Version 1.2 of the Viira Outlook Suite is now available for download. It is chock-full of new capabilities and enhancements and we are very excited to be bringing it to you!

First, we have brought in all the new features from the recently-released Viira 3 over to the Viira Outlook Suite BlackBerry client. On your BlackBerry you will now see the enhanced, touch-screen enabled user interface from Viira 3 as well as reminders, search and even the option to hide completed tasks. In short, everything that Viira 3 can do the Viira Outlook Suite BlackBerry client can now do as well - including the ability to create SMS tasks and file them in your GTD system.

Here is the full list of what is new in version 1.2:

• Reminders. Both the BlackBerry client and the Outlook plugin let you set a reminder for any task, including email tasks and SMS tasks.
• Search. Quickly find any task from the Tasks View of the BlackBerry client with the new fast iterative search.
• Faster sync. The BlackBerry client and the Outlook plugin now actively listen for any changes to your tasks, projects and contexts. Changes that are pushed wirelessly now get picked up in near real-time and get displayed faster than before.
• Enhanced UI. You will find the BlackBerry client sporting an even more responsive and intuitive UI, just like Viira 3 does.
• Enhanced Outlook plugin stability. The underlying Outlook environment can sometimes provide unpleasant surprises. Our development team has put our partnership with Microsoft and leaders in the MS ecosystem to work in order to provide a smoother and responsive experience for everyone.
• SMS tasks. With the Viira Outlook Suite you can now create a task based on an SMS message directly from your BlackBerry Inbox. The SMS tasks can be filed in your GTD system and get synced with Outlook.

Version 1.2 comes as a free upgrade to all buyers of the full version of the Viira Outlook Suite. Installing version 1.2 will also extend the free trial and give you a chance to try out the new features for those who haven’t upgraded to the full version yet.

You can download the latest version from the Viira Outlook Suite download page.

All BlackBerry devices come equipped with software and tools that make syncing with Outlook via USB a cinch. If your BlackBerry is not powered by the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) and you are like many BlackBerry owners out there who use a regular, non-corporate BIS plan, instead of synchronizing wirelessly the Viira Outlook Suite can also sync via USB as well. This post provides step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

Warning! Pay careful attention at step #5 and step #6 as clicking the wrong option there can negatively impact the Viira Outlook Suite’s syncing capabilities.

First, you will need to have the BlackBerry Desktop Software installed on the same computer on which you have Outlook running. The BlackBerry desktop software enables a lot of key BlackBerry-unique capabilities like backup, restore and software updates and is available for both Windows and Mac.

The screenshots below show how to set up synchronization between the Viira Outlook Suite Outlook plugin and BlackBerry client by using BlackBerry Desktop Software 5.0. Using BlackBerry Desktop Software 6.0 provides pretty much the same steps and all the screenshots except for the first two look the same.

Step 0: Connect Your BlackBerry To Your PC With A USB Cable

Step 1: Select Synchronize

Step 2: Configure Synchronization - Start

Step 3: Configure Synchronization - Setup Two-Way Sync

Step 4: Configure Synchronization - Setup Two-Way Sync Part II

Step 5: Configure Synchronization - Setup Two-Way Sync Part III

Step 6: Configure Synchronization - Select Transfer All Items

After this, click finish and your synchronization should be properly set up. You are now ready to start using the Viira Outlook Suite!