[video] Review - Companionlink Software

[RinTinTigger]

Hey all,

Most of you know, that Companionlink is a supporting vendor. I had the chance to get a copy of their software (THANK YOU SO MUCH Rushang!) and a professional supporter (THANK YOU Kevin, though I didn't need you). Now here is a review on it for you fellows!

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1 Install & Setup
The installation of companionlink is totally easy. just doubleclick the EXE FIle and install, not much to know here. Setting up the Software is as easy as well! Enter your account information, choose what to synch when and where, DONE!

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2 Pro & Con
After dealing with the software for 2 weeks now, im amazed by what it can do. Here are the BIG PRO's of companionlink

• Synch a lot of devices (Blackberry, Android, iPhone, lot more)
• 2-Way or one-way forced synch possible
• Synchs contacts, calendars and Notes
• Support of a lot Mail Clients (Outlook, ACT, Lotus Notes, lot more)
• Sheduled Synchs
• Field mapping

A lot more options are provided by the software. Also, companionlink offers FREE PHONE and EMAIL support for everyone disregarding the software you bought! For those who want more they offer two higher tiers of support: RunStart ($39) and Premium ($99). RunStart is a one-time remote configuration service where our experts (like Kevin) log into the user's PC and set up everything for them. Premium Support is a 12-month service plan where we do the same thing for a period of 12 months.

It was hard to even find any CON on the companionlink software, but who searches, will find So this is the only thing negative i found: If you want to do sheduled synchs, the client (PC/MAC) hosting your email-program has to be running! There is no server based sheduling, collecting all hendheldinformation and synch em once the computer is online. This might be a future ad.

6 the bottom line
The bottom line is that companionlink is a good software to manage and maintain your data with handhelds and email-clients. I wished that some more free email-clients would be supported like the bat or thunderbird. but a program like this, with free support starting at $49,99USD is a good buy!

Thanks again to Kevin and Rushang from Companionlink!


Now enjoy the little movie i made for you all :icon_ devil:

[video=youtube;S5yQa_waHBI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5yQa_waHBI"]YouTube - Reviewing Companionlink Software[/video]



[video=youtube;S_klvgJPWMY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_klvgJPWMY[/video]



(Early birds attention: The video was just uploaded, Quality will get better. if not, ill redo the clip!)

Tigger

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[fallsgable]

Aside from the fact that this can sync directly from your PC or laptop (I am assuming)...Google Calendar Sync has had this available for FREE already....
Is the only advantage here, that you can sync outlook DIRECTLY?
Google Calendar Sync seems to do a fine job!

Just trying to understand....
Thanks!

 

[gwilde]

Excellent program. I use the $ 99 version to sync my ACT by Sage CRM program to my droid via my gmail calendar. Syncs all notes, tasks, calendar and contacts and has done so flawlessly. I currently have over 1500 contacts and a very busy schedule with my photography company. The 2 way sync has worked perfect (Blackberry would only support 1 way sync). Support has always been excellent though I haven't needed it other than some questions about settings mainly at startup. I would highly recommend.

 

[RinTinTigger]

Aside from the fact that this can sync directly from your PC or laptop (I am assuming)...Google Calendar Sync has had this available for FREE already....
Is the only advantage here, that you can sync outlook DIRECTLY?
Google Calendar Sync seems to do a fine job!

Just trying to understand....
Thanks!

Yeap, you can directly synch outlook with google contacts, calender, notes n stuff.
ITs just excellent!

 

[KZIWarrior]

Aside from the fact that this can sync directly from your PC or laptop (I am assuming)...Google Calendar Sync has had this available for FREE already....
Is the only advantage here, that you can sync outlook DIRECTLY?
Google Calendar Sync seems to do a fine job!

Just trying to understand....
Thanks!

Yeap, you can directly synch outlook with google contacts, calender, notes n stuff.
ITs just excellent!

Will Outlook not sync with your Google stuff on it's own?? Sorry for the question, I've been using Thunderbird for years so I haven't messed with Outlook in a while. Thunderbird syncs just about everything (e.g. contacts, calendar, to-do lists) with Google already so where/what would the advantage of this be??

 

[tehpriest]

Being a new owner the one thing I really wanted was to have a Blackberry like (I could do this on my E90) live updating of my outlook in both directions. Google calendar sync is manual whereas this is fully automatic. If you want Google to do the same you have to pay for their pro version which IIRC is more expensive. Loving it so far.

 

[RinTinTigger]

Aside from the fact that this can sync directly from your PC or laptop (I am assuming)...Google Calendar Sync has had this available for FREE already....
Is the only advantage here, that you can sync outlook DIRECTLY?
Google Calendar Sync seems to do a fine job!

Just trying to understand....
Thanks!

Yeap, you can directly synch outlook with google contacts, calender, notes n stuff.
ITs just excellent!

Will Outlook not sync with your Google stuff on it's own?? Sorry for the question, I've been using Thunderbird for years so I haven't messed with Outlook in a while. Thunderbird syncs just about everything (e.g. contacts, calendar, to-do lists) with Google already so where/what would the advantage of this be??

no, outlook wont pick up contacts and notes from googlemail.only mail via imap. Also lotus notes WONT!

 

[KZIWarrior]

no, outlook wont pick up contacts and notes from googlemail.only mail via imap. Also lotus notes WONT!

