Syncing Multiple Google Calendars on the BlackBerry PlayBook

One of the nice things about Google Calendar is the ability to have multiple calendars. I have three:

1. My calendar is the main calendar, telling me where I am supposed to be. 
2. My wife's calendar lets me know about her commitments. Knowing where she will be at any given time is important information for me to have.
3. An "FYI" calendar lets me know about events which may be of interest or may impact decisions I will make.

Being able to overlay those calendars, or isolate them, allows me to see the bigger picture or zero in on any of the three areas. Having those multiple calendars sync across all of my devices is important.

My phone of choice is an Android. The day I purchased it and logged into Gmail, all three of my Google Calendars appeared and have synced beautifully ever since.

When RIM released the PlayBook 2.0 software update featuring a native calendar, I synced it with my Google Calendar. I wrote about that process in this post. Since I did run into a snag and then found a solution, the post explained both what I did wrong (though it seemed logical to me at the time) along with what I did to get the sync happening.

When in my home office, I rely on the Google Calendar on my desktop computer. When I am anywhere else, I rely on my phone's calendar. I rarely refer to the PlayBook's calendar, and therefore just realized only one of my Google Calendars (the main) one was syncing. 

If it's just as easy to have something working 100% as not, I figured a Google search would probably reveal someone else who had the same problem and someone who found a solution. (That last sentence reminds me of a recent post I wrote.) I was correct. After throwing some search terms into Google, in less than 30 seconds, an article exactly on-point on the screen.

In "How to Sync Multiple Gmail Calendars on Your BlackBerry PlayBook," Kerri Neill explains step-by-step what to do. Rather than repeat the directions here, I invite you to read her thoughtful post at the link provided.

The only part of the instructions that caused me a little pause came towards the end: "Once you see a message saying all settings have changed, you can reset your browser settings and you're all set!" I was a little unsure what "resetting my browser settings meant." So, I tried the following steps:

1. I returned to the screen where I had changed "false" to "true" and changed the URL back to "false."
2. In my browser, I selected Tools > Options > Content and enabled Javascript by checking the box. 

On the PlayBook, I refreshed the calendar. Instantly, the additional two calendars appeared at the top of the screen. Within a few minutes, the appointments assigned to those additional two calendars appeared on the PlayBook.

I realize this post is applicable only to a specific subset of readers, those whose tablet is a PlayBook and need to sync multiple Google Calendars. However, for that subset of readers, the instructions I reference may make a huge difference.

How Did They Do That? The BlackBerry Super Bowl Commercial

I was a BlackBerry user for 5 years before moving to my Android. Therefore, I have been watching with interest the development of BlackBerry 10. The series of delays was a large part of the reason I migrated from the BlackBerry to my current smartphone.

From everything I have read and from all of the videos which have been released, the new device looks good. The problem I see is that the new features, while new for the BlackBerry, are not new in the world of smartphones.It's a case of too little too late. The one exception is the camera. Showing you easier that trying to tell you, so here it is...




In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, I heard lots of buzz about a commercial BlackBerry would unveil. The hype included references to the Super Bowl commercial that introduced the Macintosh computer back in 1984. Here is the commercial which aired during the game between the Ravens and the 49ers:




Frankly, I was disappointed. The opportunity was there to demonstrate features which would show BlackBerry 10 to be in the same league with Apple and Google. The opportunity was there to "wow" consumers with a camera that would mean you would never again take a bad picture. Instead, the spot consisted of cute trickery.

While I was disappointed with the commercial, I did wonder how they pulled off some of the tricks. This clip shows how each element was staged.





After seeing how the creators of the spot did what they did, the commercial was a bit more enjoyable.

What did you think of the spot? Was it a winner for BlackBerry?

Poynt: Pair Your BlackBery and PlayBook

Poynt is one of the BlackBerry "Super Apps." I first wrote about it here. Later, I wrote about it and other Super Apps in this post.

When RIM introduced the PlayBook, Poynt was one of the apps available very early for the device. This video shows how you can add an additional feature by "pairing" Poynt on the tablet with Poynt on the handheld.




