This stuff really needs to start working together

September 1, 2009 8:48 AM

How can I use a pda, a netbook, and a desktop computer in an integrated way that keeps me more organized and productive?

My hardware/software collection is based on a bunch of unrelated blog posts. Each is pretty good in its own right, but together they don't represent any type of integrated system. Can you help?

I primarily use a Windows desktop computer for my work. I don't anticipate changing that anytime soon. It runs, among other things, the Palm desktop application I use for contacts and calendar. I've never been a big fan of the Palm's task management capabilities. I leave the machine running most of the time and have found that if the Palm app is open and the system restarts for any reason I lose all of the data I have entered in that session-- extremely frustrating. I use Thunderbird to manage my personal and business email. The personal address will be going away at the end of this week and replaced by gmail.

Additionally, I recently purchased a netbook running compatible business software and Firefox for web browsing. While impractical for everyday use, it's fantastic for working offsite with clients or in other locations. I generally pack up the files I need from the desktop onto a flash drive before I head out.

My handheld device is a Palm TX, which travels with me infrequently. Right now the battery is dead and it hasn't been sync'd in at least three weeks. I've used it once or twice for the internet, but never really liked the interface. In short, I wish I liked that PDA better than I do.

I have a separate cellphone that is not smart. I have no interest in a data plan with my carrier and my current phone seems to meet my needs. No iphone for me. I have an ipod nano. It's cool, it's pink, and I like it.

That totals a giant pile of unconnected hardware that doesn't make me very productive.

I'd like to achieve a hardware/software solution that would provide me with a calendar, todo, and contacts I could access and synchronize between the desktop, netbook, and handheld device. I'm thinking about "collapsing" the ipod and Palm into the Ipod Touch, but have read mixed things about the Touch's PDA capabilities. I also don't know how well it synchronizes with a Windows based machine.

Gcal is a good idea, but I am concerned about not having access to my calendar when I have no internet connection. It would be very cool if I can receive meeting invitations via email and they would drop into my calendar a la Outlook, but not Outlook. I also need a way to track hours I spend working on various client projects. I have jotted notes in my Palm calendar, only to have them disappear when Windows restarted.

I have a small hardware and software budget if there is something additional I need to make this all work. Any ideas?

posted by Breav to computers & internet (9 comments total)

If you need document portability, then Windows Live Mesh will enable you share files between your Laptop, your Netbook and your Palm TX. If your netbook and your palm were Windows / Windows Mobile compatible you could actually sync the files to the devices directly, but Live Mesh lets you access the files via a browser client (regular and mobile oriented).

For the other stuff, I am not sure. But I achieve the same with a WM device.
posted by blue_wardrobe at 9:14 AM on September 1 [1 favorite]

You may want to reconsider a few restrictions to get what you want. If you allow for a data plan on a cellphone, either an iPhone, Android or Blackberry will take of care of your concern with keeping your calendar on Google's cloud, and would allow you receive meeting invitations in your gmail, ala Outlook. they are even interoperable. This would then make your calendar/email available on your desktop and netbook, and you could set up offline mode if you're concerned with intermittent internet access.

and from there, all three platforms have time tracking apps that should do what you need.

(palm Pre might work too, but I don't have any personal experience with it)
posted by jrishel at 9:16 AM on September 1

Evernote. And I think that gmail has a new "read offline" feature not sure if that works for their calendar.
posted by cda at 9:17 AM on September 1

I've never been able to adjust my productivity style to a specific tool. By this, I mean that if I buy a PDA, there's no guarantee that I'll be able to consciously integrate it into how I keep myself organized.

A few years ago, I bought a PDA to keep my Outlook synced and with me wherever I went. Never used the thing. What I did do was update my paper calendar and take it with me, since that's what felt comfortable to me. A PDA makes a lot more sense than paper, but I could never adjust.

I find that if you try to consciously force yourself to use specific tools, you may get caught up in the process (figuring how to integrate the PDA, netbook and desktop) than on staying organized.

As for a specific suggestion, if you have it, use MS Outlook. If you want a Web-based solution, Google Calendar.
posted by reenum at 9:29 AM on September 1

My personal equipment setup looks like this:

Smartphone w/ data plan
Google/Gmail
Outlook
Outlook on the Desktop

Sync looks like this:
Outlook on the Desktop just shows my Outlook Calendar
Outlook syncs with Google Calendar
Smartphone syncs with Gcal AND Gmail Contacts

So...adding an event on my phone adds it to gcal AND outlook (thus on my desktop), adding it to my desktop adds it to my phone, etc. Adding a gmail contact (actually adding it, not just replying to an email) adds it to my phone, and vice versa.

That plus work folders for ACTION/NEXT ACTION, WAITING ON, and FINISHED = win for me. Oh, and then of course in gmail I use an elaborate system of filters and tags to sort my inbox when I'm in front of the computer.

I'm in the middle of integrating gTalk into all this, and the fun GVDialer makes my smartphone call using my googletalk number instead of my personal number, but YMMV.
posted by TomMelee at 9:31 AM on September 1

Not sure about your phone, but I can easily sync my Nokia E62 with outlook via the USB cable.
I do this on the desktop PC at home. I have a free software provided by Google that syncs it with gCal. This way I have a handy web based backup of my calendar. I don't use Internet on my phone, relying instead of SMS for emails (sort of works...), Facebook and Google queries.

I also use Dropbox to keep files synced between computers .
posted by spacefire at 10:36 AM on September 1

Seconding Evernote. I forgot about that.
posted by blue_wardrobe at 11:36 AM on September 1

LiveMesh is amazing - I use it across several devices and it makes things easy peasy.

But, for me - I have a hosted Exchange account, which means great connectivity to Outlook, webmail if necessary and Windows Mobile on my phone.

Because it is Exchange, Calendar invites, Tasks all work correctly with Outlook (maybe Google has improved since I was "borgified") - and I can easily share my Calendar with my wife/family/work (and theirs with me as well).

Unfortunately for you, I get mine for free and have no idea how much this would actually cost a normal user/family. Sorry :-(
posted by jkaczor at 2:39 PM on September 1

Evernote... I forgot about that too. I played around with it but have never realized it's full capability. How can I use it in this context?
posted by Breav at 3:33 PM on September 1