Tag Archives: mobile productivity

How to Sync the Droid Razr Maxx with Outlook

Posted on by David
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For power users who need to stay productive on the go, the ability to go a full day on a single charge with the Droid Razr Maxx is a huge benefit. In fact, the Droid Razr Maxx has many great features that make it a powerful phone for business users. But like its younger brother, the Droid Razr, it doesn’t offer built-in sync for Outlook, or any number of other popular CRM platforms for that matter. So how do you sync Outlook contacts, calendars, tasks, and memos with the Razr Maxx?

The answer is simple.

Use CompanionLink. Syncing is as easy as downloading DejaOffice on your Droid, installing CompanionLink on your computer, and then configuring your preferred sync method. We’ll walk you through each step, and we’ve got free support if you need a hand.

So what are you waiting for? Unleash the full potential of your new Droid Razr Maxx with CompanionLink and DejaOffice. Download your free trial today!

Sync Outlook Tasks to Your Windows Phone

Posted on by David
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Recently, we’ve noticed an increased demand for syncing Outlook tasks to Windows Phone devices. There are a few options for syncing Outlook with Windows Phone devices, but even the more popular ones don’t seem to sync tasks. The good news is that CompanionLink does.

Using CompanionLink for Outlook, you are able to sync tasks, contacts, and calendars between Outlook and Windows Phone devices (running 7.5 and above) via Windows Live (formerly Hotmail). Getting started is easy – just download CompanionLink 5 for Outlook if you haven’t already. Then, simply follow the steps below:

  1. Open CompanionLink Setup on your computer.
  2. Select Windows Phone 7 as your device from the first drop down menu.
  3. Select Windows Live as your sync method.
  4. Review the pop up message, click next, then enter the account information for the Windows Live account you use on your phone. Click finish.
  5. Select Outlook as the database you wish to sync with. Configure the data and direction(s) you wish to sync. Click finish.
  6. Configure advanced sync options as desired. This is an optional step, but you may be interested in some of the advanced settings we offer.
  7. Click sync!

CompanionLink will sync your data to Windows Live, which then syncs wirelessly with your phone. It really is that easy. If you have any questions or comments for us, leave them in the comments below!

Sync Outlook on Windows 8 Developer Preview

Posted on by David
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Image Credit: PCAuthority

I know – Windows 8 won’t actually be released until sometime next year. That hasn’t stopped us from working with the Windows 8 Developer Preview, however. After some initial testing, I’m happy to inform you CompanionLink works great with Windows 8! That’s right – we can sync Outlook from Windows 8 to your mobile device. CompanionLink works with both 32- and 64-bit versions of Outlook. We can also sync ACT!, Salesforce, Lotus Notes, Palm Desktop, Zoho, and more, all from Windows 8!

You’ll want to ensure you’re running the latest version of CompanionLink, but other than that there are no special steps required to get up and running in Windows 8. So, if you enjoy working with the latest technology and software (like I do!), rest assured CompanionLink is there to support your synchronization of contacts, calendar, tasks and notes.

Infographic: A History of Mobile Productivity

Posted on by David
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From the pager to the iPad, mobile devices have been enhancing our mobile productivity in one way or another for decades. In their early days, mobile devices were largely business-focused. Since then, they have become sleeker, more powerful, and even more appealing to consumers and business users alike. On today’s mobile devices, you can run your business or play Angry Birds – or both!

Read through the infographic below and take a walk through a history of mobile productivity. Discover the first portable handset. Learn how the groundwork for today’s app stores was laid in the 1990s. Reminisce over the earliest smartphones and tablets. Then, share with us where you think mobile productivity is headed next!

A History of Mobile Productivity

ASUS: Transforming the Way We Think About Tablets

Posted on by David
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If I had to guess, I’d be willing to be that the number one complaint about tablets today is that they’re just not that easy to type on, at least for longer periods of time. Sure, you can use a Bluetooth keyboard on many, but that feels like more of an afterthought than anything. In fact, I would argue that it’s one of the biggest reasons business users might favor a laptop over a tablet as a secondary, mobile device. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer aims to change that.

