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iPhone 101: How To Sync Gmail Contacts Without Using Exchange

I felt compelled to share how to go about synching your Gmail contacts without burning your allotted ONE Exchange account on the iPhone.  Not entirely sure why this limitation is in place, but for the longest time I simply used Google’s simple instructions to use Exchange to sync my email, calendar and contacts in one simple step.  Works like a charm, and never really had any issues.

But after returning to Corporate America, I quickly found that not being able to check my work email easily on my phone became a pain in the butt since I already was using the Exchange account for my personal stuff.  I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out a way to do both, and today I stumbled across a very simple process to accomplish just this.  Quite simply, there’s an app for that.

Sync In A Blink.  Simply put, this $4.99 app does exactly what it says.  It allows you to sync your Gmail contacts with your iPhone using their simple to use app to do such.  Plenty of options to sync in exactly the way that works for you, and after entering your Gmail credentials, it’s a snap to get your contacts on your phone seamlessly.  By using this program, and CALDAV for my calender sync (see here for how to do just this), I can now simply use the Gmail account adder in the mail setup, and free up my Exchange option for my business email.

Yes, it was $4.99, but it was so simple, I feel sometimes it’s worth a few extra bucks to accomplish what it is you need on your devices.  Should Apple just allow for multiple Exchange accounts on the iPhone?  I think so, but for now, my needs are met.

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1. My 9 Favorite iPhone Social Media Apps

My 9 Favorite iPhone Social Media Apps

As if spending countless hours on the computer with social media wasn’t enough, there’s a quite a few excellent apps out there that help you manage, monitor and communicate through your social media channels on the go. While some of these are quite obvious, perhaps a few in here are new to you. Regardless, here are my 9 favorite social media iPhone apps.

1. Facebook – Really if you don’t have this one on your phone, you really aren’t interested in this article to begin with right?

2. LinkedIn – Their first version was pretty lame, but the most recent update brings the app into usable form.

3. Tweetie 2 – In my opinion, the crown jewel of Twitter iPhone apps. Slick interface, easy to use, and a front pager for me.

4. Meebo – Recently launched, a free IM client that is terrific. Works like a charm, and practically supports every IM client there is including Facebook.

5. Yelp – Perhaps a social media reach, but the fact is, Yelp has many social media aspects to their site, and I use this app quite a bit. My fav app to find everything on the go, and read reviews from the community.

6. Wordpress – Again, another example of the 2nd version of the app breaking through.  I don’t really blog with the app, but monitoring comments is very useful on the fly.

7. Mashable – Recently just launched, a slick little app to stay on top of social media and technology stories quickly and easily.

8. Byline – There are quite a few RSS iPhone apps, but I’ve found Byline to fill my needs quite nicely.  Synchs with Google Reader seamlessly, and I can easily stay up to date on my fav blogs.

9. Ustream Live Broadcaster – Maybe not for everyone, but it’s still pretty amazing to be able to stream live video straight from your phone…for free!

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1. My 9 Favorite Wordpress Social Media Plugins
2. The Office For Mac Social Media Extravaganza!
3. 9 Great Social Media, Digital Marketing & Productivity Tools
4. iPhone 101: How To Sync Gmail Contacts Without Using Exchange
5. You Are Not A Social Media Guru, Ninja, Expert, Master, (Enter Title Here)

Office For Mac Macworld 2010 Recap

This year’s Macworld 2010 was my first Macworld and it was definitely a different tradeshow experience then I am used to.  For years, I’ve attended the Search Engine Strategies and SMX events and the biggest difference by far is in the audience.  The search shows I’ve attended are much more B2B, with Macworld having a much more consumer feel.  This was very evident in my attempts at doing video recaps like I had done in the past.  At the search shows, EVERYONE wants to be on camera.  At Macworld, not so much.  It was like pulling teeth actually.  We did the best we could, and I’ve embedded our two daily recaps below.  The Day 2 video is a bit more interesting as you actually get some insight into some cool apps and software that were at the show.

What’s been most interesting is seeing the social media plan that I’ve been working on for quite a while go into action.  As of this blog post, the Office for Mac twitter account is closing in on 8,000 followers after a few weeks of going live.  My hope is that they would hit 10,000 by the end of the Mac Office Loves You campaign which wraps up 2/25.  I think they’ll get there.

What suprised me the most though was the Facebook adoption.  Well over 3,300 fans after just a few weeks.  I wasn’t expecting that many that quickly.  Obviously a good thing, and part of that success is certainly the group’s ability to be in the conversations.  So many companies have good intentions and launch, but never back it up with real people and responses.  As long as they keep it up, I anticipate they will continue to build momentum and be able to drive real value through their social media efforts.

