Quickies: iSync, AvantGo, riteMail, L.A.

When Apple announced iSync in July, it said it would be available in September. Earlier this week, the company's CEO said only a beta would be released later this month. This app will allow Macs to synchronize address book and calendar info with Palm handhelds, cell phones, and Apple's own iPod. -Ed

AvantGo has announced that Richard Owen will resign his position as CEO effective September 30. The company's CFO will take over the position. On that same date, AvantGo will move from Nasdaq's National Market to the exchange's SmallCap market, under its current ticker symbol, "AVGO." -PR

After being available in beta for months, Pen&Internet has released riteMail, an application that allows the user to make handwritten notes and drawings, then email them. riteMail can also receive messages directly or have them HotSynced from a PC. It works with all types of wireless connections. -PR

The next meeting of the Los Angeles Palm User Group (LAPUG) will be tomorrow, September 14 at 11:00 am. The topic will be what to do if your handheld crashes. -Russell Howell

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iCal

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 10:05:58 AM #
You missed the announcement of iCal. The new apple calendaring software that will be iSync compatible. This will allow 3 way sinchronization between PalmOS PDAs, Sony Ericsson Phones (t68i) and the iPod.

Sync nirvana.

Cheers.

RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 10:11:41 AM #
I don't know that iCal is all that significant from a Palm perspective. I'm sure it is a nice calendar but it isn't a Palm application. True, there will be a conduit (iSync) but there are tons of applications with conduits and those aren't news. When a new version of Lotus Notes comes out, that's not Palm news, though there is a conduit for it.
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 10:29:11 AM #
3 way sync? Yeah that will be an important feature for about 8 people.
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:34:25 AM #
I bet we can find more than 8 people on this forum who have a mac, a palm and an iPod.

I'm no number 1.


RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:36:09 AM #
I cant wait for iSync. There are lots of cool things about this app. For one thing, it should allow me to get rid of Palm desktop for the mac. Terrible app. iPod rocks.
RE: iCal
Doo @ 9/13/2002 11:41:36 AM #
I guess I'm one of the 8 people. My Motorola V60 cell phone and 760 with outlook.

One group of names in many places.

RE: iCal
Xian @ 9/13/2002 12:16:12 PM #
I'm another one of those eight.
Ericsson T39 and T68m, Palm m505, iPod 5GB, and PalmDesktop

RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 12:21:43 PM #
4 people in our office (of 10) have a palm, osx and ipod
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 12:37:37 PM #
wow cool, all 8 people are here !!!
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 1:25:11 PM #
I guess i'm # 9
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 2:25:32 PM #
#10(Me) & #11(Wife)
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 4:18:45 PM #
I sync my Palm to my PC, then my T68 to my Palm. Does that count as three-way?
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 4:41:11 PM #
How do you sync your Palm with your T68? Is there an app already available for download that allows you to do that?

Changing the subject a little bit. I like using Entourage X as my desktop PIM, for me its better than iCal and the new built in Mac address book, does anyone know whether iSync will allow me to sync my Entourage data with my Ericsson T68 mobile phone as well as with my Palm?

RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 5:56:45 PM #
I have a copy of iSync, they haven't worked out the bugs yet, but apparently you still need to have palm desktop for it to work (apparently means I haven't gotten it to work) LOL
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/14/2002 1:44:46 AM #
15 through 25 here (I have dissociative identity disorder). :)
RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/15/2002 2:25:00 PM #
#16 and #17 here; two Macs, two T68s, but just one iPod between me and my wife.

It's a good thing that iSync will use Palm Desktop to sync. Otherwise people (like us) with older Sony Clies wouldn't be able to rely on the MissingSync software, which adds a transport plug-in to make Palm Desktop work with our PDA.

On the other hand, I think some Handspring users are still waiting for OS X Palm Desktop connectivity.