I see two great uses for the pairing capabilities. First is the ability to find a find a restaurant, movie, or other establishment on the PlayBook and have it enter the information for it on your Blackberry's calendar. The second is the ability to find a business on the Playbook through Poynt and have the Blackberry handheld place the call.

If you have either device, Poynt is a must-have app. Download it today for both devices. After that, download Poynt and perform the one-time pairing. Poynt is free for both devices.

My Favorite Apps for the Blackberry and PlayBook

I have written from time to time about apps I use regularly on my BlackBerry and PlayBook. I decided to combine those posts, along with new content, and make it available in one place. The result is this e-book free for you to download.

RIM is often criticized for the lack of apps compared with the iPhone and Android. That being said, there are some great apps available for the BlackBerry, and many are free.

Click the cover below to download My Favorite Apps for the Blackberry and PlayBook.

Making Photo Albums on the BlackBerry PlayBook

My PlayBook has a great camera and taking pictures is easy. This post addresses two points any user would eventually have:

1. What is the easiest way to transfer pictures from my PlayBook to my desktop computer?
2. How can I organize photographs on my PlayBook?

I had been using my USB cable to "sync" PlayBook pictures with a folder on my computer. Organizing the pictures on the PlayBook into "albums" was something, however, which alluded me. After doing a search, I found others had the same question. Here is an option that is easy, gives me a better way to get pictures onto the PlayBook, and at the same times gives me a simple way to create albums on the PlayBook. This method does assume the PlayBook and the computer are both attached to the same Wi-Fi.

• On the PlayBook go to "Storage & Settings." Turn on "File Sharing." Turn on "Wi-Fi Sharing."

• On the computer, go to "Start."
• In the "Search files and programs" line on your computer, enter your PlayBook's IP address. To find this address, from the PlayBook's home screen, swip down to reveal the settings menus. Go to "Wi-Fi." Click on the "?" in the lower left corner. Under "Diagnostic Information," go to "Internet Connection." The "IP Address" is what you will use. Begin with "\\" making what you enter look something like: \\123.1.1.1

• The window you will see includes a file called "media." Open it. 

• If prompted for a username and password, the username can be found by going to your PlayBook's "Storage & Sharing" and then to "Network Identification." The username that you will supply is the username diplayed here. 
• If prompted for a password, you will also supply whatever password you used in the "Password Protect" line on the "Storage & Sharing Screen." 

• Open the "photos" folder and and create folders as needed within it. The folder names will correspond to the albums you wish to create.
• Drag photos into the photos folder as desired.
• You will probably also see photos in the "camera" folder which you wish to move to your newly-created album folders.Simply open a separate window and drag them over. 
• You can rename photos, delete photos, and drag additional photos into or out of the folders you create.
• Your results will appear on your PlayBook. Here are several albums I just created.

This technique makes transferring pictures from the PlayBook to the computer quick and easy. Creating albums is effortless.

I now have organized sets of pictures on my PlayBook. Plugging the micro-HDMI cable into a TV, any photo album can be displayed as a full-screen slideshow on the TV.

Using "Application Shortcuts"

One little trick can often mean a huge difference in productivity, and this post attempts to offer just that for BlackBerry users. In short, we are going to change one menu setting from "Universal Search" to "Application Shortcuts." To make this change:

1. Click the "menu" button (the one which has the BlackBerry logo on it).
2. Choose "Options" from the menu which displays.
3. You will now see a drop-down menu which has two choices in it: Universal Search and Application Shortcuts. Change the setting to "Application Shortcuts" and save. That's it!

Why Do We Make This Change?
 With Application Shortcuts enabled, you are able to access a number of apps with the touch of one key:

• L opens the Calendar
• T opens Tasks
• A opens Contacts
• D opens Memo Pad
• M opens Messages
• C composes a message
• N opens BlackBerry Messenger
• B opens the Browser
• U opens the Calculator
• K will lock the keyboard
• O opens Options

Anytime I want to look at my tasks, pressing "T" brings up the list. Just think how much easier that is as opposed to scrolling to it! Note that all of these shortcuts work when you are on the Home screen. So, if you are looking at your Calendar and want to switch to your Task list, first you will escape out of the Calendar so you are back at the Home screen.

