[thr61]

I want to dump my windows PC and get a PowerBook, but am concerned about losing the functionality of my current BB 8300, Outlook, Exchange, and BES set up. I am a heavy GTD user and need to be able to keep these systems synchronized.

My plan is as follows:

1. Run Entourage on the Mac and connect it to my hosted exchange/BES server.

2. Use this solution to sync my mail, contacts and calendar wirelessly.

3. Buy Missing Sync and use that via USB to sync my notes and tasks (I would turn off the other features of Missing Sync).

From my research, this looks like it will work. Is anyone else using this approach or have a similar problem with a a different solution?

I don't want to take a step back to POP of IMAP and need all of these elements to sync.

Thanks.

[John Clark]

You won't be able to upgrade your OS unless you can run Parallels or BootCamp or the like.

[dtdt]

Originally Posted by John Clark

You won't be able to upgrade your OS unless you can run Parallels or BootCamp or the like.

...which is utterly annoying on RIM's behalf...

Maybe with Apple's recent success on Wall Street, we might see more mac-friendly solutions from RIM...

[tobyw]

See Mark/Space, Inc. - Support which is a Mark/Space KB article on syncing with Missing Sync and BES. I'm not sure if you would have to turn things on/off if you just decided you wanted to sync only with your Mac for notes and tasks. So, hopefully, you should be able to just leave it to sync cal/contacts wirelessly as I think the KB article is focussed on if you want to sync with both a Mac and BES. However, not being a BES user myself I can't say for certain.

Since you're a GTD user there might be a few wrinkles which annoy you. I too am a GTD'er. I use NextAction! on the BB. The latest version has project support, but it does this through categories. The problem is that the way you sync BB-->iCal-->Entourage doesn't support categories. Actually, I don't bother with Entourage for Tasks and use iGTD which is pretty good. Of course, that handles projects in a different way (by appending p:Project_Name to the task title) so projects in NextAction! don't work. NextAction! is still pretty useful for me, though.

For memos/notes, I don't bother with Entourage, but sync to the Mark/Space Notebook that you get with Missing Sync. Actually, this is quite a decent app.

[thr61]

Thanks for your thoughts on this. It is very helpful to get the perspective of someone who does GTD.

I am interested in hearing more about your GTD implementation -- I also use the latest version of NextAction and like it a great deal (I too ignore the projects feature.) Since you seem to only use Entourage for mail, contacts and calendar, how to you integrate mail with tasks? It sounds like you use iGTD for tasks and so I would be interested in hearing how tightly you can connect these systems? for example, do you have to manually make an @waiting for or and @computer out of an email or can you do some sort of drag and drop?

Also, how are you getting your tasks from iGTD into NextAction? Do they integrate?

Finally, why don't you use the Entourage Tasks and Notes?

Thanks.

Tim

[thr61]

Originally Posted by John Clark

You won't be able to upgrade your OS unless you can run Parallels or BootCamp or the like.

Thanks. Yeah, I planned on running parallels as I have to use at least one Windows-only app (MS Project -- yuck) from time to time...

[abalakersky]

Originally Posted by thr61

Thanks. Yeah, I planned on running parallels as I have to use at least one Windows-only app (MS Project -- yuck) from time to time...

Parallels does not work with BBs. Tried for a long time to get it to work with latest Parallels and 8820. No dice. BB connects, windoze sees it, Desktop Manager constantly looses connection or hangs.
Installed VmWare Fusion, works like a charm on the first try. Definitely better USB support then in Parallels

[niteryder]

Originally Posted by abalakersky

Parallels does not work with BBs. Tried for a long time to get it to work with latest Parallels and 8820. No dice. BB connects, windoze sees it, Desktop Manager constantly looses connection or hangs.
Installed VmWare Fusion, works like a charm on the first try. Definitely better USB support then in Parallels

My 8830 works fine under Parallels or Bootcamp.

[tobyw]

Originally Posted by thr61

Thanks for your thoughts on this. It is very helpful to get the perspective of someone who does GTD.

I am interested in hearing more about your GTD implementation -- I also use the latest version of NextAction and like it a great deal (I too ignore the projects feature.) Since you seem to only use Entourage for mail, contacts and calendar, how to you integrate mail with tasks? It sounds like you use iGTD for tasks and so I would be interested in hearing how tightly you can connect these systems? for example, do you have to manually make an @waiting for or and @computer out of an email or can you do some sort of drag and drop?

Also, how are you getting your tasks from iGTD into NextAction? Do they integrate?

Finally, why don't you use the Entourage Tasks and Notes?

Thanks.

Tim

Hi Tim,

As you surmise, the integration is not that tight. Here is what I do: let's say I have an e-mail that I want to create an @waitingfor from, I select the text in the message and select Put to iGTD inbox from the Entourage/Services menu. iGTD installs this service. There is also a hotkey you can press to do this.

To sync iGTD tasks to my BB I click the Sync button in the iGTD toolbar and then sync my BB. This means that tasks go: iGTD-->iCal-->Missing Sync-->BB. This seems to work ok for me.

I don't use the Entourage Tasks and Notes for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I find that iGTD is better from a GTD standpoint as it's designed for this from the ground up. Secondly, if I did use Tasks in Entourage they still wouldn't sync to my Exchange server so there isn't much benefit. As far as notes go, I just liked the Mark/Space notebook app better than Entourage.

I must say that I would love for projects to be carried over to the projects function in NextAction! It might be that some other Mac GTD can do this, so if anyone knows of one, let us know!

One final thing: MacRumors.com's FAQ states that iGTD is not fully compatible with Leopard yet, but I haven't been able to see exactly what the problem is.

Hope this helps.

Toby.

[thr61]

Toby,

Thanks for the insight. It sounds like your system is about what I have planned. My new Macbook pro arrives tomorrow and so I will see how it goes getting it all set up etc.

Thanks again.

Tim

[tobyw]

Originally Posted by thr61

Toby,

Thanks for the insight. It sounds like your system is about what I have planned. My new Macbook pro arrives tomorrow and so I will see how it goes getting it all set up etc.

Thanks again.

Tim

Pleased it helped. Good luck with setting up your new MBP!

[thr61]

I am posting this from my new macbook pro running leopard. iGTD, missing sync, and entourage are all playing together nicely with my 8300. I have not moved over any of my notes yet and wonder about the difference between using the Entoruage Notes application and the one the Mark/Space notes tool? Toby, you say you like the Mark/Space version better -- why?

Thanks.

Tim

[tobyw]

Pleased you got set up ok with your new Macbook. No particular reason for preferring the Mark/Space notebook; I just thought that it looked like a nice app! To be honest it's a relief to use Entourage for one less thing as I think it's a little clunky. Hopefully that might change a bit when Entourage 2008 comes along at the start of next year.

[Nathan D Burns]

I cannot get nextaction to sync with ical.

[Nathan D Burns]

I cannot get nextaction to sync with ical. and Blackberry.