As its name suggests, the Transformer starts out as a competitive, yet standard tablet. When paired with the optional laptop dock, however, it becomes an entirely new machine. Not only does the laptop dock provide a keyboard and multi-touch trackpad, it actually adds additional usage time with its built in battery.  The ability to transform from a lightweight tablet to a highly productive laptop gives this unique device a lot of potential.

As we’ve stated before, we believe devices like the Motorola Atrix are signaling a shift in mobile computing. The Eee Pad Transformer is helping lead this charge!

 

Note: Are you looking to sync the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer with Outlook or another popular personal information manager? We have you covered: check out ComplanionLink for PC and DejaOffice for Android!

5 Underrated Business Apps for Android

Posted on by David
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The Android Market is filled with amazing apps. From games to news and weather to sports to business apps, there’s something for everyone. On top of that, new apps are added daily, expanding the available options even further. With so many options available, the question becomes “How do I find the best Android apps?” Sure, there are plenty of top 10 lists out there, but generally speaking they all list the same apps! So how do you find great Android apps that have yet to make the popular top ten lists? Let us help with 5 handpicked underrated business apps for Android!

1. Locale ($9.99)
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As far as apps go, Locale is on the higher end of the price spectrum – but don’t let that deter you. This amazing little app is able to manage settings based on conditions. How exactly does this work? Quite simply, actually. You setup one or more conditions that must be met, then tell Locale what you want it to do once those conditions are met.

The value of this app really sinks in when you start exploring various setups. For example, you can program the app to set your phone to vibrate if your location matches that of your office and the time is between 8am-5pm. Or have Locale turn off WiFi and Bluetooth and dim the screen when your battery hits 30%. The options are expansive and expandable. In fact, Locale states that there are over 140 plugins available in the Market, many interacting with other 3rd party apps as well! With so many plugins available, you can set up Locale to fit your specific needs. After a few days of using Locale, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

2. 1password (Free)
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1password securely stores your private information from 1password for Mac or PC. While the app currently requires the use of 1password on the computer to be of any use, the ability to store your passwords, credit cards, and other account info on your Android device is well worth it. Plus, you can use 1password to login to websites, saving you from typing long or complex passwords on your mobile keyboard.

While this app is somewhat limited in it’s current form (you cannot add/edit information from the app), the developers have a long history of providing quality software. You can be sure that this app will continue to get better and better!

3. LinkedIn (Free)
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This is an app that may be a little too new to be considered underrated, but it’s worth mentioning all-the-same. For the longest time, the only way to access LinkedIn on Android outside the mobile browser was to use 3rd party applications. Recently, LinkedIn decided to change that. Their entry into the Android Market brings all the great features you’d expect from an official app. The interface is smooth, clean, and straightforward. Adding new connections is quick and easy. All in all, it’s a solid way to access the business-focused social network while on the go.

If there’s one area it could improve on, it would be to simply bring more of the desktop experience in to the mobile app (e.g. letting users view sent messages, etc). That said, it’s safe to expect those things will come in time. In the meantime, we recommend grabbing this app today!

4. Document Scanner ($3.98; free trial version available)
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As its name implies, Document Scanner allows you to virtually “scan” documents with your Android’s camera. With tools allowing you to correct perspective, crop the background, and enhance readability, Document Scanner is a powerful business tool. After scanning one or more pages, the app allows you to email the document off as a PDF or upload it to Google Docs or Evernote.

The concept is really quite simple, but when you are on the go, the ability to scan a receipt for expense tracking or email a copy of a signed contract to a client is incredibly convenient. That’s why we’re confident in saying this app is well worth the asking price.