RE: iCal
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2002 4:49:29 PM #
I'm a Handspring owner and I'm syncing my old - but handy - DeLuxe with Palm Desktop 4 under OS X. No problems whatsoever. Handspring says it doens't support but it works.

iSync coming

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 10:36:08 AM #
Also coming in September is (Apple's) iSync, an application that uses the Bluetooth wireless networking standard to make sure the address and calendar information stored in your cellphone or handheld computer are the same as the data in your computer.

That's leading many Mac users to speculate that Apple is developing its own cellphone-handheld computer combo. For now, the iPod MP3 player will double as a primitive PDA, able to store a calendar and address book.

from Mac 'Jaguar' OS Features Worth A Look by Windows Users
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E2EB126C1

View: Bluetooth will succeed; Apple’s Mac OS X
www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/2248.html


RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:02:04 AM #
There is no need for an Apple PDA considering their recent alliance with Sony/Ericsson. The P800 is precisely that albeit not a PalmOS product.
RE: iSync coming
dmkozak @ 9/13/2002 11:11:51 AM #
"There is no need for an Apple PDA considering their recent alliance with Sony/Ericsson. The P800 is precisely that albeit not a PalmOS product"

There's only no need so long as Apple wants to rely entirely on Sony producing a PDA for Mac users. Oh, wait, Sony has NEVER included Mac sync'g software with its CLIEs. Mac users are pretty much forced to use Palms if they want a PDA to sync with their Macs. Palm has supported Mac since day one.

In addition, Sony includes Intellisync Lite with all the CLIEs. The sync software designed to work seamlessly with Macs is Desktop to Go by DataViz.

Geez, if you're Apple wouldn't it make more sense for you to have Sony make you an iPalm and for you to include DataViz software so all your Mac users can hook up seamlessly? Apple wins by having a PDA designed for Mac users (of course, like with the Windows iPod, there'd also be a Windows iPalm), and Sony wins by building the units for Apple and getting more PDA's with MemorySticks in the public's hands.

RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:30:23 AM #
What about Missing Sync? I know that that still has nothing to do with Sony, but it is more grassroots than "Desktop to Go."
RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 2:01:32 PM #
CLIEs work in OSX...
RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 2:03:14 PM #
Sony handhelds sync just fine using Palm Desktop OSX. I don't know why Sony has not included this on their cd's yet with new handhelds.
RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 2:24:58 PM #
> I don't know why Sony has not included this on their cd's yet with new
> handhelds.

PalmSource didn't write Desktop 4, Palm Inc. did. To put it on their CDs, Sony would have to licence it from Palm.

Next, they would also have to write the conduits for all the extra features they include for Windows users, like mounting Memory Sticks on the Desktop.

Then they would have to hire a bunch of tech support people and train them to use the Mac Desktop.

I wish Sony would add support for Macs but it's a bigger issue than just putting some more software on the CDs.

RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 6:59:02 PM #
I thought Ericsson parted away from the Sony/Ericsson partnership. I was really bummed with that news. Have never liked the hardware that Ericsson releases on their own, but the electronics inside always seem solid.
RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:58:52 PM #
Ericsson didn't part ways .... I don't know what you are talking about here ..
RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/14/2002 4:20:27 AM #
"In addition, Sony includes Intellisync Lite with all the CLIEs. The sync software designed to work seamlessly with Macs is Desktop to Go by DataViz."

Sony Bundled Software Install CD
http://www.sonystyle.com/micros/clie/software/bundled.html

All companies mentioned here (Palm, Sony-Ericsson, Apple) are working (or going to; see Palm-IBM) with SyncML. Apples iSync is a sort of Bluetooth-SyncML solution. With Microsoft joining OMA (SyncML org is included) SyncML could become a succesfull synchronization technology.

Interesting to know is that both Palm and Sony-Ericsson are using the XTNDConnect Server with there products. The cross-platform support that XTNDConnect Server provides enables users to synchronize Palm, Pocket PC, SyncML, Symbian and RIM mobile devices with corporate servers including Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and any database accessible via ADO, ODBC or custom SDK.

