Best set up for a two ppc family?

[gai-jin]

I'm thinking of buying a hp 1910 for my wife. My concern is how to use both ppc's with one pc? Ideally I want to be able to share calanders, so I can see her schedule on my ppc, and Vice versa. I want her to be able to write appointments and Such into my Calander, so that when we sync, (seperately) Info will be merged into the appropriate calander.

Am I best to Keep 1 outlook to sync both pocketpcs to?

Suggestions welcome

Gai-jin

[Jeff Rutledge]

I would suggest the following:
- one Outlook calendar that you both share
- create an Outlook category for each of you
- use Pocket Informant (http://www.pocketinformant.com)to create individual views in your Calendars which you can filter according to category.

You could also create custom views in Outlook so that you could switch between your appointments and your wifes just by switching views.

I haven't tried this myself as my wife and I sync our iPAQ's to separate PC's. I think it should do what you're asking though.

[gai-jin]

That sounds like it could work... I was also considering, as we currently have seperate users on an xp machine, letting her sync w/ her outlook, me w/ mine, and just using meeting req to send anything that should be on the other person's calander. Not sure how well that would work though.

(For that matter, would active sync run under both users at the same time?)

How would activesync handle two ppc's both cradled at the same time?

Gai-jin

[Jason Dunn]

That sounds like it could work... I was also considering, as we currently have seperate users on an xp machine, letting her sync w/ her outlook, me w/ mine, and just using meeting req to send anything that should be on the other person's calander. Not sure how well that would work though.

Yes, meeting requests are probably the best way to go for this - it will keep things nice and clean.

(For that matter, would active sync run under both users at the same time?) How would activesync handle two ppc's both cradled at the same time?

ActiveSync is a little ugly in this regard. I've seen strange crashes and behaviour when a device is connected on one profile and you try to connect another device in another profile. I'd stronly urge you to sync one, disconnect, then sync the other.

[Jeff Rutledge]

ActiveSync is a little ugly in this regard. I've seen strange crashes and behaviour when a device is connected on one profile and you try to connect another device in another profile. I'd stronly urge you to sync one, disconnect, then sync the other.

I've seen similar behavior. When I switch users in XP, it seems to disconnect the ActiveSync connection. In fact, after switching back-and-forth a few times, I get several AS icons in the system tray (hovering overtop removes the old ones).

[gai-jin]

I knew activesync won't sync my ppc when she's logged into the computer, so I expected i could run activesync seperately on each profile, but wasn't sure.

Do meeting requests work well when used with a pop3 service, or does one have to use an exchange server?

Also, Theres no way to check her schedule from my ppc if I use meeting requests though, right? Whereas on the desktop, I could use the MS free/busy service (when it works)

Gai-jin

[Jason Dunn]

I knew activesync won't sync my ppc when she's logged into the computer

Actually, if you're not logged out, it will - which is part of the problem.

Do meeting requests work well when used with a pop3 service, or does one have to use an exchange server?

If it's Outlook to Outlook, they work perfect. It's a function of the clients rather than the server in this case.

Also, Theres no way to check her schedule from my ppc if I use meeting requests though, right? Whereas on the desktop, I could use the MS free/busy service (when it works)

Yes, that's correct - you'd need an Exchange solution for that sort of thing, and even then, it doesn't work properly because the Pocket PC calendar can only show one calendar.

[gai-jin]

Thanks Jason. I'm really looking hard at a $150-$300 pda solution for her, was hoping by christmas, but more likely with the first paycheck of the new year. Can't decide between a refurb 1915 or 1945 (lowest bidder on pricegrabber) or a gently used model from the buy & sell forums here. (Could go new, but the only real reason would be instant gratification, which just happens to be one of my biggest weaknesses... :) )

Gai-jin

[Vulcan]

Are you just planning to have one *.pst file that the two of you share? Would you be using Outlooks catogories to define your contacts vs her contacts....

[townsendtribe]

ActiveSync is a little ugly in this regard. I've seen strange crashes and behaviour when a device is connected on one profile and you try to connect another device in another profile. I'd stronly urge you to sync one, disconnect, then sync the other.

My wife uses the iPAQ and I use the Dell, we are both always switching back and forth from her profile to mine. I found that it is best to take off her iPAQ, switch profiles, sync my Dell, then I can put the iPAQ back on to charge once my Dell is syncing... otherwise my system won't even recognize the Dell has been put in the cradle, because her iPAQ is still connected in ActiveSync in her profile. May or may not be right, but that's how it works for us...

[ChristopherTD]

When I tried to get Outlook XP to sync only contacts in certain categories it failed. Sometimes it would sync them, other times it wouldn't. It was incredibly frustrating and irritating and I eventually gave up.

I couldn't observe any pattern - the facility just seemed broken.

Has anyone managed to get category sync to work with Contacts?

[Spongebob]

See if one of this will help you out.
http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?productType=2&jid=4247BAD957E97X5ABDED43DF7FE5ACX9&platformId=2&siteId=1&productId=16913&sectionId=1457&catalog=30&topSectionId=1420

I am looking for another link that I saw some synching software, but right now things are going slow.

