We’ve been working full steam ahead to code for the Mentat Blackberry client, and it’s now reached Beta stage! Mentat on the go is definitely approaching the same level of easy and robust task & project management as the desktop version. So you may be wondering, “What’s in this exalted BlackBerry client and why is it so cool?” Allow me to share some highlights of what you can expect:

In-memory caching

(once you download tasks, they stay there so you don’t have to re-download each time you go back to a project).

Background operation &event polling

(when you get a new task assigned, the client will show it to you right away. You can even set an alert sound!)

Task lists for each project:

* Quick project task capture (wheelclick -> Create Task -> type & go)
* View task comments
* Add comments to task
* Task editor
* Read comments
* Change task status
* Ability to assign an existing task to another project user
* See & change due dates.

Agenda View

* Much like Mentat from the desktop, this is a basic day-at-a-glance list of tasks; a short list from all projects of the tasks you are working on right now. Now you can have the same aggregated task sorting from your BlackBerry & to top it off, it stays synched with the desktop view for total connectedness.

You can add items to the agenda by browsing to a particular project, selecting a task assigned to you and selecting ‘Add to Agenda’ from the popup menu.

* Project items that are already in your agenda appear in italicized text, so it’s easy to spot what you’re already taking on from inside the Project view as well.

You can rearrange items in the agenda view to suit your tastes by selecting an item in the Agenda view and selecting ‘Move…” from the popup menu. Roll the trackwheel or trackball to move the task to the desired position. Select ‘Drop’ from the pop up menu or simply click the track ball to drop the item when you are through.Quick Note: menus are invoked using the menu key on the Pearl and 8800 models, and by alt-clicking the trackwheel on 87xx model BlackBerrys.)

So Mentat is already making leaps & bounds as a solid mobile executive assistant for BlackBerry users. We’ve got even more in store for the future.

Try it out and tell us what you think

The latest build of the BlackBerry Mentat Client is available for OTA download to your RIM BlackBerry:

Devices running BlackBerry OS 4.2:

http://brainmurmurs.com/products/mentat/v42/MentatBlackBerry.jad

Devices running BlackBerry OS 4.1:

http://brainmurmurs.com/products/mentat/v41/MentatBlackBerry.jad

Documentation and updates will follow shortly.

Here’s what’s up next:

UI improvements
Calendar integration
Task reminders
Persistent storage caching
Offline support

Filed under: mentat by erik