Since Adam from Plaxo sent me a reply to my earlier comment, I have decided to try out their service. First impressions:
I signed up on the website, which was quick and easy. It requires an email confirmation as you would expect, which is not a problem. I had to rescue the confirmation from my spam folder, as it explictly failed their SPF!
Next, I downloaded the outlook sync client and installed it. Download is small and quick. It fired several warnings on the anti-spyware software I use, but they all look like harmless registry values. I had to resurrect a copy of Outlook Express since the sync client doesn't have an option to integrate with Mozilla Thunderbird. With a bit of fiddling to first get my contacts into OE, I was able to start the sync process. It was fast and accurate, although the status messages were a little odd ('transferring 0K of 0K').
Once I had all my contacts uploaded, I went to the Plaxo website to see how the online service looked. The layout is nice, very clean and friendly. There are a lot of options, and it covers all the basic PIM services such as contacts, calander, notes, etc, similar to the way MS Outlook works.
One thing I thought of: I had my own contact information in the data I synced with plaxo, and it listed it all correctly, and found me as a plaxo user. I would have been nice to have a 'this is me' button to automatically fill in my main details, save me copying them out - this might already be possible but I don't know how.
Unsurprisingly, none of my existing contacts were registered with the plaxo website, so I wasn't able to update any information from others, but I did send an invite to a friend to try it out.
It would be lovely if plaxo would consider setting up a SyncML service. This would give them a really hot feature, ability to auto-sync your data with all sorts of devices, and since it runs over standard http like the website, and there are free servers available, it should be a very low running cost for them.
Overall opinions so far? It's a good service, and does what it says on the tin very competantly. It's not a complete solution yet, but with some extra features, it could turn into a 'killer app' for me. Expect more when I have a chance to try out the integration with MS Outlook at work.
So if you're reading this post Adam, here's my wishlist!
In order of priority:
SyncML support
Mozilla Thunderbird & Sunbird support
Gmail sync
I signed up on the website, which was quick and easy. It requires an email confirmation as you would expect, which is not a problem. I had to rescue the confirmation from my spam folder, as it explictly failed their SPF!
Next, I downloaded the outlook sync client and installed it. Download is small and quick. It fired several warnings on the anti-spyware software I use, but they all look like harmless registry values. I had to resurrect a copy of Outlook Express since the sync client doesn't have an option to integrate with Mozilla Thunderbird. With a bit of fiddling to first get my contacts into OE, I was able to start the sync process. It was fast and accurate, although the status messages were a little odd ('transferring 0K of 0K').
Once I had all my contacts uploaded, I went to the Plaxo website to see how the online service looked. The layout is nice, very clean and friendly. There are a lot of options, and it covers all the basic PIM services such as contacts, calander, notes, etc, similar to the way MS Outlook works.
One thing I thought of: I had my own contact information in the data I synced with plaxo, and it listed it all correctly, and found me as a plaxo user. I would have been nice to have a 'this is me' button to automatically fill in my main details, save me copying them out - this might already be possible but I don't know how.
Unsurprisingly, none of my existing contacts were registered with the plaxo website, so I wasn't able to update any information from others, but I did send an invite to a friend to try it out.
It would be lovely if plaxo would consider setting up a SyncML service. This would give them a really hot feature, ability to auto-sync your data with all sorts of devices, and since it runs over standard http like the website, and there are free servers available, it should be a very low running cost for them.
Overall opinions so far? It's a good service, and does what it says on the tin very competantly. It's not a complete solution yet, but with some extra features, it could turn into a 'killer app' for me. Expect more when I have a chance to try out the integration with MS Outlook at work.
So if you're reading this post Adam, here's my wishlist!
In order of priority:
SyncML support
Mozilla Thunderbird & Sunbird support
Gmail sync
9 Comments:
At 6:30 AM, Adam said…
This post has been removed by the author.
At 6:32 AM, Adam said…
This post has been removed by the author.
At 6:35 AM, Adam said…
Hi akaDruid,
I was pleasantly surprised and happy that you decided to try Plaxo!
A few thoughts on what you've expressed:
I had to rescue the confirmation from my spam folder, as it explictly failed their SPF!Ack, that's not good! I know our engineers are working on ways to make these e-mails less suceptible to being 'junked', but I'll make sure to bring up your experience with them and see what progress is being made.
transferring 0K of 0KUm, maybe it was a really small 0.3K contact, and we just rounded down? :D. Okay, so I'm not quite sure what the deal is with that status text, and I'll look into it. Glad the process went very smoothly for you, though!
it would have been nice to have a 'this is me' button to automatically fill in my main details, save me copying them out - this might already be possible but I don't know how.Not yet possible, but that's a neat suggestion.
Expect more when I have a chance to try out the integration with MS Outlook at work.Ah, glad you'll have a chance to try out Plaxo on two computers! One of the neatest things about Plaxo I think is how it can synchronize your data across multiple desktops and laptops. Power users can even specify exactly which folders they want sync'd. For instance, I have my work calendar and personal calendar mirrored on both my work and home computers, but I don't sync my work task list on my home computer.
So if you're reading this post Adam, here's my wishlist!
In order of priority:
SyncML support
Mozilla Thunderbird & Sunbird support
Gmail syncHeh heh, clearly I read it ;). It was like the city of Gotham paging Batman with a giant beam of light, except you're not in Gotham, your blog isn't a big blinding light, and I'm not a superhero. But I digress.