In addition to receiving five stars, the highest ranking possible, XTNDConnect Server was selected as PC Magazine "Editor's Choice," outperforming Infowave Symmetry Pro and Microsoft Mobile Information Server 2002—Enterprise Edition.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,14742,00.asp

I think it's a pity that SyncML org. and the Bluetooth SIG haven't teamed up imho. There was a rumor awhile back.


RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/14/2002 4:43:01 AM #
Talking about Intellisync Lite of Pumatech.....Pumatech Receives De-listing Notice From Nasdaq
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020913/130194_1.html
RE: iSync coming
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/15/2002 12:55:27 AM #
Agreed. At the MacWorld show in NYC in July, the Apple exhibits had big banners with Macs and other products including Palm and Clie devices and Sony Ericsson phones. The clear implication was that Apple is teaming up with these companies to offer connectivity solutions that will better those in the Windows world. It is unlikely that they would so prominently feature hardware with which they intended to soon compete.

By the way, in response to another message is this thread, Palm Desktop was not written by Palm, but rather by Claris, a then-subsidiary of Apple. It was purchased by Palm.

AvantGo is extremely cool.

Strider_mt2k @ 9/13/2002 10:42:22 AM #
AvantGo deserves the attention. They run a great service over there. You get quite a bit for nothing!
I always hotsync in the morning, and it supports modem syncs too, so it's great for road warriors.


strider_mt2k@yahoo.com

RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:33:14 AM #
uh, Avantgo has been around for a while now. Its nothing new. If you've only dicovered Avantgo recently then congratulations. Now you know something EVERYONE knows. Avantgo is a powerful app
RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
Strider_mt2k @ 9/13/2002 11:41:56 AM #
Uh, that was kind of my point.
I was simply expressing my enthusiasm.

strider_mt2k@yahoo.com
RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 11:45:09 AM #
Isn't that what he was saying?
I looks like he's just into Avantgo, relax.
RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
Phil @ 9/13/2002 12:12:54 PM #
Yeah, it is cool. BUT I am (and probably more than 8 other people) waiting for an major update (HR, JogDial-support, VFS-support). I recently bought the upgrade to 8 MB - so I hope they will spend my money for a new app.

Phil

RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
Phil @ 9/13/2002 12:17:28 PM #
Oh, and by the way: what I donīt like about AvantGo ist that they donīt answer my eMails.

Phil

RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 12:53:59 PM #
AvantGo is cool but why they haven't release an update is beyond me. OS 4.0 has been out for along time. It doesn't even support VFS. Think about how many channels you could fit into the card. And talk about the wasted ram space to hold the channels. Why not offload that to the card.

They do have a good tool but they suck on updates and supports.

RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
rldunn @ 9/13/2002 1:15:11 PM #
That's why Handstory is so nice. You can sync to the card and have high-res+ support, not to mention clipping any page you're reading and not dealing with long hotsyncs.

iSilo is another great option
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 2:00:07 PM #
iSilo works great too. It's not as automatic as AvantGo, but that's good in a way too. I don't want every sync to take up lots of time.

All I need to do is open iSiloX, and hit the convert all button. I've found almost every channel I want except for the Economist mobile site...

RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 3:32:07 PM #
AvantGo is bloated, slow and removed their free proxying of many sites that I use....hmmm just use Plucker and set it to run at time intervals.

Faster, no annoying ads, no requests for surveys and better image rendering/management. Did I mention it is GPLed? Did I mention it is free?

Go to http://www.plkr.org/

No I don't work on it but was happy to delete AvantGo.

RE: AvantGo is extremely cool.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/13/2002 4:20:38 PM #
As of a month ago I stopped using AvantGo. It's taking up too much on my main memory and the 2MB limit was unacceptable. Now that they have an enhanced service, it's still not as useful if you have to cram all that into the main RAM. Then when I could add "The Register" anymore because of some user limit, I started lookign for replacements.

I've found every channel I needed on AvantGo for iSilo and much more. VFS and hires for my Clie. It's a better experience. I have the iSilo updates auto-scheduled, so when I'm ready to sync, it's all up to date and goes directly onto my memory card.

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