How did I know what shortcuts were available? How can you remember this list of shortcuts? Once you set your menu to "Application Shortcuts," you will notice that when you scroll over various icons, not only will you see the name of the icon display, but many of them have a letter underlined. The underlined letter is the keyboard shortcut.

So Do I Lose Universal Search?
You can have your cake and eat it to. There is one more shortcut to learn. "S" takes you to Universal Search. Here you can enter a keyword and the BlackBerry will find it in any of the core apps on your BlackBerry.

Do These Instructions Vary From One Model to the Next?
The instructions I have given are for BlackBerry OS6 and OS7. If you are running OS5 or earlier, you have a similar technique. Instead of changing Universal Search to Application Shortcuts, you are going to turn off "Dial From Home Screen":

1. Go to "Options" (the icon which resembles a wrench).
2. Choose "Phone Options."
3. Choose "General Options."
4. On the next screen, look for "Dial From Home Screen." Change the setting to "No" and save.

The shortcuts listed above will now work with your phone.

The application shortcuts are not available on the Pearl (where a single key represents more than one letter of the alphabet).

One small change can make a huge difference. In my opinion, switching to Application Shortcuts is the #1 BlackBerry productivity tip.

What is your favorite productivity tip for your smartphone?

What's a "Super App"?

The BlackBerry receives its share of criticism for lack of apps. With over 500,000 apps available for the iPhone, 400,000 available for Android, the 60,000 available in BlackBerry App World pales by comparison. Of course, when you take into account the amount of duplication, the difference grows smaller. Taking into account sources stating that 26% of downloaded apps are used only once, the difference grows smaller still.

With any platform, you find apps whose names continue to be mentioned again and again. They appear on every list of the "must-have" apps. With the BlackBerry, popularity is not what makes something a "Super App."

The primary characteristic of a "Super App" is the way it integrates with native BlackBerry apps, such as the Calendar. This post covers three Super Apps which make my life easier.

BlackBerry Travel
If you do much travel, and especially if it involves flying the friendly skies, BlackBerry Travel is huge. To illustrate, I place a call to a hotel to book a stay. That's it...one phone call, and then I hang up and do nothing else. In a few minutes, I received an e-mail not only from the hotel, but also an e-mail from BlackBerry Travel reviewing all of the details (type of room, confirmation number, room rate, check-in and checkout times, etc,). Most of all, the BlackBerry Travel App went into my calendar and entered the hotel stay on each day along with creating a name for the trip itself (which I could edit).

A link in the note section of each entry opened all of the details about the hotel stay or a birds-eye view of the trip as a whole. I could see flight arrangement and rental car arrangement that I had either made, or notification that there were none associated with that trip. I can make those additional arrangement from inside the BlackBerry Travel app. I also saw all of my LinkedIn connections who live in the area to which I was traveling.

When a flight has been delayed, BlackBerry Travel notifies me by e-mail. When it's time to check-in, I get a reminder from BlackBerry Travel along with a link that takes me straight to check-in.

Certainly, I am capable of entering this trip information on my calendar myself and making sure I have a hotel room for each day between my flight's arrival and departure. I could also sign up for an alert from the airline for each flight. But when this app does it all for me, life becomes easier.

What makes BlackBerry Travel a "Super App" is the way it interacted with my calendar and my LinkedIn account. By the way, it's free.



BlackBerry Traffic

In short, BlackBerry Traffic is a GPS. It interacts with the GPS location on the BlackBerry to determine the starting point. It will interact with e-mail to send a pre-formatted message announcing your expected arrival time and the address to which you are headed to anyone you wish.

The app will search for nearby gas, food, etc. and even telephone your selection with one touch. While we have all paid well over $100 for a GPS, not to mention charges for updates, BlackBerry Traffic is free. Again, the interaction with your email and the BlackBerry's GPS location makes this application a "Super App."

Poynt

When you open Poynt, you first see the current temperature at your GPS location. The program will allow you to find people, businesses, gas, food, movies, or events. With movies, for example, you can start by searching for movies or for theaters. Either way, you wind up with the ability to view trailers, buy tickets, and get directions to your location. When you decide when and where you want to go for your movie, Poynt will put that information on your calendar.

