Chapura Unlocks Outlook with KeySuite

Posted By: Ryan Tuesday, June 24, 2003 4:13:20 PM

Chapura today released a new, comprehensive software MS Outlook synchronization package called KeySuite. KeySuite Synchronizes more details in Outlook Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes. The new software provides enhanced replacements for the built-in Palm applications and combines a rich Outlook experience on a Palm Powered handheld.

“For a long time, being tied to Outlook meant you were also tied to your desk or laptop,” said Keith Ellenberg, chief operating officer for Chapura. “PocketMirror software from Chapura solves that problem for light Outlook users, but KeySuite gives mobile professionals a more powerful way to take more of their important Outlook information with them to manage, organize and modify while away from their desks.”

Combining the comprehensiveness of Outlook with the familiar look and feel of the Palm OS, KeySuite software components give Palm OS users already syncing with Outlook a learning curve of almost zero. Information can now be stored on the handheld the same way it’s stored on the desktop in Outlook, eliminating the frustration of constantly re-organizing folders, categories and detailed information. KeySuite’s four software components, KeyDates, KeyContacts, KeyTasks and KeyNotes, synchronize more information that the Microsoft Pocket PC equivalent.

KeyDates, KeyContacts, KeyTasks and KeyNotes offer the following benefits to Palm OS users:

Multiple Folders: Folders in Outlook (including public folders and subfolders) become folders in KeySuite applications on the handheld. This process is also customizable, with the option of synchronizing only some folders or subfolders with the handheld. KeySuite is the only application currently on the market for Palm OS handhelds or Pocket PC devices capable of giving users this level of flexibility.
Multiple Categories: Store items in over 250 categories per folder on the handheld. KeySuite keeps categories consistent between the handheld and the desktop, synchronizing any changes in both directions.
Contact Linking: KeySuite, unlike any other handheld application, lets you view and create contact links to other contacts, events, tasks and notes on the handheld for quick and easy reference on the go.
More Fields: Carry 65 more Outlook Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes fields on your handheld with KeySuite applications than you can with the built-in Palm applications, and 34 more than Pocket PC applications.
Multiple PC’s: Synchronizing multiple PCs (such as office and home PCs) with KeySuite keeps business and personal information together on the handheld but neatly organized in separate folders. KeySuite software detects when you are synchronizing folders on the handheld with a second PC for the first time and lets you choose which folders to synchronize with Outlook on the second PC.
Easy to Use: KeySuite combines the personal information management capabilities of Outlook and the intuitive interface of the Palm OS. Each KeySuite application requires a minimal number of taps or navigator button pushes to achieve maximum usability.

Chapura KeySuite

KeySuite is available for a special introductory offer of $49.95, marked down from $79.95, on the Chapura Web site. Current KeyContacts and PocketMirror Professional customers may qualify for a discount from the Chapura Web site. A free, 21-day trial version is available for download.

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Well

abosco @ 6/24/2003 5:42:05 PM #

Looks powerful, but that's an expensive price.

In other news, Ryan mangles a word all to hell in the first sentence. Hey, at least the spelling error tradition is carried on in each article.

-Bosco

RE: Well

skennedy1217 @ 6/24/2003 11:26:00 PM #

"More Fields: Carry...more...on your handheld with KeySuite applications...than Pocket PC applications."

So is this the only advantage over PPC2003? I need a product that sync's better with Outlook (screwed up my work calendar on a couple occasions). Can the latest off the shelf PPC coupled with ActiveSync give seemless Outlook synchronization, albeit with a few less categories?

Scott
T|T user...thinking about next upgrade to T|C, T|T2 or HP 2210).

RE: Well

a3 @ 6/25/2003 9:22:05 AM #

Try BEYOND CONTACTS from Dataviz.com

_______________________________________
Already a Tapwave's Helix fan.

RE: Well

radleyp @ 6/25/2003 12:22:14 PM #

If you are so intent on getting Outlook fields on your handheld, why not buy a PPC? I don't get this product. radleyp

RE: Well

macshimidh @ 6/25/2003 1:27:27 PM #

...because this sync's more fields of data than PPC's.

RE: Well

skennedy1217 @ 6/25/2003 6:28:21 PM #

I started to try the demo, but I ran out of memory. As seems to be the norm, I'll have to move some more applications to my SD card. I suppose that I can purge the Palm databases, too, assuming that this product will use it's own.

RE: Well

gollum @ 6/28/2003 1:37:28 AM #

Well, I've been waiting for this app for a while since
I have memo field over 4k and KeySuite notes, like
Outlook, can accomodate > 4k memo fields. Plus, as
a KeyContacts user, I got KeySuite for only $24.95.

