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I was a proud presenter at Steve Dotto’s first productivity all day workshop which he calls proTECHtivity.  Clever, right?  

There were a few glitches but nothing that everyone couldn’t overcome and plus Steve’s personality wins everyone over.    Next time there will be a list of what workshops are when.  You can’t rely on people remembering what they wanted to attend and hey, we are human and change our minds.  Ha ha.   

My session only had 3 people registered at first.   Gulp.  I was doing this for free to help Steve get this off the ground and my normal fees are anywhere from $1500 to $10000 and free still means I have a lot of prep time.   Did you know that a “good” ONE hour presentation takes 30 hours of prep?  Ya!      Anyhow…..let’s start with the Keynote!

KEYNOTE:

He talked a bit about the great David Allen and if you don’t know about his work  check it out and he is THE productivity guru!   Steve talked about the following apps:

·         Boomerang which works with gmail and if free

·         IFTTT if this then that – I used a while ago and then stopped…..not sure about it.

·         Form Tools – I didn’t catch if he actually gave any form tools?

·         3030 APPLE only keeps you on task with timed management

·         Outsourcing though he never actually mentioned what he uses, I use elance and odesk.  Maybe he has some better ones?

·         Dropbox – I use it and LOVE it and apparently if you put photo’s on it gives you more free space.  Have to confirm that!

·         SugarSync

·         Doodle – I have used this for personal bookings but might try again as I see they have a new feature called meetme.   I see it actually syncs with many different calendars now!  Nice!  Will try again.

·         Timetrade is what Deborah uses – free for personal and $49 for professional use.   I trialed it years ago so might try again.

·         Vcita is what I use.   It was the closest thing I could find to tungle which is now defunct.

I was a proud presenter at Steve Dotto’s first productivity all day workshop which he calls proTECHtivity.  Clever, right?  

There were a few glitches but nothing that everyone couldn’t overcome and plus Steve’s personality wins everyone over.    Next time there will be a list of what workshops are when.  You can’t rely on people remembering what they wanted to attend and hey, we are human and change our minds.  Ha ha.   

My session only had 3 people registered at first.   Gulp.  I was doing this for free to help Steve get this off the ground and my normal fees are anywhere from $1500 to $10000 and free still means I have a lot of prep time.   Did you know that a “good” ONE hour presentation takes 30 hours of prep?  Ya!      Anyhow…..let’s start with the Keynote!

KEYNOTE:

He talked a bit about the great David Allen and if you don’t know about his work  check it out and he is THE productivity guru!   Steve talked about the following apps:

·         Boomerang which works with gmail and if free

·         IFTTT if this then that – I used a while ago and then stopped…..not sure about it.

·         Form Tools – I didn’t catch if he actually gave any form tools?

·         3030 APPLE only keeps you on task with timed management

·         Outsourcing though he never actually mentioned what he uses, I use elance and odesk.  Maybe he has some better ones?

·         Dropbox – I use it and LOVE it and apparently if you put photo’s on it gives you more free space.  Have to confirm that!

·         SugarSync

·         Doodle – I have used this for personal bookings but might try again as I see they have a new feature called meetme.   I see it actually syncs with many different calendars now!  Nice!  Will try again.

·         Timetrade is what Deborah uses – free for personal and $49 for professional use.   I trialed it years ago so might try again.

·         Vcita is what I use.   It was the closest thing I could find to tungle which is now defunct.

·         Write than Name – available free for gmail (10 times) and 30 days for outlook users

My session was next so I missed Mike Vardy’s.

Happily I had about 15 people in it!   Anyone wanting access to my notes and everything I talked about can just sign up to my newsletter and check the box that says Steve Dotto ProTECHtivity and you will get it all in your inbox.

Get notes here

Deborah’s Session

She commented on using twitter to get action.  I have done the same thing.  TIP:  If shaw, telus, rogers, bell, etc has you on hold forever just tweet the issue.  Funny as soon as it is public it is acted upon!  She commented on how it worked with FIDO. 

She had some great slide which I have to find out where she got them.   I think she said “social media around the world” but I couldn’t find.

Great suggestions on ideas on what to post:

·         Questions

·         Quotes

·         News or blog story

·         Video

·         Photos

·         Promotions

Stand in clients shoes – What do THEY want and need?

Places to look for info:

·         Google news. 

·         YouTube Trends

Travelling to the US – Who are you going to use?

Roam Mobility

All of these are 7 days

·         Unlimited Talk and text

·         Total:$20.95

·         Unlimited talk, text and 700 MB of Data

·         Total:$27.95

·         Data Only 500 MB

·         Total: $29.95

Bell Add-on Plan

No 7 day plan.  Really?  Who travels for 30 days….only so they make money.  So I would have to buy a 30 day plan.