The "People" section will allow you to input a name, address, or phone number. No matter which of the three you choose, you are given the other two pieces of information together with how far they are from you. Mapping the location is also easily done.

The ability to interact with your GPS location, place information on your calendar, and interact with your phone makes this application a "Super App." Poynt is free.

For information on other BlackBerry "Super Apps," read this information related to the following Super Apps (all of which are free):

• AccuWeather-Get local weather for your GPS location, weather anywhere in the world, daily forecasts in your e-mail, and forecast for each day on your calendar.
• ScoreMobile-Put a team schedule of your choice in your calendar. Get scores and notification of game start times.
• Pageonce-Syncs online banking, bills and travel accounts. In general, the program puts all of your personal finances in one place.
• eBay-Places reminders on your calendar of when bids of interest are closing and receive alerts when another bid has been placed.
• 1-800-Flowers Mobile-Allows you to order flowers for special occasions, checks your calendar for special occasions and alerts you. The app also integrates with your address book.
• Foursquare-Alerts you when friends are nearby and allows you to get recommendations on what to order at restaurants.
• Urbanspoon-Suggests a restaurant in your location. You can narrow to certain cuisine, price range, or neighborhood.

If you already use any of the Super Apps, I would welcome your comments on what you think about them. If you try one based on what you read here, let me know about it.

Email++

I have been extremely happy with an app for my BlackBerry called "Email++." It does not replace the native BlackBerry email app, but adds additional functionality. The email experience on any handheld pales in comparison to working on your desktop with Outlook, but this app does help to close the gap.

Turn Emails into Tasks, Appointments, or Memos
Those who have heard me talk about getting information from email messages into your Outlook task list or calendar through "drag and drop" know what a valuable tool this is. Email++ has that same capability.

When are You Available?
Think of how many times someone emails trying to set a date and time for a meeting or appointment with you and wants to know when you are free. Supplying this information, particularly if you are working from your phone, can be a real research project. You wind up scrolling through your calendar, jotting down available blocks of time on paper, and then going back to the email to transfer what you had written on the paper.

With Email++ , while reading the email which asks about your availability, you simply scroll to the top of the message, click a icon on the upper right corner, and choose "Availability." Choose a date (it defaults to the current day) and select whether you are interested in the availability for that day or that week. Your results display on the screen along with a button to click which copies those results. Now, click to reply to the email and paste the results into the body of the message.

The programs setting allow you to define when your "work time" is, so that the program doesn't say you are available at 2:00 A.M. or on Saturday morning. You get to choose the earliest and latest times you allow for availability and the days of the week on which you work. That setting only needs to happen one time. Email++ takes it from there.

Where Am I?
The same icon which let you choose you availability will also let you find your location. Clicking the "My Location" button provides an option for your results to be your GPS location (if you are outdoors) or the location of the nearest tower. With one button, you can copy those results as well as paste them into an email message.

Auto-Preview
As email comes rolling in, you see an auto-preview, just like you see on Outlook. This feature is handy for those times you are expecting a particularly important email. Just as with Outlook, you can turn off this feature if you wish.

How Much Is It and Where Do I Get It?
At $4.99 (or $2.99 if you catch it on sale) this app is a steal. You can even try it for free. Read more here.You can download it here at BlackBerry App World.

Commercials for BlackBery PlayBook 2.0

Last week, BlackBerry released a major software upgrade. Included are native Calendar, Contacts, and E-Mail. Previously, these functions were available on the PlayBook via the BlackBerry Bridge. If you were a BlackBerry user, the PlayBook read these items from your smartphone via a Bluetooth connection.

Having the native Calendar, Contacts, and E-Mail makes the PlayBook more attractive to non-BlackBerry users. The Playbook's ability to integrate Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin information into Contacts is a plus.

Also being released is a new BlackBerry Bridge allowing the user to control the PlayBook with the BlackBerry smartphone. This feature is especially helpful for someone presenting using their PlayBook connected to a large monitor.

Below are two videos which spotlight the new features. The concepts illustrated go by quickly. Once you have a chance to work hands-on with them, you better understand what is happening in them.

