Tuesday, November 20, 2012

BlackBerry/Android app now available (LenovoLook)

We have developed apps for BlackBerry and Android smart phones.  Called LenovoLookup, these apps read databases generated by the PC Sales Guide/Configurator, using the Utilities pull-down.  Choose one or more product families, one or more price/supply values, tick the box marked "Show Details", and press Build.  This creates a PDB file with all the partnumbers and extended descriptions, which is searchable by the app you install on your smart phone.  Think of the app as a combination of some of the features (but not all) available in the PC Sales Guide/Configurator, using Quick Lookup and Needs Assist.

There are some screen captures of the two versions of the app, available from

www.pscfg.com/android.htm

You can get a copy of the app from the Google Store

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inv.pdbreader&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5pbnYucGRicmVhZGVyIl0.

or the BlackBerry Store

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/17843502/?lang=en

The apps each cost $1, and the revenue therefrom will be used to fund the next version, for Apple iPhone and iPad products.  Updates to the app, if available, are free.

The search function in the app will allow for full or partial partnumbers, as well as one or many strings for text in the extended description.  Separate different strings with commas.  For example, you could enter

2400s,320gb,finger,bluetooth: yes, optimus

and the app will locate any and all system units in the current database, which have that exact processor, disk, fingerprint recognition, Bluetooth, and Optimus graphics.   Of course, if you get the French or German versions of the PC Sales Guide/Configurator, the text strings you enter will be slightly different due to the language.  You can have multiple databases installed, and switching from one to another is easy.

You can have one product family per database, or several.  One example might be "US mobiles", which could contain ThinkPads, IdeaPads, and SL/Edge models.  That way it might be easier to locate a mobile computer when you are searching through all three families as one.  For those who may occasionally want to look up the details on older models, you have three choices.  First, the current version of the PC Sales Guide/Configurator has substantial content of withdrawn system units, back as far as 2010/01.  You can generate a database of all those models which are withdrawn yourself, once you have installed a current copy of the Configurator.   Second and third, I found two old copies of the Configurator, dating back before that.  I used those to generate PDB files, and those are available (along with a current copy of the Configurator) from 

www.pscfg.com/downloads.htm

You don't need the Configurator to try them, just get a copy of the appropriate app for your smart phone and either or both of the withdrawn system PDB files.  Of course, once you get a current copy of the Configurator, you will have current products, prices and supply values, and the databases you generate will be up-to-date.

I hope you find the LenovoLookup app useful.



Thursday, April 19, 2012

Download a copy

You can get a copy of this free tool from

http://www.pscfg.com/downloads.htm

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Welcome

This is my first attempt at creating a blog, so it may appear somewhat primitive until I get the hang of it.  I will try to provide prompt answers to any and all questions, comments etc. about the standalone tool, PSCFG.