I've been putting off a replacement mobile phone to see what happens to Palm, and now it's clear that my next handset will be an Android or iPhone. While one particular Android phone is my top choice, I'm concerned about synchronizing my TM data. Is it correct that the only way to sync with an Android phone is unidirectionally from TM to Google to the phone, and that I cannot use the phone to create new data in TM? Despite preferring a specific phone that is built on Android, it's beginning to look like simply syncing bi-directionally from TM to Outlook through iTunes to the phone might be a more robust solution.
What is the opinion of those who have already navigated these waters? (MS Exchange will not be a resource.)
Joseph Nierenberg Nierenberg Employment Law, PLLC Consulting – Litigation – Training Minneapolis, Minnesota www.nierenberg.com
Joe, I suggest you talk with Jim Viola, a CIC with Precedent Solutions - 800.421.4964 - http://bit.ly - about Hosted Exchange. That gives you Over the Air sync without the hassle of running your own MS Exchange server.
Another good option is to sync Time Matters with MS Outlook and Outlook with your Android phone using one of a number of methods. I don't yet have direct experience with sync that but believe others are happy with it.
For more in synchronizing smartphones and Time Matters, see:http://www.activepractice.com/1234tips/smartphones-and-time-matters-update.html
Wells Anderson, JD, CIC / Moderator800.575.0007 - Edina, MN - © 2012 www.activepractice.comFree Time Matters Webinars monthly on the second Friday
In looking for a phone to sync with TM, has anyone tried the program "The Missing Sync" from Markspace? The site is http://www.markspace.com/products/missing-sync-family.html. It looks like it is just a wireless sync from Outlook to the phone, using wifi or bluetooth but would not require me to put all of my information on "the cloud."
Steven Balaban Attorney At Law 418 East Rosser Avenue, Suite 102 Bismarck, ND 58501
You might take a look at www.memotoo.com. If you have a supported email client on your computer it can sync to a number of phones including Android and iPhone. It would be a three step process, sync TM to you email client then your email client to Memotoo and then your phone to memotoo. No MS Exchange required.
Edward S. McGlone | Edward McGlone Law Offices | 503-486-7048 | emcglonelaw.com | Governmentlitigaionblog.com
Here's an update for those with similar concerns:
I purchased an HTC Evo, which is built on Android. I'll probably keep it, but it's going through a 30 day evaluation, during which I'll compare it to what I expect will be a new iPhone coming this month. HTC has a bidirectional sync for calendars and contacts from Outlook. (There is also a well-used bidirectional third party sync not only for calendars and contacts, but also for tasks from Outlook to the phone.) The sync from TM to OL worked well; and the sync from OL to the phone worked well. So all seems fine, without an Exchange server.
Except maybe one thing, which doesn't matter so much to me but it might to others. The data from TM is all compiled on the phone in a calendar called "PC Sync." But that calendar does not sync with Google's cloud apps. Google sees a different calendar on my phone, which was created automagically to mirror Google and is empty.
Summary: Android works fine with TM data, although there's a hiccup on the calendar if you use the cloud. (But the jury's still out on how this new Android phone compares with the forthcoming new iPhone.)
Run, don't walk, to Verizon and pickup a Droid and then download Touchdown to sync with Exchange.
My friends who have IPhones have apps for everything exept for one thing: They can never answer the phone without sounding like they are in a cave right before jumping into the abyss. That is when the call drops on their end. Love the Droid.
Mark Deal (CIC/Moderator)Document & Data Solutions, LLCTMTools, LLCAtlanta, Georgiahttp://www.docsol.commdeal@docsol.com(770) 888-1940Time Matters | HotDocs | PCLaw | TMTools | DDSLink | Worldox
I am a little confused here, so please forgive my misunderstanding. It seems that Joseph is speaking about a non-Exchange solution, I would guess synching by usb? The alternative proposed by Mark seems to be using Exchange, either hosted or your own, and adding Touchdown? I am on Verizon and I am looking to get the HTC Droid Incredible, and synch to TM10 either directly or via hosted Exchange. It seems that Joseph's solution is similar to the wired sync that I presently do with my Palm Centro, although through Outlook rather than directly. What does Touchdown add to a hosted Exchange? Doesn't TM synch directly to a hosted Exchange and then directly to the Droid? I am trying to determine pros and cons of each method, and any other information would be greatly helpful.
There is no sync to the phones anymore unless you want to consider the Blackberry sync to be a good solution. (I despise it!)
The old Palm Sync was unbelievably good, but I don't think that is very common anymore with the demise of the Treo.
The Droid has built in connectivity to Exchange, but Touchdown is like that app on steroids and is much easier to use. For $19.95, it rocks.
Love the droid, and the GPS uses Google Navigation. It is unbelievable! Imagine arriving at your destination and seeing an image of your location on the device.
Love the Droid.
I looked at Blackberry and it was not what I wanted. The wired sync to the HTC branded Droid phones is called "HTC Sync", and from what I can see from the HTC website, involves a TM sync to Outlook and then a usb sync from Outlook to the phone. Not sure if it is one or two way. With the cheap price of hosted Exchange, it seems like Hosted Exchange is the way to go, as long as it is secure. There is nothing like the security of a usb sync, even if it is old school. As long as you dont lose your phone, of course. From the Touchdown website, it looks like it even has a remote wipe feature.
My rant, of course, is that I cannot place my contact and calendar information onto Google and rely on them to maintain my attorney/client privilege - I consider even phone numbers and addresses to be privileged. I have seen where Google shuts down the account, and the phone goes blank as Google is the information source, and Google doesn't have the best track record for privacy. A subpoena to Google from the Feds will compromise the entire database, under my paranoid thoughts, but I practice criminal defense so it goes with the territory.
Steve is correct about my having looked for a solution that does not include Exchange. In the time since my last post, I've confirmed or learned that the sync through OL goes perfectly well. Yes, Steve, it is with a USB cable (the same cable that can hook the phone to a laptop and act as a modem without a separate plan, which will be especially nice as Sprint continues to roll out 4G). The issue with the calendars (noted above) is apparently by design, but it only matters if you sync with the cloud (though I think the iPhone has figured out how to do both, i.e., sync with OL and also Google in the same calendar); it's working just fine for me as is. Mark can correct or confirm this, but I think that the Touchdown sync carries Tasks over, as well as Contacts and Calendar; if not, CompanionLink has a little app that will sync all three types of data between an Android device and Outlook or Exchange. The bottom line appears to be this: pretty much everything works with either Outlook or Exchange; pretty much everything will sync Contacts and Calendar; but only some paid apps will sync Tasks. And nothing at present will sync directly between TM and the current generation of smartphones.