I’ve been using the script for several months and decided only now to publish it. My timing however couldn’t be worse… Those cool guys at Google have just released an update to GMail including improved contact management and the possibility to export contacts as a vCard file. The vCard file can be easily imported into Notes through standard menu functions.

Nevertheless, my script is still useful if you’re not happy with how fields (name, address, phone number, etc.) are imported using the vCard file or if you want to get full control over how single contacts are imported. It is called ImportGMailContacts and you can download it visiting the Downloads page or directly by clicking here. Below are some notes which should help you configure and use it. Some knowledge of how Notes works and scripts are coded is required.

The script has been tested with Lotus Notes version 7 and the standard address book database. First, it uses a neat piece of code by Julian Robichauz (http://www.nsftools.com) to read and interpret the exported Google’s CSV file (usually called “contacts.csv”) and then adds each contact contained in the file to Notes address book database (usually called “names.nsf”) under the category “GMail”.

Before importing the script as a new Agent in Notes address book database, edit it customizing the following lines of code:

• line 262: the path of the exported CSV file (default is “c:\contacts.csv”)
• line 266: the name of the address book database (default is “names.nsf”)
• line 312: the name of the category to import the contacts to (default is “GMail”)

Then import the script as an Agent, preferably into a copy of the address book database to first make sure everything works and your contacts remain safely stored. Create a new Agent called “Import GMail contacts” and set it up for example as triggered on the event “Action menu selection”. When you’re done a new item should be visible under the “Actions” menu. Now export GMail contacts to the location and file you specified above and execute the Agent. The contacts should be imported into the category you specified and a pop up window should report the results of the operation.

As I said, I’ve tested and successfully used the script with Notes 7 and the standard address book database. However, it could well be that the address book database you are using has been customized (for example by your company’s IT department): in this case some more work is required to remap the fields of Google’s CSV file to the correct fields of the database. To do this customize the code from line 314 to line 341.

I hope some of you finds the script useful. Anyway, if you don’t have any special need, my suggestion is to stick with the new vCard export function in GMail now that it’s finally available.

My ideal phone would support the above features, provide today’s basic connectivity (tri-band GSM, Wi-Fi, bluetooth and hi-speed USB), support large storage options (2GB up memory cards to double as USB storage) and fit comfortably in your jeans pocket. Additionally, if it could handle at the same time two active SIM cards (as some of the latest Chinese phones) in order to travel with a unique handset (instead of one for work and one for personal use) it would even exceed my expectations. Unfortunately, as I soon discovered, mobile phones producers do not offer yet all these features conveniently packaged in a medium-priced product: either you get only some of them (hidden behind many other perfectly useless features) or you get the top range, top priced, full-featured “PC substitutes”. The Nokia E61, however, comes very close to my needs and, since the launch of the new E61i, prices are at an all-time low.

I won’t bother you with a review of the hundreds of features and functions it has (just search for one of the many websites dedicated to Nokia E-series phones or even specifically to the E61). Instead, I’ll share with you some of the settings and specialized software I customized the handset with.

The first step was choosing a nice theme for the interface (I know, it’s foolish to think first about the looks, but I guess it’s what 90% of new phone owners do). Following some great advice from a friend, I headed to www.e-series.org and browsed through their carefully selected “friday themes”. If you’re having problems installing any of the themes check the security settings on the phone as suggested in one of the site’s articles. Just for the records, I finally had a go with the “GreenAttemptDefaultByP@sco” theme…

Step two was installing a few additional Symbian and J2ME applications to cover my basic needs (all free or open source obviously!). Apart from the very good Adobe Reader provided with the phone (although on a separate CD), I installed right away Autolock to automatically lock the keyboard after a custom delay (a standard function on all mobile phones except, incredibly, on the E61). Then, for messaging, I downloaded Google’s GMail Mobile client (which speeds up significantly the access to your Inbox compared to the plain mobile web interface) and the excellent Fring (a multi-standard messenger and voice client still in beta). Also, I installed cCalcPro as calculator and the feature-rich MGMaps able to browse a large number of mapping engines and databases. Finally, I started a quest for the best password manager. After visiting many many websites I settled unconvincingly on jWallet (http://sire.estig.ipb.pt/jWallet/), a simple J2ME application with basic features and light encryption algorithms. Yesterday, however, I discovered that an unofficial KeePass (http://keepass.info/) J2ME port has just been released: it looks very promising and hopefully it will sync with the excellent PC-based desktop version. To find and download all these programs search them on Google since they are available from multiple repositories over the Net.

The last step, still in progress, is achieving the perfect synchronization between all my address books (mission impossible!). If I succeed, I’ll have my GMail’s contacts, Lotus Notes’ address book and iPod contacts all seamlessly aligned. I’m currently working on a Lotus Notes agent to import GMail’s contacts into Notes’ address book which then syncs via Nokia’s PC Suite with the E61. A vCard export from Notes’ address book then updates my iPod. More on this in a future post…

After a trip to Namibia at least 12 spots appeared on all my photos: dust from Namibian 4×4 tracks and above all the terrible sand of the Namib desert were not easy on the sensor. Returned back home, I sent the camera to an official Nikon Repair Center for a full cleaning operation. The results were not really satisfactory: the biggest spots had been removed but several small ones remained and, above all, the viewfinder was all dusty (apparently they had carelessly blown air inside the camera body!). The whole operation cost me around 100 Euros…

Later, I lent the D70 to my father for a trip to Guatemala. This time a bug had entered the body and landed on the sensor (!). Instead of going back to the Nikon center, I made some researches over the Net and found several techniques and products to clean digital sensors.

In the end I bought Photographic Solutions‘s Sensor Swab (type 2 for the D70) and Eclipse cleaning liquid. Following all the hints and tips found in forums and technical articles, I then cleaned the sensor. I won’t explain the full technique I used (refer to the numerous resources available on the Net) but here a few tips. First, it’s very important to remove all dust from the body’s interior and from the sensor prior to the cleaning: use a powerful blower (like Giotto’s) or even better one of those new systems that suck air instead of blowing it. Second, practice the movement with the swab on a glass surface or something similar to get skilled: a precise and regular movement over the sensor is key. Third, I find it better to clean the sensor with the swab starting from the side where electrical contacts are placed in order to correctly place the swab before performing the sweep (the issue is not leaving residues at the beginning or the end of the sweep like when you use a broom). It took me three sweeps to get it done but in the end I had a perfect result: zero spots on the sensor!.

Finally, maybe you are wondering how to detect all the little spots over the sensor. Simply take a snapshot at a bright white piece of paper at the highest focal lenght using the smallest aperture possible (highest F number). In this way the spots will appear at maximum contrast and you can verify the results before and after the cleaning.

In my case, after a careful preparation, all went well but remember that cleaning the sensor is at your own risk: if you mess up it could be very expensive!