Syncing Contacts to BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0

Tuesday's post talked about my method for syncing my Outlook Calendar with the new native Calendar in the BlackBerry PlayBook. It uses Google Calendar Sync as an intermediary. The remaining challenge was to sync my Outlook Contacts with the new native Contacts on the PlayBook.

As I read other material on the Internet, I found that syncing Calendar and Contacts was a major question for many people. Google Calendar Sync seemed to be the popular answer.

During the process, I learned about a free program called "Contacts Sync" which syncs Outlook Contacts with Google Contacts. When you add your Gmail account on your PlayBook, as outlined in Tuesday's post, the Google Contacts then populates the native Contacts on the PlayBook..

I would suggest reading this post which explains the concept. You can then download the Contacts Sync program from here. The download page to which you are taken does not look like much, but it works.

 

The native Contacts on the PlayBook combine all of my Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin data with my Outlook Contacts. Each person has one record which displays all of the information I have on them from each of those four sources. 

I had to ask myself, "Do I really want to have every single Facebook friend in my Outlook Contacts?" The answer is "No." So, very importantly, I set Contacts Sync to "Synchronize Outlook Contacts to Gmail." This means that my Outlook Contacts populate Google Contacts. Anything I add to my Outlook Contacts will be added to Google Contacts and therefore to the PlayBook. If I add a new FaceBook friend, it is automatically added to the PlayBook native Contacts. It does not, however, add anything to my Outlook Contacts.

I enjoy seeing that integrated record on my PlayBook. At the same time, I have my Outlook Contacts which contain only the people which whom I have more regular interaction and want to have their phone numbers and email addresses. Those Contacts are also available to me on my BlackBerry, and can be viewed on the PlayBook through BlackBerry Bridge. 

So far, I have seen no problems with my setup. I would welcome comments, observations, and strategies from others who are working through these same issues.

Syncing Outlook Calendar to New BlackBerry PlayBook Calendar

This post is intended for readers who own a BlackBerry Playbook, keep their calendar on Outlook, and wish to view their Outlook calendar on the new native PlayBook calendar released today.

Today, RIM released the BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 software update. I downloaded the update with no problems. It is large (410MB) and took 55 minutes to download and install.

I found that the Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Memos I had always viewed via BlackBerry Bridge were still there. The new native Calendar (along with native Contacts and native Email) are designed so that non-BlackBerry users will have a more successful experience with the PlayBook. In addition, the Calendar is an improvement over the Bridge Calendar.

While setting up the native E-Mail to check my various e-mail accounts was successful, transferring the calendar information associated with them was not. A call to BlackBerry Tech Support revealed that the calendar had to be in the cloud to sync with the native Calendar. This calendar was not going to read the BlackBerry handheld Calendar, nor was it going to communicate with the BlackBerry Bridge Calendar.

I found a workaround.

Google Calendar Sync
First, I already had a Google account (as most of us do) and for several years have been syncing my Outlook Calendar with a Google Calendar through a free piece of software known as Google Calendar Sync. I share my Google Calendar with my wife so that she can see all appointments and all details associated with them with out having to open my Outlook Calendar or look at my BlackBerry. I offer Google Calendar Sync as the easy solution for school principals who want their administrative assistants to be able to view their calendar with the option to make changes if desired.

Setting Up Native E-mail, Calendar, Contacts

Here are the steps for getting your Outlook Calendar (which is synced to Google Calendar) to show up on the new Native PlayBook Calendar:

Boot the PlayBook. Tap the icon for the  Native Calendar.

Swipe down from the top of the bezel.

Tap on "Settings."

Tap "Calendar Preferences."

Tap "Account Configuration" at the bottom of the screen.

Tap "Email, Calendar and Contacts"

Here Comes the Important Part
You could have probably gotten this far on your own. If you are one of the people updating to the 2.0 software today, I hope you are at least finding these diagrams helpful in terms of how easy the task in from of you really is.

When I got to this point, I started entering each of my e-mail accounts. I entered the username and password. The result was that the native Email pulled my messages. What did not happen, however was any Calendar or Contact information showing up on the Playbook.

Here is what I should have done when it came time to enter my Gmail account:
Instead of entering my Gmail address, I should have tapped on "Advanced Setup."

