It’s no secret that Android is an increasingly popular platform. In fact, over 700,000 new Android devices are activated daily! Many of these are from people who are switching to Android from Blackberry, iOS, or webOS. If you’re on of them, then this “Quick Start Guide” is for you. It is designed to give you a quick overview of the Android platform, and then point you in the right direction for learning more! So, what are you waiting for? Read on to get started… Continue reading
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:
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!
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:
Note: Due to the way USB currently connects to the Kindle Fire, you’ll need to follow a specific pattern to begin the 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.
DejaOffice 1.12.5 just hit the Android Market and we’ve added some great new features to both DejaCalendar and DejaContacts. We’ve also fixed some pesky bugs, which you can read about after the break. Let’s look at what’s new…
DejaCalendar
We’ve brought two great new features to DejaCalendar. If you don’t use DejaCalendar to plan weekend events, then our new 5-day week view is for you. By trimming the weekends, we have more space to display the details of your current work week. We’ve also made rearranging your schedule significantly easier. To move an event to a new date or time, simply tap and hold the event in day or week view, then drag it to your desired date and time. Try it out for yourself – it’s really easy!
DejaContacts
In addition to the calendar enhancements, we wanted to make adding contacts even easier. So we added the ability to send and receive vCards to DejaContacts. If you haven’t heard of a vCard before, think of it as a digital business card. You can simply email or text your contact information in a format that many contact applications are able to read. Sharing your information or adding contact details for a new client is now fast and easy with vCard support in DejaOffice.
If you’d like to start using these great new features, just head over to the Android Market to download DejaOffice 1.12.5 today! Continue reading
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: 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!
If you’re new to CompanionLink, you’ve probably noticed several references to DejaOffice by now. In fact, you may be wondering what exactly DejaOffice is. Well, I’m glad you asked.
In short, DejaOffice is our free Android and iOS app that helps you get the most out of your data when syncing with CompanionLink! But it’s actually a lot more than that. Instead of reading through a long post describing the app, however, why not sit back and discover DejaOffice in just 90 seconds:
It’s not all that uncommon anymore to have a both a smartphone and a tablet. We’re integrating these powerful mobile devices into our everyday workflow, and we need them to stay in sync. To help you keep up to date on all your devices, we created the “Profiles” feature, now found in CompanionLink Express and Professional 5.
Profiles allow you to create unique sync settings for all of your different devices. In CompanionLink Express 5, you can create 2 Profiles; in CompanionLink Professional 5, you can create 5. Creating a Profile is easy – just click the Profiles button in the upper right corner of CompanionLink and select “Manage Profiles.” From there, you can add a new Profile, name it, and customize the sync settings.
Whenever you want to switch profiles, just click the Profiles button, then select your desired Profile. CompanionLink will automatically adjust your configuration to match the settings you entered when creating that profile.
Profiles make managing multiple devices easy and efficient. They’re perfect for those of us with a smartphone and a tablet. If you’d like to start using Profiles, but don’t own CompanionLink Express or Professional 5, you can upgrade or download a free trial today!
Confused about how Android Contacts and Accounts work? We’ve created an infographic that helps explain the chaos!
Update: Now that Motorola’s DROID RAZR and Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus (featuring the next generation of Android – Ice Cream Sandwich) have been announced, this infographic is even more relevant. These two phones are sure to draw many users over to Android for the first time!
Coming to Android from a “feature phone,” a BlackBerry, or even iOS, there are a number of new features to get used to. One aspect that we’ve seen a lot of uncertainty about is exactly how Contacts work on Android.
As such, we’ve created an infographic to help visualize how Android Contacts work and hopefully eliminate some of the confusion. Check it out below:
(Click the graphic for a larger version)
Some users have reported seeing the following error message display in CompanionLink when attempting to sync with Google:
“Unable to access Google Calendar. Please create a record in Google Calendar first, then try again.”
If you are seeing this message, and have already created at least one event in your Google Calendar, please do the following to resolve the issue:
For Google hosted domain users:
1. Visit the following webpage in your browser:
https://www.google.com/a/<your domain name>/UnlockCaptcha
2. Enter your Google username and password (the same as the email and password you entered in CompanionLink), then solve the captcha and unlock.