All of these are for 30 days

·         Talk for 100 minutes $40.00

·         Text $40.00 unlimited sent text messages

·         Total: $80.00

·         50 Minutes talk, 50MB of Data, 200 sent texts and unlimited incoming

·         Total: $50.00

·         Data 100 MB

·         Total: $40.00

I noticed this a while ago but rarely did this but recently a client asked for a contact of someone and I wasn’t in my office so I attached the contact and sent it off.  Only to discover that all my notes written about that contact the person I sent it to got!  Ok, can you imagine how bad that ‘could’ be?  When doing this in other apps it should NOT send private details but there seems to be a bug in BlackBerry that does.   So please be aware of this or @blackberryhelp can it be fixed?

Another issue I have since my last update on my device.  I can no longer edit contacts.  What?  Seriously, I never realized how often I do this until I can’t!   Rebooted and not updates to fix!

 Quoted in the Vancouver Sun Feb 14. 

FEB 14, 2013 UPDATE

I am happily surprised that the BlackBerry employee got back to me with answers to my questions, thanks Adam!   This is the very first time this has happened at an event. Yippee.  So my questions were:

1. That there seem to be issues with some email accounts not sync'ing calendar and contacts.   He said to review this article
2. When will the option to do a wired (manual) sync  be for the new Link Software? 
   1. Unfortunately, I don’t have an ETA for this feature. We will have this available in the future. In the interim there are 3^rd party companies that offer this functionality.
3. Do you have a list of suppored email accounts? 
   1. As for a list KB30038 is the closest thing we have to a list. We don’t have a list of all provides but do list the more common ones. http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/KB30038
4. So what happens if you were use to using Notes and Tasks which no longer sync?
   
   1. You are out of luck until BlackBerry comes out with a wired sync. 

FEB 13, 2013 UPDATE

I went to the forum today and was surprised by the late start and none of the sessions ending or starting on time.  The keynote went over by 30 minutes and then no break.  Bad for attendees to have to rush to the next session 2 floors up and bad for the vendors who don't get to sell their services.    I might be a bit sensitive to this because I train large groups a lot and am very aware of start and end times.  So that irked me.   Bitch session over!  Ha ha.   What did I learn?  Well, not much since I have attended other events but there were a few key things and it was obvious this forum was for their corporate clients and not for regular old consumers.

1. BlackBerry work drive app gives you the ability to map a drive to your work networked files.
2. BBM - I asked how they are going to split BBM which is associated by PIN?
   1. They aren't.  So not sure what that means when someone leaves the company and wants their BBM contacts intact.
3. BlackBerry ID – I asked how they are going to split work and personal for purchases?
   1. They aren’t I was told but they didn't really answer my question or know the answer
4. Will I be able to add my new Z10 to my current BES
5.  Yes – you don’t HAVE to update but you should.
6. Check out  www.bes10.com
7. BES 10 is fusion, they no longer call it fusion
8. Android and iOS devices are supported on the BES 10 server.

1. There were quite a few issues on the internet about adding your email accounts.  See below on the issue I had with Gmail.   I asked them to tell me which emails are supported with contacts and calendar coming over wirelessly?  He said they had an internal doc he would email me on Friday.   Last time I was told they would email me I never heard from them, so fingers crossed.
   
2. They were pushing a lot of their corporate apps, all on the image below.

TIP: possible issue fixed with outlook sync?  Click Here

Feb 6, 2013:

So I was lucky enough to get my hands on a BlackBerry 10 for 2 days.  Thanks Steve Dotto @dottotech.  I will be doing a session with Steve on March 14^th on “Back to BlackBerry” showing you all the cool stuff below.  I have to figure out how to do this without an actual device……hmmmmm.  Why no BlackBerry love from BlackBerry?    Check out Steve’s page in a few weeks for links to come to the session.

1.     Here is the link from BlackBerry to the  reviewers of the one they gave people

2.     DESKTOP SOFTWARE: You can’t use the old BlackBerry Software to sync, you have to download BlackBerry Link and here is more info on the new software.

• Just needed to input my BlackBerry id and pw and tell it where I want it to pull music from.
•  There was a link to say switch devices.  This is what it will bring over: 

3.     EMAIL SETUP:

•  My Business setup is Office 365 with Exchange and BES 
  • OMG!  Everything works and sync wirelessly – just like before!  I can see my outlook folders, calendar updates, contacts, notes, tasks…nice
  •  I was working on this draft in outlook and guess what?   It showed up as a draft on my BlackBerry!  LOVE IT!
• My personal email is gmail I wasn’t sure if it would sync anything else but email wirelessly.   It does ask if you want to sync your contacts and calendar.   Contacts worked.  Calendar, not so much, I tried several times to no avail.  I assume that will be fixed a.s.a.p.? 