So ... you mention purging the built-in Palm databases
in order to make more space - how do you do that? Now
that I installed KeySuite on my Clie SJ33, I only have
2.35 mb of ram left. Thanks in advance for help in
this.

===

"My cat's breath smells like catfood" - Ralph Wiggum

Wireless Sync???

PortiGee @ 6/24/2003 5:48:23 PM #

Is there support for a wireless sync, either through my Bluetooth TT or WiFi?

RE: Wireless Sync???

cbowers @ 6/24/2003 8:03:06 PM #

Well it works via hotsync, so on a Tungsten C you enable VPN, tunnel to the office, and Network hotsync to your desktop over WiFi.

Key Contacts

DWD @ 6/24/2003 5:53:08 PM #

I've been using the KeyContacts portion of Key Suite since the beginning of this year and look forward to trying out the Suite. KeySuite is free to KeyContacts owners who also own PocketMirror Professional. For those, like me, that just own KeyContacts it is $25.00.

The only competing product I know of that syncs all of Outlook is DataVis, Beyond Contacts, which is also $50 with an upgrade price of $30. So the price while high, is competitive.

RE: Key Contacts

Ronin @ 6/25/2003 1:41:56 AM #

looks like KeyContacts as a stand alone product is no more.

In the Spirit of Umoja,
Ronin

This Software Needs Work

PDAinHand @ 6/25/2003 9:45:28 AM #

After using Beyond Contacts, I must say the KeySuite needs a lote of work on it. It is still missing somany fields and acts different then OutLook on the desktop although it dose have most of what people need in it I think that Beyond Contacts is stlii very much ahead in this game of getting OutLook on the Palm OS devices.

PDA in Hand
www.pdainhand.com

RE: This Software Needs Work

George256 @ 6/25/2003 10:57:56 AM #

I, on other hand, like KeySuite better. It is faster, and I think, more elegant and does a better job of preserving the zen of palm. Also the contact linking and dialing features are better implemented.

They're both great products. To each his own. It's great to have choices!

RE: This Software Needs Work

Lucan @ 6/25/2003 11:27:18 AM #

Does Key Suite use separate databases like Beyond Contacts or the built-in databases? Thanks!

Lucan

RE: This Software Needs Work

davidv @ 8/24/2003 9:05:38 PM #

I have been running Beyond Contacts (BC) for a couple of months. My main problems with BC is that it takes up a lot of memory and I have been getting error messages almost every day after syncing. Not sure why. Speed is also terribly slow and almost makes it unusuable when you are looking for contact in a hurry (have approx 1500 contacts)

I downloaded KeySuite last week and have been using it for a few days.
1. much faster - not sure why
2. Linking of contacts feature ala Outlook)is great. Not available in BC.
3. No error messages so far.
4. Not quite as pretty ("Today" screen in BC is nice but slow), but simpler to use.

About the only thing I want now is the ability to add a journal entry to a contact and have it sync back to journals in outlook.

In summary, if anybody wants to buy my Beyond Contacts license, I'd be happy to sell it or trade you for Key Suite. Looks like I'll have to spend some more money of KS. Hey Chapura - any chance of a cross grade?

dave the rave

TT is an evolutionary product yet still true to the Palm concept.Brilliant.

Still needs integration!

ddvitale @ 6/25/2003 9:39:59 PM #

I originally purchased Beyond Contacts but had my money refunded as the performance during synching was not good -- and made synching via dial-up almost an imposibility.

So I tried KeySuite demo this morning -- and quickly removed it from my TT. The main reason (and it may have been a user error on my part) was that the three apps didn't seem integrated. You had to open each one up separately to see the data -- unlike Beyond Contacts where you could move from contacts, to appoints, to notes, etc.

Also, since I've paid for Datebook5, spending the $$$ for KeySuite would make my Datebook5 purchase throwaway.

RE: Still needs integration!

mpovolo @ 6/27/2003 12:40:02 PM #

There is an arrow on the left hand corner which jumps between apps.

RE: Still needs integration!

George256 @ 6/28/2003 5:43:05 PM #

They're pretty well integrated:

- as mpovolo points out there is the quick link button that lets go directly to one other programs (or you can just map to the four hard buttons)
- you can view, create, and edit Tasks from the Calendar app
- you can create links from any of the programs to individual Contacts...e.g., link a contact to a task or note or appointment
- you can create a new record for any app from any other app... e.g., create a new Contact record from the Notes app