5. Lookout Mobile Security (Free; premium version available for $3/month)
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Lookout Mobile Security may be the least “underrated” app we’ve mentioned. That said, we’re constantly finding people who’ve never heard of it, so it’s well worth mentioning here. Think of Lookout as the security guard for your Android phone. Lookout adds another layer of security to your phone by providing antivirus/malware functionality to the Android OS. It takes security a step further by incorporating a “Find My Phone” feature that helps locate your device if it’s ever lost or stolen. Finally, it provides peace of mind by securely backing up data from your phone.

If you have information on your Android that you’d rather other people not get into, or if you want to install new apps without having to worry about vicious malware or viruses, Lookout Mobile Security is the clear choice!

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Do you know of an Android app that deserves to be listed here? Let us know in the comments!

Be sure to check out our list of Underrated iPad Apps and Underrated iPhone Apps as well!

Palm OS Lives On Android

Posted on by Rushang
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What do you miss the most about Palm OS?

The date picker?
Password protection for Memos, Tasks and Contacts?
Categories that worked across all your data?
Memos that you can attach to Contacts, Calendar and Tasks?
Custom fields for your Contacts?
Handwriting recognition?
Simple, monochrome display?  (We need to have a chat if you pick this!)

The first five on the list were things that we at CompanionLink absolutely could not do without. Chances are, as a business user those five factor somewhere into your list too.

The first Android G1 device that landed in 2009 was an experiment to whet the appetites of the Internet-connected masses. That phone, and the flurry to follow it, were social devices aimed at the consumer – a volley from Google to Apple in response to the revolutionary iPhone. But what about business professionals accustomed to the productivity of Palm OS?  Business users were making do with these new, non-business toys. They were great at handling games, music, video, pictures, and social media. What they didn’t care too much about was productivity akin to Palm OS.

We created DejaOffice for this very reason. We wanted to harness the power of these new, non-business devices and channel it into real mobile productivity. Palm OS productivity, more specifically. We’ve done just that. Look at the list at the beginning of this post again. The first five items were integral parts of many Palm OS users’ workflows. DejaOffice brings these items back to life on Android devices. By doing this, we are extending productivity tools you need to get work done on the go!

5 Underrated Business Apps for the iPhone

Posted on by David
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Recently, we posted “5 Underrated Business Apps for the iPad” Today, we’re doing the same for the iPhone!

Since the opening of the iTunes App Store, great iPhone apps have flooded market. With tens of thousands of apps available to download, finding the best ones has become a bit of a chore. There are site and blogs that try to help by highlighting the best of the best – apps like Evernote, Dropbox, and Bump, for example. The problem is, the list is almost always the same! So, how do you find the great apps that aren’t featured on the top 10 lists, but are still worthy of a spot on your iPhone’s home screen? Let us help, with 5 handpicked underrated iPhone apps for business productivity.

1.  CardMunch (Free)
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How many times have you collected a stack of business cards at a networking event or conference, only to lose them in a desk drawer without ever entering them into your phone? If you’re like me, too many times! It has become somewhat of a chore to enter all the details from a card into your phone. That changes with CardMunch!

CardMunch allows you to take a photo of a business card, then submit it to their servers where it is transcribed by real people and sent back to your phone, ready to add to your address book. The whole process takes anywhere from 5-15 minutes and definitely beats adding them all in manually. CardMunch even has a 1-tap follow-up feature that sends an email to your new contact with your info attached. Staying in touch couldn’t be easier! And since LinkedIn recently purchased CardMunch, it’s 100% free to use. So go download CardMunch and get all those business cards converted today!

2. RedLaser (Free)
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RedLaser is arguably the most accurate barcode & QR code reader available for mobile devices. This free iPhone application allows you to quickly do a number of things. The most obvious use is to scan an item’s barcode to get more information, pricing, and availability. This proves especially useful when shopping for high-priced items, as you can easily learn if it’s available elsewhere for less. Another great use is to scan multiple items in succession, then email the results off to yourself or someone else. This is a great way to remember what items you looked at while at the store and an amazingly easy way to send off a shopping list to whoever does the purchasing in your company.