4.     SIGNATURES: FANTASTIC NEWS:  If your BlackBerry10 is on the same network as your computer --- NEED TO TEST FURTHER

• Signatures are much easier to change from “Sent on my BlackBerry on the TELUS Network”  Now the default thankfully leaves out the Carrier.   Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone   but really, why not change it?
• Another great thing about the signature?  You actually see it when you send so you can change and remove at that time!

5.     DEFAULT APPS

a.       FILE SHARING

• DROPBOX****Loved the icon ready for me to just Connect to Dropbox
• BOX  Foursquare basically sucked on my other BlackBerry – my hubby would use his iPhone and get instant locations and I would wait and wait if it ever showed up.  Totally improved on the BB10
• DOCS TO GO-     View, edit and create Microsoft Word, excel and PowerPoint! ( This isn’t new but it looks better and is easier to find now)
• SOCIAL MEDIA
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
    • when setting up FB it asks if you want your FB friend bdays and when you would like to be reminded.  Nice feature. 
    • Super easy to see your groups and any pages you manage unlike before.  Wayyyyyyyy better!

• YOU TUBE
• EVERNOTE
• PRINT TO GO - Cool new feature that you can send files wirelessly from your computer to your BlackBerry.  Hotel confirmations, boarding pass, etc.
• NEWSTAND-  I can’t see anything FREE but you can view magazines here.   FREE plan is 7 days unlimited and then 20 minutes a month.  Hope you are a fast reader!  OR 9.99 a month for unlimited reading.  Not a bad deal if you like your magazines!
• ADOBE READER
• WEATHER
• COMPASS
• SMARTAGS -  Ability to view QR CODES, it was built into BBM but now is in SmartTags.  You will also be able to create NFC tags.  More here about NFC

6.     ***BBM – it says it was already associated with my other device do I want to switch – Yes, and brought everyone over.  What will happen when I have to go back though! 

• BBM has Video chat but it must be BB10 to BB10 L  or a PlayBook user.  Sadly I have no one in all the training I do that has either. Can’t test.

7.     MEDIA:

Love the new tools given to create a video out of pictures (story maker)

Love timeshift to find the smile on someone

Check out video’s on our page

8.     CALENDAR:

•  Love that you can now create a meeting from an email and it adds the content in too!  What a time saver.  I have to buy an app to do this before!
• Shows the calendar view AND a list of upcoming appointments.  Fantastic!

9.     They increased the amount of time it takes before your screen goes blank, called lockout time.  The max before was 2 min, now it is 5

10.  You don’t have to hit save anymore when changing options

11.  Very cool integration with social media on contacts.   If you click on a contact and say updates, it shows the latest FB posts or twitter feeds!

12.  VOICE CONTROL

• Short video on Voice Control        

13.  Spellcheck is now on by default.  Duh!

14.  MAPS:

• Similar to the old BlackBerry but obviously looks nicer.   Voice enabled GPS

15.  NOTES AND TASKS – now called REMEMBER

• They have lumped together these two, though I never used tasks on my old BlackBerry as it was so hard to read, I would consider using them on this clear big screen!

17.   KEYBOARD

• I have to tell you that I was an avid hater of the iPhone typing and am a real loyalist to the BlackBerry full and physical keyboard.  After a few hours using the touchscreen I would actually, possibly, maybe NOT wait for the physical keyboard on the Q10.   It would be nice to comment on this after a week or so of using.   Ok, I noticed this on the playbook but what a time saver.  Uh, this should have been thought of by some rival.  J No having to hit the 123 button to get numbers, ok, you can if you want, it still works but you don’t have too!

18.   ATTACHMENTS

• Hey APPLE users, you can attach more than one item to an email on your device.  J  Ok, a bit tongue in cheek but super slick interface for sharing and adding attachments to emails.

19.   SEARCHING

• Love that it remembers where I search!  This feature to search has been around since OS6 but I know most people aren’t aware of it.  You can search anywhere on your BlackBerry on any text in any field.  Yes, you heard me!  I get ooh’s and ahh’s when I show people this.  Can you do this on your iPhone/iPad?  Yes but definitely not as rich featured to search everywhere.   BlackBerry wins!

20.   HUB

• This is just down right cool and awesome.   EVERYTHING  you need all in one place.  Love, love, love it!