Ah, well, good that you all now have an option. Personally I would suggest looking at Thunderbird. This alleviates the need for another program to be running on your computer and Droid. Not to mention that then you don't have to 'sync' your stuff (i.e. manually sync them) as it will all be done automatically.

Oh and Thunderbird is FREE.

Lol, k, off the :soapbox:... sorry for the hijack. I realize some people have to use Outlook or Notes for work ect. (well, many think they do) but I wanted to put that out there for others looking for alternatives.

 

[RinTinTigger]

no, outlook wont pick up contacts and notes from googlemail.only mail via imap. Also lotus notes WONT!

Ah, well, good that you all now have an option. Personally I would suggest looking at Thunderbird. This alleviates the need for another program to be running on your computer and Droid. Not to mention that then you don't have to 'sync' your stuff (i.e. manually sync them) as it will all be done automatically.

Oh and Thunderbird is FREE.

Lol, k, off the :soapbox:... sorry for the hijack. I realize some people have to use Outlook or Notes for work ect. (well, many think they do) but I wanted to put that out there for others looking for alternatives.

yea, there is something for every purpose, but synching your iPhone OS to outlook and then to android, is something Thunderbird wont do, i guess

 

[christim]

To sync with Lotus Notes Calendar and Email, it sounds like something needs to be running on a PC that is running the Lotus Notes client. The PC with my profile that is running The Notes Client is at work behind the firewall on the company network.

1) Will this work without having to play around with the firewall by just installing something on the work PC?

2) Does the sync occur in some form of encrypted manner?

3) What is the differences between mnotes from Commontime and this application? (CommonTime : Products : mNotes vs Synchronize Lotus Notes with ACT!, GoldMine, and Palm Desktop in real-time) - has anyone given both a trial run?

Thanks for the info Tigger...this is the first I've heard of this software.

 

[RinTinTigger]

To sync with Lotus Notes Calendar and Email, it sounds like something needs to be running on a PC that is running the Lotus Notes client.

That is right

The PC with my profile that is running The Notes Client is at work behind the firewall on the company network.
1) Will this work without having to play around with the firewall by just installing something on the work PC?

This will work using VPN

2) Does the sync occur in some form of encrypted manner?

Good question, i never asked. but i will get you that info soon!

3) What is the differences between mnotes from Commontime and this application? (CommonTime : Products : mNotes vs Synchronize Lotus Notes with ACT!, GoldMine, and Palm Desktop in real-time) - has anyone given both a trial run?

Never tried it. sry!

 

[Bohemian]

Needs to support linux.

 

[clcto]

What is the differences between mnotes from Commontime and this application? (CommonTime : Products : mNotes vs Synchronize Lotus Notes with ACT!, GoldMine, and Palm Desktop in real-time) - has anyone given both a trial run?

I've not tried CommonTime mNotes. From what I understand, their sync is wireless and Domino server based. I.e. your IT department buys it and sets it up, and after they set it all up, you can start using it. They have a wired sync product but as far as I can see it works only with Windows Mobile devices.

CompanionLink is client-side software. You install it on your desktop and it does a wired sync to the Lotus Notes Client software. So you don't need any permissions other than what you have used in the past for other wired sync like Palm Hotsync.

CompanionLink does not need Wi-Fi and never puts the data on Google, so it is fine to run in a secure corporate environment, and also at home. For Lotus Notes, CompanionLink USB will sync to Android, and Palm Pre devices. CompanionLink has a different secure sync method for iPhone, but if iPhone 4 SDK allows for media storage then the lower price product will also cover iPhone devices.

 

[ajGoes]

CompanionLink Pro User's Comments

I've used CompanionLink Pro since I got my Droid, and I can't support the "excellent" grade. I'd give it a "satisfactory but needs improvement." Its PC-side setup really needs a rewrite from the top down -- a task that shouldn't take the developers too long as it's not a very complicated program.

I'm a software developer and have no trouble figuring out the PC side, but I think the vendor would improve new customers' impressions by making the configuration friendlier.

The more serious flaw in CompanionLink is that it does not reliably synchronize calendar events. Repeating events seem to be particular trouble spots, but one-off events also sometimes fail to sync or arrive in my Google calendar with the wrong time. This happened to me just last week. I eventually deleted and re-created some repeating events in Outlook and, by using the "Purge and Reload" option, got my Google calendar back in sync -- but only after two or three attempts.

aj

 

[RinTinTigger]

I've used CompanionLink Pro since I got my Droid, and I can't support the "excellent" grade. I'd give it a "satisfactory but needs improvement." Its PC-side setup really needs a rewrite from the top down -- a task that shouldn't take the developers too long as it's not a very complicated program.

I'm a software developer and have no trouble figuring out the PC side, but I think the vendor would improve new customers' impressions by making the configuration friendlier.

The more serious flaw in CompanionLink is that it does not reliably synchronize calendar events. Repeating events seem to be particular trouble spots, but one-off events also sometimes fail to sync or arrive in my Google calendar with the wrong time. This happened to me just last week. I eventually deleted and re-created some repeating events in Outlook and, by using the "Purge and Reload" option, got my Google calendar back in sync -- but only after two or three attempts.

aj

Hey aj,

i cant support your oppinion. All settings where really easy to make and i had NO Problem. also the calendar stuff was reliably synched over my 2 weeks test period.

I just want to make clear that this is an INDEPENDEND review, i didnt write it "Excellent marks" just because i got the software for free.

Tigger