Tap on "Advanced Setup."

Now you see an icon specifically for Gmail. This is the magic bullet. If instead of tapping "Advanced Setup" on the last screen, I had simply entered my Gmail address and password, I would get my Gmail messages, but nothing else.

Tap "Gmail."

Enter your Gmail Account information.

 Once you have completed the information on this screen, your Outlook calendar (which you already synched to your Google Calendar) will now display on the native PlayBook Calendar.

What Else Displays (or Does Not) Display?
During this process, you saw menu options for Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Those are straightforward. In your contacts, you will see all of your Facebook friends, people you follow on Twitter, and your LinkedIn connections. The native Calendar interacts with the native Contacts to the extent that it will show on the side of your calendar any Facebook friends who have a birthday today. There may be, and probably are, other things I have not discovered yet.

There is one hole left for me, and that is having my Outlook Contacts displaying on the native Contacts. Right now, my Outlook Contacts display on Outlook, my BlackBerry, and on the PlayBook's Bridge Contacts, but not on the native Contacts. So, I really have two address books, One has phone numbers, addresses, email, etc. The other has social media info. That's not the worst thing in the world, but I am certain open to suggestions for merging the two.

My next option is to do a little more research on Google Sync. That would sync my BlackBerry Calendar and Contacts with Google, rather than my Outlook Calendar with Google. But that's another project for another day. My aim right now is to get this information posted ASAP so that others may benefit from my trial and error.

A Look at the BlackBerry Bold Touch

BlackBerry Bold Touch (9900 and 9930) are two of the latest BlackBerry releases. I like having a full keyboard, but the idea of being able to open applications by touching them on the screen, swiping, enlarging by pinching, etc. is also appealing.

The Bold Touch combines both. Unlike the Torch, your keyboard is always available without having to slide part of the device to get to it.

This video is about 12 minutes long, and discusses the new features in OS7 and the "touch" feature.

For those who are using OS7, what are your thoughts?

BlackBerry OS6 Tips (Non-Touch Models)

For BlackBerry users running OS6, here are a few tips I have picked up along the way. These apply to non-touch models:

• Zoom In--Hold the "Alt" key and scroll upward on the trackpad
• Save a webpage to your home screen--While you are on the desired page, click on the Globe icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Choose "Add To Home Screen" from the menu that appears.
• Press and hold the trackpad from anywhere on the screen. You will see a menu of popular actions. (Reminds me of right-clicking the mouse.)
• View recent messages from peple in your Contacts--Go to that person in your Contacts. Open their record and scroll down to "Recent Activity."
• If you have several programs open at one time, you an move quickly between them by pressing and holding the Menu key. 

BlackBerry users, anybody want to jump in with your favorite shortcuts?

Conducting a Classroom Walkthrough Using Google Docs Forms

Thanks to everyone who came to my sessions at the Differentiated Instruction Administrator Summit sponsored by Staff Development for Educators. In a time where tablets are becoming popular, conducting classroom walk-throughs is an extremely practical use of collecting and organizing data.

As promised, this post gives the steps for creating a walk-through form using Google Docs and then getting that walk-through form onto your tablet.

Why the BlackBerry Playbook?

When Apple came out with the iPad, I asked myself a question many of us have asked. “Why do I need one? What’s missing by not having one?”

As talk of BlackBerry joining the tablet field grew, I decided to hold off at least until the Playbook came out. That day happened just a few weeks ago. I did buy the Playbook, and this post will share my reasoning. Hopefully, it will help others who are faced with the same decision.

What Hole Does It Fill?
My BlackBerry smartphone gives me the ultimate in portability. All of my precious Outlook data goes with me in my pocket. I have a camera, video recorder, voice recorder, and pretty much the kitchen sink, and it’s all on something about the size of deck of cards.

My laptop gives me the full computing power of a desktop computer. I have the Office suite. I can log onto a Wi-Fi hotspot at any number of locations. I can compose document. I can give PowerPoint presentations.

So what’s missing? What hole would a tablet fill? What would it do better than the tools I already have? What would it not do as well as the tools I already have?

