Sep 5 2010

Upgrading to an IPhone 4: Post 2

I’m now at the stage of being fairly satisfied with my personal organisation software or my new iPhone.  This functionality, for me, is one of the primary reasons for having a mobile device.  All the following apps and recommended software can be found on iTunes and my delicious links links on the right hand side of this blog.

Calendar - I use Pocket Informant on the iPhone and Microsoft Outlook on my PC.  I found the general calendar synchronisation flakey, but by using two calendars, identified in Outlook categories as Work and Family, the synchronisation for the moment seems pretty reliable.  For synchronisation details see below, including an Outlook security workaround.  This also synchronises my desktop contacts with the iPhone contacts.

Tasks -  I use Pocket Informant and Toodledo apps on the iPhone, and then the Toodledo website with a pro account, synchronised together.

Notes - I use Appigo’s Notebook synchronised to the notebook function of the Toodledo website.

Sensitive Data – I use spb wallet, on my PC and the iphone, synching between both, which needs a single password to access encrypted data for the 154 websites for which I need to remember personal data.  It took a while to transfer and sort from the original Windows Mobile Codewallet (not available on the iPhone).

Technical details below:

Contacts
Syncing Contacts from Outlook 2003 to iPhone contacts
To sync only selected contacts to the iPhone.  Create new folders for contacts, but make each one for a category. Then in Itunes go to device > Info and Select the groups that you want.  Thus each contact folder in Outlook becomes a group in iPhone contacts.
A crucial ‘find’ was
Mapi Lab Advanced security for Outlook to over-ride request for contacts.

http://www.mapilab.com/outlook/security

which saves you having to be at your desktop computer to manually override Outlook every time you wish to synchronise your iPhone.

Favourite Contacts – Reordering:

http://theappleblog.com/2009/02/12/separating-your-iphone-favorite-contacts/

Reordering – http://ipod.about.com/od/phonefeatures/ht/reorder_iph_fav.htm
Summary:
Friends; Family; Work.  Create a new contact for each. The first name field FRIENDS and then a bogus telephone number has been created.  Then make sure to favorite these new contacts to add them to your list. Once in the list, move your new separator contacts to the top of the ordered categories you previously decided on (edit > the 3 barred icon).

Calendar

http://www.pocketinformant.com/Forums/index.php?showtopic=17263

Downloaded webIS sync.  Also bonjour. Installed and restarted.
Allow on firewall. Page 8 of desktop sync PDF

Tasks
Toodledo
Itunes download – free. Registered on website.  PI on iPhone>Settings> click the + to add a sync.  7 day pro account allows subtasks, crucial in my view for running projects.
To use contexts, go to a task or create new task.  Click on context and just add a new one if needed by typing it in and clicking create.  To search all tasks, go to tasks>all active and click the 3 bars icon which will access all filters including context.
Set autosync on the xp quiet page of iphone PI.
I use the GTD view, and tend to view each project, because the tasks are automatically labelled for the project that way.

Notebook
These synchronise to the same folders as your tasks on Toodledo.

SPB Wallet
Coverting from windows mobile device to iphone / from codewallet to spb wallet.
Features:

http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/iphone-software/wallet

Review:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/cell-phones/review-spb-wallet-20-for-the-apple-iphone/638

User doc:

http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/uploads/user_manuals/Spb_Wallet_User_Manual_iPhone.pdf

Tried the download trial:
I have been using code wallet, which is not available on the iphone. I needed to choose a product which would import all my previous data.  SPB Wallet does this.
Export Code wallet data as text – Options>Export.  Text is the standard export option. Made a folder on my desktop for exported data file.
Install Desktop version of spb wallet. It only offers Windows devices on the windows desktop version – Doh! So I refused any synching.
Create New Wallet – I chose a different location than my docs (a separate data drive which backs up automatically). File>Import.  Pointed it at the data file on the desktop.  Now the catch. YOU NEED TO MAP THE FIELDS AS THEY COME IN… my standard code wallet card was a website,  and spb wallet has different field names… The good news – once you map one the others follow.  So I mapped URL to website name etc and all the others then followed.
You can then drag and drop cards into new folders using the left column only.
Iphone version. Downloaded from iTunes.
Tools > synchronise with > Apple iphone > using bonjour service. Allow on firewall.
Make sure spb wallet running on iphone.
Located device > <should come up with iphone> click next. Get partnership key from iphone screen and input onto desktop.
Then its just a question of reorganising the cards into the appropriate folders.

Voice Memo App
To backup on computer:
Ensure the Devcies > IPhone > Music > Sync Music > Include Voice Memos box is ticked.
When you you then sync the iphone, a Voice memos playlist will be created bottom left.

By Mr S • iPhone • 0

Sep 5 2010

Upgrading to an IPhone 4: Post 1

At the beginning of the holidays I was faced with an unexpected loss/opportunity.  I lost my windows mobile phone – an O2 orbit 2 (based on an HTC Polaris) of two and half years service…  After investigation I was looking at an HTC desire vs the iPhone 4.

Would an iPhone offer the functionality that I am used to from a windows xda?  In other words, syncronisation with my desktop for Outlook calendar and contacts; an organisation app (I had My Life Organised on the Orbit 2) which includes notes; and an encrypted app for holding personal data such as log ons etc

In fact, my final choice was made because both my sons now have ipod touches, and it made sense to go to the same platform as them…

Will it make sense after the first month?  Or will I have made a very expensive mistake?

Some simple things that I wish I known straight away:

The home button (central button beneath screen)
> click once for search
> double tap to bring up open apps – drag to move across / drag to far left hand side to access screen lock (useful for lying down and keeping the orientation as portrait) and ipod controls
> Before the slide to unlock, double tap the home button to bring up the iPod controls

settings>general>autolock from 1 to 5 mins (go to sleep)

Don’t trust the green battery – Check Settings>General>Usage

To take a screenshot of your iphone, press the sleep button at the top of the iPhone 3GS and the home button at the same time. The shutter sounds and the photo is added to your camera roll.

To move the apps icons around – hold down on one.  When they start to shake you can move them around.  I keep the most used apps in the bottom two rows of the app screen.

The more complicated stuff comes in post 2.

By Mr S • iPhone • 0