange, ActiveSync, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and other business apps.  Windows Mobile shipped with a fluent user experience (much like Apple today) if you lived within Microsoft’s software, back-end, and phones.

The key to Windows Phone 8 making a dent is to reintroduce tight integration to their own business software suite of Microsoft Office.  It’s surprising (and ridiculous) this even needs to be stated.  Here’s an 86-page(!) and growing thread of frustrated people who just want their old ActiveSync desktop client back for plain old USB sync between a Windows Phone and Microsoft Outlook.  This is yester-year’s technology folks!  No breakthrough needed — just bring it back!

In the push towards cloudifying everything, Microsoft has forgotten their past.  At their core, they are a company focused on the productivity audience.  MS Office is still their breadwinner and still the go-to app for people at work, home, school, fill in the blank…

Just a thought.

Unlimited Outlook sync for people buying the Galaxy S2 on T-Mobile’s new unlimited internet access plans

Posted on by Rushang
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T-Mobile and Walmart are offering the Samsung Galaxy S2 off-contract for $299.  You sign up with T-Mobile’s new unlimited internet access (data) and texting for just $30 per month. No annual subscriptions.

That’s a great offer for people averse to contracts. Granted, the S2 is an older phone.  But it is one of the most popular Android devices ever!

Folks will need a way to load their contacts and calendar events on their S2.  CompanionLink offers software to load your S2 with data from popular PC apps like Microsoft Outlook.  The 14-day trial is free and offers unlimited data sync. If you wish to continue synchronizing, prices start as low as $14.95.

Will Nokia and Microsoft introduce first Windows Phone 8 device on September 5, 2012?

Posted on by Rushang
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Fresh off of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 announcement, Nokia and Microsoft have sent out invitations to a joint event to be held in New York on September 5.  Will this be the unveiling of the first Windows Phone 8 device?

Instead of fleeing to Android like every other device manufacturer has, Nokia has double-downed on the Windows Phone platform.  This presents a high-risk/high-reward situation for a company that is slowly climbing out of a financial slumber brought on by the onslaught of iPhone and Android.  Nokia is to the Windows Phone platform what Samsung is to Android.

Inconclusive is whether Windows Phone 8 really goes mainstream.  There exists a huge open niche in the business market.  BlackBerry is quickly losing their foothold in mobile business because of their antiquated operating system.  Android and iPhone have chosen to primarily focus on the consumer crowd by emphasizing audio, video, social media, and gaming.  Windows Phone 8 has an opportunity to take cater squarely to business people who have been forced to kludge together apps and solutions to get a business tool that works for them.  Wouldn’t a business mobile device be a great fit with Microsoft’s bread winner, Microsoft Office?

CompanionLink is watching Nokia and Microsoft closely.  As CompanionLink pivots to mobile business CRM, we’re hoping Windows Phone 8 aligns with business people also.  Yes, we’ll be there to support them.  Like Nokia, we may even double-down.

Galaxy Note a popular device for business professionals

Posted on by Rushang
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Samsung confirms that they have sold 10 million Galaxy Note devices since its inception nine months ago. I can attest to the popularity of Galaxy Note to the business audience.  Without getting into specific numbers, the Galaxy Note is third to only Galaxy SIII and Galaxy SII for the business audience we sell to.

It appears that professionals on the go really need a device that’s just big enough to be productive on, but without the excess baggage or cost of a large display like the iPad.  Not their laptop.  Not a full-blown tablet.

CompanionLink offers a $14.95 complete solution for owners of a Galaxy Note to sync with their business data in Microsoft Outlook and many other popular CRM tools.

Hacked clouds

Posted on by Rushang
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Steve Wozniak predicts that the Cloud is going to be a “horrendous” place in the near future. We tend to agree, if Woz is referring to large players in the cloud market who attract ire.

Amazon, Apple, Dropbox, and Google have all been in the news cycle this week due to hacked or breached data that is stored in their secure clouds. The only Goliath spared the doom and gloom is, ironically, Microsoft. Mat Honan’s situation has become the talk of the town. But for every Honan, there are many others whose cloud security plight doesn’t reach mainstream news.

With this week’s dust-up, it’s clear that while the marketing departments at each of these companies want you to believe that you own your data and everything is meticulously watched-after, what they really mean is anyone with half a brain can own your account and data if a few security questions are answered correctly to a customer service “specialist” who also happens to be a college student. (No offense against college students.)

None of this is new. Hacked clouds and online security breaches have been happening since Salesforce.com made “cloud” armchair language. However, the more dust that flies due to breaches, the harder it becomes for business decision makers to move their enterprises to the cloud. Imagine how many companies were close to migrating their enterprise to the cloud last week, only to have pulled the reigns and wait for a better day when they can look their customers in the eye.

What we need is the emergence of private clouds that are not run by the Goliaths who have a financially vested interest to mine, sell, advertise, or otherwise disclose your data.

Small private turnkey clouds are too mundane to catch the ire of hackers. Think of the Windows OS virus magnet compared to the fledgling Mac OS X in the early days. Fewer hackers went after OS X because Apple wasn’t Goliath (oh the irony) and didn’t have the aura of world dominance. Our society thrives on small underdogs who fight to provide a more honest experience to people.

Where are the honest private clouds?