21.   CALLING – PHONE

• There are a few hidden features here.  You can create notes on a call (you could do this before) but now you can add a voice note, images, attachments.  Interesting.  

22.  BATTERY REMOVAL

• I have struggled since day one showing people how to remove their damn backs to take out the battery or input the SIM or Memory card.  FINALLY they have made it more like a tupperware lid that easily comes off and on.  Yahhhh!

DRAWBACKS

1.       HDMI: I have a HDMI cable for my playbook but it didn’t seem to recognize it, the display mode was greyed out.  Do I have to purchase yet another cable? 

2.       WALLPAPER and TONES: No new wallpaper or sounds that I could see.

3.       CALLER ID IN THE HUB: Not sure why phone numbers aren’t showing names, couldn’t figure out why.  It does in the call logs.

4.       SKYPE:  It was announced that it would be on the device but as of yet it isn’t.   Here is the latest info I could find

5.       CHARGING:  Please don’t be like the iPhone 5.  Charging seems to be an issue.   My old BlackBerry charges in less than an hour. The BlackBerry10 is still charging and only about half way several hours later (yes, plugged into AC)  That isn’t good!

6.       I did find it a bit odd that an email I sent to myself of an image I took on my blackberry I couldn’t open.  Oops, I take that back it just took a realllllllly long time!

7.       There seems to be a bit of a bug switching with landscape and portrait, very laggy.

8.       SCREENSHOTS:  Because I do a lot of images of my BlackBerry this is important to me but unlikely as important to you.    I had to purchase one to do this on my old BlackBerry easily and find it still awkward having to hold down the up and down volume.   Not a deal breaker but not fun for me.  L

9.       VOICEMAIL – We were able to train people on how to input their voicemail password so that they only have to press voicemail and it goes direct to messages.  I can see where you input that now? Though we could do it through the contact instead.       

10.   CONVENIENCE KEY : I kind of with there was still one.  What about quick use of voice control?  You have to search or go find it?  It says I can activate VOICE CONTROL by pressing the mute button on the right hand side of the device.  I assume it is the middle button and that didn’t work.  The only other buttons on the right are volume up and down.

11. OUTLOOK:  I couldn't figure out if you even need to do this anymore but I can't see a way to sync BlackBerry Link with Outlook like before.  Perhaps more time reviewing would help.  

12. MUSIC:  It wasn't intutive for me to sync my music and I wasted quite a bit of time trying to figure out how.   Just so you know, you go to the computer name and then click and say sync. 

13.  Auto On and Off - I can't find and is a great battery saver. 

Interesting Poll from CNET

MY OPINION?

Well since you asked J…………I get inundated with calls from everyone whether they are a regular consumer or the IT manager thinking of making the switch to “something”.   Of course the battle for me has been to keep people using BlackBerrys as I have always said they are great business tools.  Yes, they lacked in APPS and their new World will slowly get more APPS once there is buy in.  Which I hope there is!  A personal rule I have, having been in this field for a very long time, is to never get anything first out of the gate unless you are happy to be an official bug tester.  Seriously, the first of anything is generally buggy.  I am luck to usually get demo devices until I decide on what I am really going to use for the next bit of time.   I have to give this BlackBerry back and am quite sad.  Though maybe Steve won’t want it?  Ha ha.  He is an Apple user.   It takes time to really test all apps, how the interface really works, so the above info is a cursory look at things that I use and train people on.    I really do like this device.   No, I couldn’t figure out a few things, like where is BlackBerry Balance?  It said it was on but I didn’t see a split from work and personal.  Overall, I really found everything very easily.   I have one more day to ‘play’ with it and will add to this blog if need be.

If you do rush out and get the latest device, please let me know your thoughts!

UPDATE Feb 11:

I didn't notice this when I first used the device because I really rely on my buisness email which is using Office 365/Exchange and everything sync'd wirelessly.   No more Outlook integration with the desktop software?  Is that a big miss or what?  Will you have to use something like companionlink to sync?   Brother, that is a little bit odd.    

APPS

Give them time, some big names are there but perhaps ones you use won't be for a bit.

BATTERY

From another user of the Z10: Battery life sucks but I have not purchased a battery life extender until I see some reviews.

If you haven’t updated your device, instructions below but you should update.

Double click the home button to bring up the multitasking bar.
2. Swipe right until the last set of icons is displayed in the multitasking bar (these will include play/pause and skip buttons for iPod or Pandora).
3. The furthest left icon looks like a circular arrow - touch this icon to enable or disable rotation lock on the iPhone.
4. A rotation lock icon will appear in the status bar next to the battery charge icon when rotation lock is enabled. This looks like a circular arrow around a padlock.

Check it out