[gai-jin]

My wife uses the iPAQ and I use the Dell, we are both always switching back and forth from her profile to mine. I found that it is best to take off her iPAQ, switch profiles, sync my Dell, then I can put the iPAQ back on to charge once my Dell is syncing... otherwise my system won't even recognize the Dell has been put in the cradle, because her iPAQ is still connected in ActiveSync in her profile. May or may not be right, but that's how it works for us...

How do you handle the issue of sharing schedule info? For example, if I ask her to make a Dr's appt for me, I'd like her to be able to see my schedule, and put it in my schedule, so that when my i700 syncs via wireless sync, I'll have the appointment.

Gai-jin

[townsendtribe]

How do you handle the issue of sharing schedule info? For example, if I ask her to make a Dr's appt for me, I'd like her to be able to see my schedule, and put it in my schedule, so that when my i700 syncs via wireless sync, I'll have the appointment.

Gai-jin

The way we do it is send meeting requests via email, but I do know that Outlook 2003 has a shared calender function, but alas, I haven't had the time to play with it... But the meeting requests works nicely.

The only way I know of for her to check your calendar in outlook is either be in your profile or use an exchange server for your calendar.

[Vulcan]

When you start looking at advance features like this Outlook comes up short....Lotus Notes etc are better equipped to handle this type of features.

[townsendtribe]

When you start looking at advance features like this Outlook comes up short....Lotus Notes etc are better equipped to handle this type of features.

Believe it or not, I remember when we used Lotus organizer, and that was very simple to attach multiple calendars. But I don't think that's enough to make me switch back.

[Vulcan]

Boy there's a program I have not thought about for a long time.....Remember the deleted items burning up in the trash can?

[townsendtribe]

Boy there's a program I have not thought about for a long time.....Remember the deleted items burning up in the trash can?

What about assigning the grain to the planner cover? And the fold out sheets too! At least they made it look like something other than another dialog box... I thought they had done a good job with that. An Outside the Box kinda thing...

[gai-jin]

Well, I've gone ahead and ordered a 'gently used' h1910 for my wife from the buy & sell forum... should be here just in time for xmas. Here's hoping the 2ppc's on 1 pc thing works out well.

Steve

[gai-jin]

Okay, got her PDA, loaded it w/ apps and gave it to her tonight. I've tried setting it up under her XP profile, so she has her own outlook and such. Not sure how well this will work, I'll give it a day or two to find out for certain.

After working to get this setup, I wonder whether the method suggested, using one XP profile, one outlook pst, just seperate catagories for contacts and calander might not work better. My main concern is how could I keep her email and my email seperate, syncing to the seperate devices.

Also, with the way I have it set now, 2 xp profiles, How could I use MS money? I have pocket money set up to sync with my pda... in her profile, if I open money once, point it to the mymoney file in my 'my docs', will it remember the location, and thus use that file to sync to pocket money?

One of the things we really wanted to accomplish was to use money as a checkbook register, so that when we each sync, we'd get the other's transactions in our system.

Thanks for your thoughts
Gai-jin

[townsendtribe]

After working to get this setup, I wonder whether the method suggested, using one XP profile, one outlook pst, just seperate catagories for contacts and calander might not work better. My main concern is how could I keep her email and my email seperate, syncing to the seperate devices.

I don't know of any way to have multiple inboxes in outlook without perhaps setting up a PST file for each user, but I don't remember if you can assign the delivery point per profile or not.

Also, with the way I have it set now, 2 xp profiles, How could I use MS money? I have pocket money set up to sync with my pda... in her profile, if I open money once, point it to the mymoney file in my 'my docs', will it remember the location, and thus use that file to sync to pocket money?

Money is the tricky part, it will only sync with one PPC. I switched to Pocket Quicken for that reason, and the fact that my wife likes quicken better.

Good luck.

[gai-jin]

pocket quicken i assume requires desktop quicken?

that is too bad that money will only sync with 1ppc... that is one of the main reasons she wanted a ppc...

any way around this issue?

as for email, I suppose I cnuld still use 1 pst file and give her a folder ... can AS sync only a sub folder, without syncing inbox and all subfolders?

Gai-jin

[townsendtribe]

pocket quicken i assume requires desktop quicken?

that is too bad that money will only sync with 1ppc... that is one of the main reasons she wanted a ppc...

any way around this issue?

as for email, I suppose I cnuld still use 1 pst file and give her a folder ... can AS sync only a sub folder, without syncing inbox and all subfolders?

Gai-jin

There are some other ones out there that will keep up by exporting and importing, but I can't think of any others that sync through ActiveSync. Just through a .QIF for example. The other one I use is Mastersoft Money, the one they just gave the 100% discount to subscribers.

[gai-jin]

I downloaded Mastersoft money, haven't had the chance to try it yet. What do you use it for that quicken doesn't do for you?

Gai-jin