RedLaser can also scan QR codes. As these becoming increasingly popular, the ability to quickly and accurately scan these codes on your phone becomes very important. With RedLaser, doing just that is incredibly simple. Put simply, this is an app that everybody should have on their iPhone!

3. JotNot Scanner Pro ($0.99)
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JotNot Scanner Pro turns your iPhone into a scanner. Simply snap one or more photos of a document and let the app process it into an easy to read PDF, which you can share via email, print via AirPrint, or save to Evernote, Dropbox, Google Docs, and more. For a little extra ($0.99 for 5) you can even send your scanned document via fax! The genius behind JotNot Scanner Pro is that you don’t have to carefully line up the photo. You can simply snap a quick shot at an angle, and then use the app to put it in the right perspective. It’s really something you need to see to understand how well it works!

The only thing that would make JotNot Scanner Pro better is some sort of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) so that we could edit documents after scanning them. Still, when you need to digitize a document quickly, JotNot Scanner Pro is a great way to go!

4. TeuxDeux ($2.99)
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TeuxDeux is beautiful in its simplicity. With a highly minimalistic interface, this app lets you keep track of your todo list. For those of us who don’t need tags, categories, and other advanced features, TeuxDeux is perfect. The iPhone app syncs up with its free web-based counterpart, allowing you to access your todo list just about anywhere. Additionally, you are able to access multiple accounts from the app – perfect for those who want to keep their work and play lists separate!

TeuxDeux’s minimal approach goes beyond the visual design. Moving tasks is as easy as a drag-and-drop, and completing them is as simple as a tap. If you didn’t get around to a task that was due today, it will automatically be moved forward, reminding you each day until you complete it. Since TeuxDeux’s web interface is free, you can try its approach to task management before you buy the iPhone app. Unless you require the advanced features other task managers offer, I’m quite confident you’ll find TeuxDeux’s simplicity and design a refreshing change of pace!

5. Localscope ($1.99)
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Localscope is the easiest way to find out what’s around you. With Localscope, you can quickly learn about what’s around you, find businesses, hear what people are saying nearby on Twitter, and more. Search Google, Bing, Foursquare, Twitter, and Wikimapia, all from one app. Localscope does all this in a beautiful and innovative way.

Imagine you are at a conference. With Localscope, you can search nearby Tweets to see what people are saying, look up nearby coffee shops on Foursquare to find a great place to meet with new connections, or find a great steakhouse for dinner on Google. At the end of the day, Localscope does not do anything another app couldn’t do. What it does do, however, is offer a refined interface to search locally faster and easier than ever before. That functionality is well worth the $1.99 asking price.

 

If there’s an app that you think deserves to be on this list, let us know in the comments! And be sure to tune in next week for 5 Underrated Business Apps for Android.

5 Underrated Business Apps for the iPad

Posted on by David
4

There are many popular business apps for the iPad – Evernote, Dropbox, and QuickOffice Connect to name a few. Chances are, you’ve heard of most of these. If not, definitely check them out now. Of course, these are just a few of the many, many apps available in the App Store. So, how do you find great new apps that haven’t made it onto the top 10 list, but are still worthy of a place on your iPad’s home screen? Let us help, with 5 handpicked underrated iPad apps for business productivity.

1. Dragon Dictation (Free)

This simple app allows you to do one thing, and do it quite well! With Dragon Dictation, you don’t have to deal with the iPad’s touch keyboard or haul around a Bluetooth keyboard. You simply speak, and Dragon Dictation takes care of the rest. Your spoken message is converted to text, where you can make any quick edits needed and e-mail it off to your work computer for the finishing touches.

The trick to the app’s high level of accuracy lies in its connection to Nuance’s servers. As such, you do need to be connected in order to make use of this app. That minor detail aside, once you start using it I’m sure you’ll find it hard to live without! Download Dragon Dictation for free.