It’s been a great run, and I’m wrapping up my time with the group.  I’ve got big news to share in terms of my next move that I hope to share in the next few days.  In the meantime, enjoy the Macworld video goodness below.

And don’t forget you can still enter to win one of two fancy Macbook Pros just by following Office for Mac.

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1. The Office For Mac Social Media Extravaganza!

The Office For Mac Social Media Extravaganza!

Three months ago I accepted a contract position that would have me help build the social media and community plan for Mac Office.  Now, after 3 months of discussing, planning, revising, and who knows how many meetings, the curtain has been pulled away and the excitement begins.  It’s been an amazing experience getting to experience building and executing on a plan for a large brand, and certainly challenging to say the least.  The group is very unique in that it’s a Mac product within the halls of Microsoft.  I’ve grown to love the platform (don’t fret, I enjoy both), and I look forward to now getting to interact with the Mac community a bit more now that we are launched.

I’ll be attending Macworld next week which I’m pretty excited about.  We have a fairly large booth presence, and I’ll be spearheading some daily video recaps that I will post here in addition to the Mactopia blog.

In addition a custom website was built to celebrate the social media launch and Macworld experience.  Be sure to check out all the fun at www.macofficelovesyou.com.

In addition to all the hoopla, Mac Office is also giving away 2 sweet Macbook Pros as part of the social media launch.  All you have to do to be eligible is to follow the officeformac twitter account and you are entered to win.  You can earn a second entry by tweeting anything (preferably something clever of course) using the #officeformac hashtag.  The contest is open through 2/25.

I can’t take all the credit.  Tons of thanks to some great agencies and individuals I’ve gotten to work with throughout the project.  Zaaz is a tremendous group of smart, talented people that I’ve had a blast working with.  And don’t even get me started about how cool it was to work with Wexley School For Girls.  I never thought I’d get the opportunity to work with them on a project, and I’m glad I did.  Super creative folks, and the craziest offices you’ve ever seen.

So now I ask all my friends, family, readers and visitors to spread the love!  Follow Office for Mac on twitter, fan ‘em on Facebook, and win yourself a cool new Mac in the process.

More to come!

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1. Office For Mac Macworld 2010 Recap
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Apple Magic Mouse Review

It’s no secret I have formed a deep, passionate love for all things Apple over the past 6 months. After a 2 month learning curve getting used to the differences in operating systems, I am fully assimilated. Of course with Windows 7 now out, I’m much more likely to boot up in Windows once I get around to installing the new system.

My latest love is the new Apple Magic Mouse. I was in an Apple Store the other day and played around with their most recent mouse offering. As with all things Apple, it definitely looked and felt like an impressive piece of hardware. After having the store employee demonstrate a bit, and playing with it, I couldn’t resist. Even despite the $69 price tag.

First things first. $69 is a lot to pay for a mouse. Especially when you can walk into a Best Buy and get a decent one for roughly $25. But when you decide to go Apple, you know you are going to pay more. So was the purchase worth it?

So far, I’d say yes. Like I mentioned, the build quality is far superior to any mouse I’ve ever handled. Even Logitech’s top offering doesn’t even come close to comparing (I know, I’ve had this one). This mouse feels like you could drop it a few stories and it would still survive. It is a very narrow design, so those used to a bulkier mouse design will probably find issue with the comfort factor. This wasn’t as much of an issue for me as I had been using the Microsoft Arc mouse for awhile which also has a low profile design.

There’s also a bit of a learning curve using this mouse with the multi-touch functionality. Most users are used to using buttons on a mouse, so using finger gestures to accomplish similar tasks takes a bit getting used to. For users of the newer Macbook Pros with the glass touchpads, this learning curve is much less.

I absolutely love being able to scroll using finger gestures on the mouse. The new glass touchpads on the Macbooks are revolutionary, and I always found myself missing the finger gesture functionality when using whatever mouse I had paired with my laptop. Now I don’t have to. Holding control and finger swiping allows you to zoom in and out which is also a nice touch.

The bottom line is this; if you are a newer Macbook Pro owner, the magic mouse is a no brainer. You’ll be used to the functionality and it pairs very well. However if the new trackpad functionality doesn’t matter much to you, I doubt this mouse will either. Also, one frustration point is that the mouse doesn’t function entirely out of the box when paired with your laptop. It requires a software update that automatically appears once paired.

Expensive? Yes. But I would anticipate that like other Apple products, the lifespan of this piece of hardware will eventually warrant the price tag.  Time will tell.

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