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.

Update for Contacts Sync

In February 2012, I composed this post about a program called "Contacts Sync." The free program syncs your Outlook Contacts with Google Contacts. The reason I downloaded it was the BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 update had just been released, with that update featuring a native Contacts application. The application pulls together all contacts along with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn contacts.

The native Contacts on the PlayBook combines 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 have experienced no problems with Contacts Sync; however I received the following email the other day:


Hi, 

Thanks for downloading Contacts Sync. If you had difficulty in using our software, then please download this new version and try. 

 Direct Link to Download Contacts Sync New version - v2.8 (Freeware) 

What's New: 

• Tray icon animation during sync operation 
• Click on tray icon anytime to get sync status 
• Minimize/Maximize and Exit anytime during sync 
• Proxy support - option to use default system proxy or enter your own 
• Bug Fix: Outlook RPC error, Rel/Label error during sync 

Always open Log file to check for any errors. 

Direct Link to Download Contacts Sync New version - v2.8 (Freeware) 

If you are unable to make it work, we are available by email and online chat to assist you. Reply to this email with your query or chat with us online by clicking on "Live Help" button on Contacts Sync website.

Online Support / FAQ 
Visit Contacts Sync website and click "Support and FAQ" link and get answers/solutions to common errors, including a solution to securely overcome Outlook Security Warning (if you get one).

If you use Contacts Sync to synchronize your Outlook Contacts with Google Contacts, you may want to try the download.

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.

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.

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?

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!