2. ReadItLater ($4.99, universal)

ReadItLater allows you to save websites and articles for reading at a later date. There are a few ways to really take advantage of this app. Using a bookmark or browser extension on your computer, you are able to save articles to ReadItLater, which then get synced to your iPad. With a quick review before heading out, you can even save select articles for offline reading – a great way to stay productive while on a flight! Alternatively, you can make us of ReadItLater’s integration in other apps or via a bookmark in Mobile Safari to save articles for review on your desktop.

Any way you use it, ReadItLater is an essential tool for those who need to digest large amounts of reading material on a daily basis. Download ReadItLater from the App Store!

3. Popplet ($4.99, Free Lite Version)

Popplet is almost too new to be considered underrated, but I couldn’t ignore this great little app. Popplet is web service and iPad app that gives you a virtual “whiteboard” for organizing thoughts, brainstorming and mindmapping, planning projects, creating process charts and diagrams, and more all in a simple to use, collaborative environment. It’s fast, user friendly, and it looks good. While it’s still a fairly new service, it certainly has a lot of potential and will undoubtedly help you be more productive on the go.

Learn more about Popplet at their website and download the app here.

4. iTeleport: Jaadu VNC ($24.99)

iTeleport lets you access your computer from just about anywhere. Simply launch the app on your iPad when you’re connected to the internet and you’ll be able to actually control your computer right from the screen! iTeleport works with Macs and PCs, and has been designed specifically with the iPad’s touch interface in mind. With such instant and easy access to your computer, your iPad becomes much more powerful as a productivity tool.

In the world of App Store prices, $25 may seem like a lot, but the benefit that this app brings far outweighs the initial cost. Head on over to the app store and download iTeleport for yourself.

5. Air Display ($9.99)

The iPad is a great tool when you are out on the go, but how can you make it useful even when you’re at your desk in front of your primary computer? The answer is Air Display. Air Display lets you use your iPad as a wireless second monitor. The extra screen space allows you to constantly keep tabs on your inbox, to-do list, calendar, or whatever you choose to display, all while keeping your main desktop free of clutter! Not only that, but Air Display actually lets you take advantage of the iPad’s touch screen as a secondary input device as well.

Air Display works on both Mac & PC. Check out the requirements, learn more, and download the app today.

Is there an app that you think deserves to be on this list? Let us know in the comments!

The Extinction Of Computers As We Know Them

Posted on by David
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The only constant is flux.  Nowhere is this more true in today’s world than in mobile technology.  Recently, Motorola released the Atrix 4G phone.  A unique and widely promoted feature of the Atrix is its new “docking” system. This system sows the seeds for yet another paradigm shift in the mobile world.  As if the iPad wasn’t enough.

Imagine this:

The alarm on your phone wakes you up for work.  You jump into the shower and have your phone read aloud the contents of your new email while you bask in the warm water.  You know which emails you can knock out with 140 characters or less.  Your list of 30 emails dwindles to 15 by the time you finish your commute to the office.

In the office, you dock your phone to the peripherals.  Using just one cable, perhaps utilizing Intel’s Light Peak technology, you are able to dock your phone to your office monitor, keyboard, and mouse.  All the apps you need for work are there.  Email, calendar, docs, tasks, notes, file browser, online storage, and more – readily accessible on the device you already carry with you every day.

While working on a new proposal, you get a phone call from your client.  Your screen informs you who it is, and you accept.  While on the call, you are able to refer to files relating to the client, make notes, schedule meetings, and more.  When you are finished, you disconnect, and your previous workspace is restored, exactly as it was prior to the call.

At the end of the workday, you undock your device, put it in your pocket, and go home.

You check email once more before you go to bed.  Instead of pecking at the virtual keyboard on the phone, you dock your phone to your monitor, keyboard and mouse at home.  After responding to an email or two, you undock the phone and head to bed.

You get the idea.

With this paradigm shift, the phone has replaced the laptop.  You have a palm-sized device with multiple CPUs, adequate graphics prowess, robust storage, unlimited entertainment and productivity apps, and the ability to conveniently dock to any set of peripherals, anywhere you are.

It is simply a matter of time before your “pocket computer” becomes your only computer.