Regarding your requests:
1) We're working on Thunderbird integration and will offer it for beta testing when we've completed internal testing.
2) We're releasing an open API, so I have no doubt the smart folks working on Sunbird will be able to integrate calendar sync'ing with Plaxo.
3) We're researching SyncML options.
4) We are eager to integrate with a variety of services, and many of us are indeed fans of Gmail and other Web-based e-mail services.
By the way, akaDruid, you might get a kick out of some of the neat stuff we're working on in the background. Feel free to join our Beta Program at http://www.plaxo.com/beta/ (Plaxo account sign-in required). We're currently testing WAP access to Plaxo data (your calendar, contacts, etc., at your fingertips anywhere you have your cell phone!) and many other cool offerings.
Lastly... I strongly encourage you to drop by our forum (http://forum.plaxo.com) and offer your suggestions and questions there. While several of us at Plaxo do enjoy catching Plaxo-mentions in the blogosphere, more of our engineers and our execs are frequent visitors to our forum, so your ideas are more likely to be seen and appreciated there by the folks who code and design and test everything Plaxo.
Anyway, akaDruid, thanks again for giving Plaxo a try! I look forward to hearing more of your impressions, and hope you'll share Plaxo with lots of your friends and colleagues.
P.S. -- Sorry for the earlier deleted comments; Blogger's a great service, but doesn't show accurate previews. Compounded with its failure to correctly handle paragraphs in italics... well, let's just say the last two comment attempts were a mess. If this one ends up messy, too, I give up!
At 10:24 AM, akaDruid said…
Great stuff Adam, thanks for replying. Releasing an open API is of great interest to me, and I may even be able to work on an extension to integrate Plaxo into Sunbird. I'm very impressed with the outlook integration and online service already, and from your comments it sounds like Plaxo is edging towards 'killer app' status for me.
I have indeed signed up for the beta program and the forums. I'll post a message in the forums detailing the problem with the SPF.
I tried the wap access in beta. I discovered a specific problem which I won't discuss here, but I'll send an email. Other than that, the wap access looks like a very useful service.
At 5:54 PM, Isaack said…
Interesting! I'm in a very similar situation myself right now.
I've just completed my Mightyphone trial, which was very impressive. I do OverTheAir SyncML sync through my phone.
But since it's another Outlook service, I'm right now I'm trying to figure how to integrate it with Sunbird.
If you learn more AkaDruid, please write about it!
At 6:53 PM, wemitchell said…
Plaxo's SyncML position for at least a year has been "we're exploring our options." It's clever for them to delay, rather than just say no.
I wonder if Plaxo's strategists believe SyncML is a substitute for what they regard as Plaxo's core value: a closed-source synchronization system with an open API.
Do they hope SyncML will fail, because its success would diminish switching costs for Plaxo customers, thus diminishing the enterprise value of Plaxo?
If so, delaying wouldn't work. SyncML is too well established. Witness Palm's decision to abandon their closed-source system, with 25m units installed, in favor of SyncML. Anyway, carriers will never knowingly allow a sync firm to disintermediate them.
Looking at it purely from Plaxo's point of view, the survival strategy should instead be to embrace SyncML and look for a different defensive position.
This is nothing against Adam, who is no doubt honestly reflecting the company's position as told to him.
At 1:05 AM, Adam said…
Hey Wemitchell, thanks for not questioning my integrity :D
By the way, regarding syncML... I know firsthand that we are continuing to explore options in this space, and I wouldn't say so otherwise.
I'd like to offer a twist on a familiar saying:
"Never attribute to malice or obfuscation what can be attributed to implementation challenges" :)
More specifically, remember that Plaxo is a small albeit established company. A lot of our resources go into privacy and security planning... and that means that whether we build upon a tool or partner with a company that offers that tool... there are a lot of legal, business, and other issues hammer out. A year may seem like a half-hearted footdragging period to outsiders, but to those of us on the inside, there are simply lots of things to do and do right.
I realize that speaking in such generalities may not be particularly revealing or exciting for you... but when you see some of the stuff we have in the coming months (no, sorry, not SyncML), you'll have a better understanding of what we've been working on and why we've been so busy.
Thanks much for your understanding and patience.
P.S. -- I'd like to invite you to participate on our forum, whether you're a current Plaxo member or not. You'll then be the first to know what's coming down the pike, and will also have the option to join our beta program and play with neat tools before they're released publicly.
At 8:56 AM, akaDruid said…
Isaak: The mightyphone service looks good, but I doubt it would be much use to me. Their business model is focused on pay-per-use, which is too high an entry barrier to pure data handling services like that. Since the incremental cost of data services like this is tiny, Plaxo's model of free services supported by paid support is far superior. On a personal level, the service is not enough of an improvement above my current setup, using plaxo to synchronize data between multiple computers and using FMA to synch my phone intermittantly.
SyncML is a key companent which I have not seen anyone do right yet. IMHO the graduation of Plaxo from 'useful gimmick' into 'killer app' depends on full integration, handling all the major software, all the biggest services, and every common device. This can be done to some extent through an open API, since every extensible software package is then only a small amount of coding from full support. But handling devices properly is another kettle of fish, since they require reliable, accessable servers for SyncML and similar, and that is the territory of Plaxo.
Anyway that's my £0.02.
At 5:57 PM, terry chay said…
Thunderbird support for Plaxo can be knocked off your wishlist.
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