Plaxo revamps address book software with Version 3.0

Computerworld - Users of Plaxo Inc.'s latest electronic address book application can now synchronize a much wider range of personal online calendars and address books among their e-mail and calendaring accounts with Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, AOL, Mac OS X and Mozilla Thunderbird, as well as with their cell phones.

The new free beta release of Plaxo 3.0 was unveiled yesterday by the Mountain View, Calif.-based vendor and includes new automated technology that allows users to directly sync data between disparate e-mail and calendaring applications. Previously, for example, users of Yahoo e-mail accounts had to use a special tool bar to sync their address books with their Plaxo data.

Plaxo 3.0, which is also for the first time available in six languages in addition to English -- French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese and Spanish -- can now better provide wider access to users' contact information and schedules, whether they are accessing the data from a computer at work, home or on the road, according to Plaxo. Changes made in one calendar or address book will automatically be synced and changed in all connected accounts using the new software.

John McCrea, vice president of marketing for the vendor, said the ability to sync Plaxo with Google Inc.'s calendaring application was made possible by using an API provided by Google. Similar work continues on making the Plaxo address book sync with Google's Gmail application, which is expected soon, he said.

The latest version of Plaxo also has a new AJAX-built Web interface, he said, as well as native client software for Windows and Mac OS X. Mobile users can opt for the free new WAP 2.0 version for mobile browsers.

Helping users keep all their accounts up to date is a new Plaxo Sync Dashboard where all accounts can be monitored and updated, according to the vendor. With the new version, users can keep their e-mail accounts using Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Vista Mail and Hotmail fully synchronized, as well as Yahoo Mail and Calendar; Mac OS X Address Book, iCal and iPhone; AOL AIM, Mozilla Thunderbird and mobile phones. A Plaxo Premium service that costs $49.95 per year also includes synchronization with LinkedIn and 24/7 support, as well as other features such as a duplicate entry removal service.

Plaxo 3.0 also includes Plaxo Pulse, which allows users to add RSS feeds to the content that they share with other users, based on their self-configured sharing settings. Pulse allows users to automatically receive posted content from people they know. The first feeds to work with Pulse include Flickr photos, blog posts, Amazon.com Wish Lists and Plaxo contact info changes, according to the company.

"After a year of hard work retooling our service, this is much more than just another product release. We're really introducing an all-new Plaxo," Todd Masonis, Plaxo founder and vice president of products, said in a statement. "Plaxo 3.0 is the platform upon which we can build out our sync and share vision, giving people access to all their data wherever they need it, and enabling ever richer ways to stay connected with the people who matter in their lives."