I did try to keep an open mind. After all, my laptop is almost five years old. It’s still running Windows XP. Even though I replaced the hard drive only a year ago, I would be due for a new laptop at some point anyway. Would a tablet be a suitable replacement?

Why the BlackBerry?

Today's smartphone market offers an array of options. It is also highly competitive. The latest figures show the Android holding 33% of the market, BackBerry at 29%, and the iPhone at 25%. If you are in the market for a new phone, which one should you buy, especially when the leading competitors are all excellent choices? This post is about the reasons behind my choice, the BlackBerry.

The BlackBerry Syncs With Outlook
I could probably end the post with that last statement...The BlackBerry sync with Outlook. Other leading brands do not. My last post explained why I use Outlook and have done so since 2001. The leading handheld device at that time was the Palm. Palm provided a great piece of desktop software for free, but they also understood how popular and powerful Outlook was. Therefore, you were provided two options: sync with the Palm Desktop or sync with Outlook. I wish every smartphone offered the options to sync with Outlook.

Most of us have Microsoft Office, complete with Outlook, so when you buy a BlackBerry, there is no need to look for any third-party software to manage your calendar, to-dos, contacts, etc. Install the BlackBerry Desktop Software on your computer, run through the simple setup procedures, and you are ready to share your organizational data between your computer and your BlackBerry.

Go with another smartphone, and you will find plenty of options. One program handles your calendar. Another one handles to-dos. Finding one that has calendar, to-dos, contacts, and reference information rolled into one is. Finding something that does all of that at no additional cost is even tougher.

The Task List Search Function is Fast and Easy
When I look at the BlackBerry task list, I see a list of my to-dos in order by due date. With the most overdue items at the top and the things I need to do years from now, such as renewing my driver’s license in four years, at the bottom. But what if I want to find a particular item or group of items?

I press one of the two "convenience keys" on my BlackBerry Bold to bring up my task list. If I simply start typing, the device starts narrowing the list. With each key stroke, the list narrows instantly to only the entries which contain that string of letters. Because it happens with each keystroke, I never have to wait on search results. In a future post, I will discuss how to use the task list in more detail.

It's Easy to Share My Methodology With Others
I do what I do with Outlook and the native BlackBerry software. When I work with someone else who has Outlook and a BlackBerry, we do not have to begin by purchasing additional software. We do not begin by downloading any new software. We can jump right into methodology, because we already have everything we need.

I do keep my eyes and ears open for other software that helps people organize their lives. One of the main reasons I do so is that non-BlackBerry users need some options, since other leading brands do not sync with Outlook. I want to be ready to help people succeed with whatever smartphone they have.

For my own use, however, I already have everything I need. That's certainly not to take away from any software that has been developed. There is some good stuff out there. I am a proponent of people using digital tools to make managing their lives easier, and anyone willing to write software to that end has my full support.

It's simply a matter of when you have Outlook and a BlackBerry, all you need is some instruction on how to use what is already at your fingertips. That's the easy part.

What I Wish I Had Know Before I Set Up My BlackBerry Playbook

Having been a BlackBerry user for 5 years, I had been looking forward to the release of the Playbook. A week ago today, I made my purchase. In short, I am enjoying the Playbook, but there were some frustrating moments with setup. In short, the frustration should not have been with the product, but instead with the instructions and with some items I though tech support should have known but did not.

In this post, I will share what I learned along the way to save others time and stress. Saving people time and stress is pretty much what this whole blog is about anyway!

Montevallo Presents "Get Organized With Your BlackBerry"

The one-hour workshop at AETC was enough to show that there are some easy-to-learn techniques that make a difference in your ability to use the BlackBerry. We were able to scratch the surface. Several people have asked me if a do a longer workshop, and the answer is "yes." This coming Wednesday (June 16), the University of Montevallo Regional Inservice Center is sponsoring a three-hour BlackBerry workshop.  