3. Reattempt a sync.
For non-hosted domain users:
1. Visit the following webpage in your browser:
https://www.google.com/accounts/DisplayUnlockCaptcha
2. Enter your Google email address and password (the same as the email and password you entered in CompanionLink), then solve the captcha and unlock.
3. Reattempt a sync.
When it comes to syncing your mobile phone, some of the options available can be confusing. To help you navigate through the various options, I wanted to answer a common question we get from users trying our software:
“What’s the difference between Google Sync and your Secure Hosted Wireless Sync?”
While they accomplish similar tasks, there are actually quite a few differences. Google Sync allows you to keep your Gmail, contacts, and calendars synced wirelessly and instantly between your mobile device and Google’s servers. When used with CompanionLink, it is possible to sync data from Outlook, ACT!, and more to Google. Google Sync can then sync contacts & calendars to you mobile devices. Google Sync is free to use, and it works well for users who want a simple sync.
Secure Hosted Wireless, on the other hand, allows you to sync contacts and calendars, as well as tasks and memos, directly between your mobile device and your PC. One unique advantage to Secure Hosted Wireless is that we do not actually host your data online like Google. Additionally, we protect your data with AES-256 bit encryption. This alleviates potential security issues, which can be a big concern for business users. Since Secure Hosted Wireless sync is built to work directly with CompanionLink and DejaOffice on your mobile device, we are able to provide you with more advanced control over your data, as well as end-to-end support. Secure Hosted Wireless is $9.95/month and it works well for users who need a more secure, advanced wireless sync.
If you have any questions about the differences between these two sync options, let us know in the comments!
We’ve talked about dealing with duplicates before on the blog, but today I wanted to share with you a video we just published on the topic. In this quick video, we’ll show you step-by-step how to remove duplicates using CompanionLink – and how to avoid them in the first place!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2ma4IMcrJc]
Keep an eye on our YouTube channel for more great videos coming soon, like Sync 101 and How DejaOffice Interacts With Native Databases!
This post will help you understand the differences between the four sync methods that CompanionLink offers you: Direct USB Sync, Local WiFi Sync, Secure Hosted Wireless Sync, and Sync via Google. Below, I’ll explain each one to help you find the best sync method for your setup.
Direct USB Sync
This method synchronizes your data via USB cable. It’s the plain “old-fashioned” method that HotSync provided in the old days. Data is directly transferred to and from your device without the need of any cloud or hosted services. USB sync is recommended if:
Simply dock your phone to your PC and sync.
Works with: Android, BlackBerry, and webOS devices
*Syncs via Outlook/iTunes
Local WiFi Sync
This method uses your local WiFi network to securely sync information from your PC directly to DejaOffice on your device. Both your PC and device must be connected to the same WiFi internet connection. Local WiFi Sync will then detect when you are within range of your local WiFi network and sync in the background, hands-free!* WiFi Sync is your best choice if:
Set it up once, then enjoy the convenience of a wireless sync.
Works with: Android, iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices
*Automatic sync is currently Android-only. iOS users must initiate the sync on the PC.
Secure Hosted Sync
Secure Hosted Sync is our most robust and reliable sync option. CompanionLink will sync your data securely to your device using AES-256 bit encryption. Most importantly, we do not host your data, meaning users who are concerned about security and hosting data online now have a convenient wireless sync option, all for just $9.95 per month! Secure Hosted Sync is recommended if:
Secure Hosted Sync works in conjunction with our free Android and iOS app, DejaOffice (or DejaLink for BlackBerry users).
Works with: Android, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and BlackBerry devices
*Currently Android-only. Coming soon on iOS, as well as for Zoho and SugarCRM.
Sync via Google
Sync via Google allows you to sync contacts, calendar and tasks from your PC to any Google, Gmail, or Google Apps account. Once your PC data has been synced to a Google account, Google provides wireless sync with most smartphone and tablet platforms. Sync via Google is best if:
For more information on how to sync your device with your Google account, visit google.com/sync.
Works with: Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and webOS devices
*Google imposes certain limitations on the type of data we can sync. As such, we do not recommend Sync via Google for those with more complex databases.