Using Blackberry for work and home

[davidapark]

I have recently changed from a PALM TREO to a BLACKBERRY BOLD 9780 which I purchased myself to use for work (no email permitted though!) and home as I like everything on one device.

I learned GTD years ago and set up a PALM system and cannot believe the restrictions that the corporate world place on people trying to work smarter and boy is it stressful changing your system (I work for an international company and run a sales team of 5). The problem is when you trying to explain to IT departments why you need these things they seem oblivious and it is so frustrating. I guess they don't know what they don't know... (tried to give me a NOKIA which is a nightmare for task management)

Old system:
My HOME system was Outlook (with add-in) for email / tasks / diary / contacts

My WORK system was Outlook as above (no add-in)

My TREO was the carrier between the two PC's by using CHAPURA KEYSUITE 3rd party software so all information was available on the TREO but kept separate on each PC.....nice and simple. (I did not do email on smartphone).

Capture is handled by notetaker wallet / notepad.
Reference was handled by Evernote / A-Z Filing system.

Present situation:
I assumed the Blackerry would be easy to set up in a similar way but I was wrong and when you start to read the forums it appears that people have a nightmare with this which is really surprising with such a widely used tool.

I know David Allen moved to a Blackberry and just uses the native task/diary PIM so I am reluctant to add 3rd party software; if it is good enough for him...

I am not (currently!) permitted to use the Blackberry for work email!! and had considered various other phones such as I-Phone which although I am a big fan of just did not feel as right as the Blackberry, I plan on getting a Ipad and will be allowed to use that for work email (just to scan during day as I am in sales and on road all day)

Can anybody comment on how I can achieve a situation with a home and work PC syncing everything onto one device tasks/diary/contacts but keeping it separate on each PC. Outlook for tasks is my preferred option so I can create projects/tasks directly from email, but I am open minded.

Thanks

 

[TesTeq]

NOKIA smartphones task management?

(tried to give me a NOKIA which is a nightmare for task management)

Interesting. Could you please describe what you don't like in NOKIA smartphone task management?

 

[davidapark]

NOKIA smartphones task management

I am led to believe that with NOKIA phones you cannot create categories in tasks to sync with outlook and also that when creating a task you must enter a due date which then appears on your calendar, both of these methods are not GTD friendly.

It is a shame as I like the look of the E72 I was offered as it is very similar to the TREO which was a great tool and with the E72 I would be able to get work email on the go.

 

[TesTeq]

I do not synchronize my phone with anything.

I am led to believe that with NOKIA phones you cannot create categories in tasks to sync with outlook and also that when creating a task you must enter a due date which then appears on your calendar, both of these methods are not GTD friendly.

It is a shame as I like the look of the E72 I was offered as it is very similar to the TREO which was a great tool and with the E72 I would be able to get work email on the go.

I am a happy user of Nokia E71 phone. The hardware is great and very reliable. You can have good voice and data connections in areas where no iPhone works. The software is reliable and easy to use (for me) but... I do not synchronize my phone with anything. I only make backup copies. The synchronization never worked for me. It duplicated contacts and was unreliable.

 

[Makarin]

testeq, can you post a screen shot of e71 with tasks app open?

 

[hacker]

I have recently changed from a PALM TREO to a BLACKBERRY BOLD 9780 which I purchased myself to use for work (no email permitted though!) and home as I like everything on one device.

Can anybody comment on how I can achieve a situation with a home and work PC syncing everything onto one device tasks/diary/contacts but keeping it separate on each PC. Outlook for tasks is my preferred option so I can create projects/tasks directly from email, but I am open minded.

I just posted quite a lengthy reply about how I do this, using a personal BlackBerry and my locked-down corporate work environment. I too, came from about 12+ years of using Palm devices (I was the one who supported the thousands of Palm users on Linux and UNIX platforms)

You can see my posts here (#4 and #5)

http://www.davidco.com/forum/showth...oup-in-BlackBerry-Messenger&p=85039#post85039

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

 

[davidapark]

I just posted quite a lengthy reply about how I do this, using a personal BlackBerry and my locked-down corporate work environment. I too, came from about 12+ years of using Palm devices (I was the one who supported the thousands of Palm users on Linux and UNIX platforms)

Hacker, Thanks I will read through that and let you know how I get on.

 

[TesTeq]

Active Notes application.

testeq, can you post a screen shot of e71 with tasks app open?

I do not use any task application. My lists are stored in the Active Notes application. And E71 has a powerful search functionality which makes it easy to find any text across applications.

 

[davidapark]

E71 with GTD and Outlook

E71 has a powerful search functionality which makes it easy to find any text across applications.

Are you then starting a task with the conext name IE: Call John or do you create categories and then search the complete task list under that category?
Can this then syncronize with Outlook Tasks/Notes?
Can you categorize so when in Outlook you can see the context?
Can you sync to work and personal PC's

thanks

 

[davidapark]

I just posted quite a lengthy reply about how I do this, using a personal BlackBerry and my locked-down corporate work environment. I too, came from about 12+ years of using Palm devices (I was the one who supported the thousands of Palm users on Linux and UNIX platforms)

You can see my posts here (#4 and #5)

http://www.davidco.com/forum/showth...oup-in-BlackBerry-Messenger&p=85039#post85039

Hacker, that is a serious post! I have been reading through this and trying to get an understanding; I have looked at the software programs you use which look great especially as I drive all day.!

You should be a consultant to corporations who need to integrate software/hardware and good workflow management, you would make a fortune.

 

[TesTeq]

Nokia E71 & GTD.

Are you then starting a task with the conext name IE: Call John or do you create categories and then search the complete task list under that category?

E71 search functionality finds text anywhere inside a note so for example I write:
buy newest Kanye West's CD @errands @MediaMarkt

Then I can find it by searching for any word: "Kanye", "CD", "@err", "@Media" etc.

When done I can delete the note or change @errands to @done.

Can this then syncronize with Outlook Tasks/Notes?
Can you categorize so when in Outlook you can see the context?

I do not synchronize my phone with anything. I do not use Outlook.

Can you sync to work and personal PC's

I have two separate GTD systems. At work my system lives in Lotus Notes.

 

[davidapark]

Nokia e71

E71 search functionality finds text anywhere inside a note so for example I write:
buy newest Kanye West's CD @errands @MediaMarkt

Then I can find it by searching for any word: "Kanye", "CD", "@err", "@Media" etc.

When done I can delete the note or change @errands to @done.

Do you manage projects in the notes field?

Also, although you don't use outlook I wonder if the E71 notes field would sync with outlook notes, then perhaps I could simply leave out creating categories in outlook notes.

thanks