A growing number of people are opting for a cell phone which can do far more than make a phone call. The BlackBerry has the capability to be a total life organizer that fits neatly in your pocket. However, a lack of training exists on how to use its capabilities. Contents of the workshop include:

• Enter it once and forget it—The magic of repeating appointments and repeating tasks.
• When do I want to see this again?—Make that decision as you create a task. Watch it disappear and then re-appear on just the right day.
• How convenient! —Program the two convenience keys to open your calendar and task list.
• The one and only address book you will ever need—E-mail, address, phone number, birthday, and a wealth of personal information. “Contacts” will handle it all.
• The “Fab Five”—Making sure what’s really important gets done.
• Stress be gone—The crystal clear, organized task list.
• A wealth of information at your fingertips—What to keep in “Notes.”
• “In” to “empty” every day—Becoming the master of e-mail.
• Taking your data anywhere—How to synchronize Outlook with a smartphone.
• reQall here—From your voice to your e-mail on the fly.
• The Devil is in the details—How to store and access all of the details related to an appointment, task or contact.
• Find it fast—Take advantage of the tremendous search capabilities of the handheld.
• Tricks and tips—Use these timesavers to make handheld experience more productive. 

The workshop will be held June 16 from 1:00 to 4:00. Registration is free and open to the entire state. Registration is done through STIPD. Search for PD title number UMINS10. The Inservice Center is located at2790 Pelham Parkway in Pelham.

Montevallo Presents "Get Organized With Your BlackBerry"

A growing number of people are opting for a cell phone which can do far more than make a phone call. The BlackBerry has the capability to be a total life organizer that fits neatly in your pocket. However, a lack of training exists on how to use its capabilities. Contents of the workshop include:

• Enter it once and forget it—The magic of repeating appointments and repeating tasks.
• When do I want to see this again?—Make that decision as you create a task. Watch it disappear and then re-appear on just the right day.
• How convenient! —Program the two convenience keys to open your calendar and task list.
• The one and only address book you will ever need—E-mail, address, phone number, birthday, and a wealth of personal information. “Contacts” will handle it all.
• The “Fab Five”—Making sure what’s really important gets done.
• Stress be gone—The crystal clear, organized task list.
• A wealth of information at your fingertips—What to keep in “Notes.”
• “In” to “empty” every day—Becoming the master of e-mail.
• Taking your data anywhere—How to synchronize Outlook with a smartphone.
• reQall here—From your voice to your e-mail on the fly.
• The Devil is in the details—How to store and access all of the details related to an appointment, task or contact.
• Find it fast—Take advantage of the tremendous search capabilities of the handheld.
• Tricks and tips—Use these timesavers to make handheld experience more productive. 

The workshop will be held June 16 from 1:00 to 4:00. Registration is free and open to the entire state. Registration is done through STIPD. Search for PD title number UMINS10.

Sign Up for "Get Organized With Your BlackBerry"

A growing number of people are opting for a cell phone which can do far more than make a phone call. The BlackBerry has the capability to be a total life organizer that fits neatly in your pocket. However, a lack of training exists on how to use its capabilities. The University of Montevallo Regional Inservice is sponsoring a half-day workshop designed to help you make you use the BlackBerry to its full potential. Contents of the workshop include:

* Enter it once and forget it—The magic of repeating appointments and repeating tasks.
* When do I want to see this again?—Make that decision as you create a task.
Watch it disappear and then re-appear on just the right day.
* How convenient! —Program the two convenience keys to open your calendar and task list.
* The one and only address book you will ever need—E-mail, address, phone number, birthday, and
a wealth of personal information. “Contacts” will handle it all.
* The “Fab Five”—Making sure what’s really important gets done.
* Stress be gone—The crystal clear, organized task list.
* A wealth of information at your fingertips—What to keep in “Notes.”
* “In” to “empty” every day—Becoming the master of e-mail.
* Taking your data anywhere—How to synchronize Outlook with a smartphone.
* reQall here—From your voice to your e-mail on the fly.
* The Devil is in the details—How to store and access all of the details related to an appointment,
task or contact.
* Find it fast—Take advantage of the tremendous search capabilities of the handheld.
* Tricks and tips—Use these timesavers to make handheld experience more productive.

The workshop will be held August 11 from 8:30-11:30. Registration is free! Registration is being opened to anyone in the state regardless of inservice center region. To register, go to STIPD and search for "umin09" in the PD Title Number field.

Direction to the inservice center, located in Pelham, are found here.