Sync A Handheld and a Mac with Apple's iSync

During his Macworld NY keynote, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the today that Palm is now considered part of the Mac "digital hub." He went on to introduce iSync, which synchronizes address books and calendars between Mac computers and Palm OS handhelds, Apple’s iPod, and Bluetooth-enabled GPRS mobile phones. It will be available as a free download starting this September and requires Mac OS X version 10.2 “Jaguar.”

iSync can transfer all the calendar information (like events and appointments) and the contacts in the Mac address book — all the names, phone numbers, and email addresses — to a Palm OS device.

Thanks to moosecat for the tip. -Ed

Related Information:

Article Comments

 (45 comments)

The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PalmInfocenter is not responsible for them in any way.
Please Login or register here to add your comments.

Comments Closed Comments Closed
This article is no longer accepting new comments.

Down View Full Comment Thread

If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 1:32:57 PM #
If Jobs could, he would canabilize the Palm with the iPod. And that may just be his ultimate plan. Watch out Palm!!! Don't get too cozy with this guy.
RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
TypeMRT @ 7/17/2002 2:35:41 PM #
Now you can have contacts, calendar, a clock, and games out of the box for $300. Sounds like the m125 has a competitor. Oh yeah, it plays a 1000 mp3's too ;)

RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 3:06:24 PM #
You're both dumb. This is clearly the first step at Apple becoming a licensee. Expect a Palm-based PDA from Apple soon...
RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 3:11:21 PM #
I agree 100%. Handera are basically dead in the water and will probably not be around much longer, at least on the hardware side of the business. Handspring is rapidly exiting the non-communcator side of things and Palm takes too long to develop new products. Apple has far greater resources than Palm, and their product refreshes every few months make perfect sense for the Handheld market. I'd not be surprised if Apple would first release an oversized, ruggedized PDA for the education market and then release a combo ipod/ipalm type gadget. This might be the reason why Palm has been reluctant to release an mp3 playing unit of their own. Well, if this ends up being true, at least we'll get (if nothing else) Firewire hotsync and a neat-o case design soon!

P.S. I thought several years ago that Palm should have sold a rebadged Palm IIIe SE (the clear one) to Apple...

RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
james_sorenson @ 7/17/2002 5:09:01 PM #
The iPod is nice, but how could it take out Palm? I use my Palm to ADD a lot of information throughout the day, which is something the iPod is not designed to do. Steve Jobs himself said the PDA market did not look like a fun market to join. Palm is popular. Advertising that your sytem works great with Palm is just a way to convince more people to join your platform.

Personally, I think Steve WANTS Palm to succeed. If people drop Palms for the PocketPCs, which have very little Mac-compatible software available, then it would hurt Apple quite a bit.


-------
James Sorenson

RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 5:27:54 PM #
I agree with the last two comments. By adding Palm as part of the digital hub, Apple is definitely indicating that it's "taking sides in the handheld wars." While that might not mean that Apple comes out with a PDA right away, I think that they are realizing that they've missed out on some great opportunities there, and that partnering with Palm would be of great advantage.

Despite pioneering the handheld PDA market, Apple has been shut out for too long, and that's gotta hurt. With the success of the iPod, Apple sees that branded products (if properly designed) can really help the bottom line and even increase user loyalty and conversion to a new platform. Apple doesn't need to build its own OS from scratch, it just needs to take the Palm OS and tweak the look a bit to make it seem like it's an Apple exclusive, plus add some nice PC-side support for it that makes it integrate well. With iSiync, they've done the latter, now they just need to take a nice little Oslo and put an Apple logo on it. It makes perfect sense for the "digital hub" idea: Jobs isn't saying that the PDA is a replacement for the iPod or the other way around. By including it in the "digital hub" he's admitting that it has a separate and important place in the users life, and he's going to make it integrate fully. I smell hardware.

RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 9:48:49 PM #
You mean apple taking sides on the handheld war by showing sonyericsson sync with Mac, you should be happy that SonyEricsson ddin't release P800 on time to have it on stage.
RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 2:17:54 AM #
I was at the convention today. At Apple's (enormous!) booth, there were huge banners with, among other things, palm m515's. This doesn't appear that Apple is planning to liscense the PalmOS for its own device, and it has no need to anyway. It can do very well, simply extending Palm's capabilities through the Mac, thereby making the Mac more attractive to Palm users. It has adopted a similar strategy for years with certain camera makers, for example. Incidentally, Apple actually has Palm devices in all its stores.
RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 7:45:53 AM #
> I agree 100%. Handera are basically dead in the water
> and will probably not be around much longer ...

You mean Apple's going to release a Palm OS device with Compact Flash, dual expansion slots, voice recorder, hi-res, virtual graffiti and long battery life? U R a genius! I can't wait.

RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 7:48:49 AM #
"It can do very well, simply extending Palm's capabilities through the Mac, thereby making the Mac more attractive to Palm users."

Exactly. It fits well with their recent "switch" campaign as well. Their goal seems to be: lets do all the main things people want to do better than Windows. Start with a better OS, add better video editing, a better Office, ... add better integration with Palm devices, etc.

RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 8:23:45 AM #
Companies today are looking for REVENUE and EARNINGS GROWTH and they will do whatever it takes to do this. This includes new products into new markets. Jobs is asking himself everyday, "How can I grow revenue and earnings?" Why not capture some of the huge PDA market too? Especially when you already have a device (iPod) that would be a good base technology for a great PDA.
RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 4:40:03 PM #
If all CEOs were as paranoid as you are, then there would be NO standards at all: Palm! DO NOT cooperate with Apple, because they might decide to compete with you - jeez -

For my part, I am very happy with this improved Mac-Palm sync, and if I had to chose I would rather give up my Palm than my Mac. By the way: I have an ipod and a Palm - if Palm ever finally decides to support MP3, I might sometimes leave the ipod at home - but I would still use it for the 5+ GB. Anyway, it would be stupid of Apple to compete against Palm if it can license it. It would have to attract more software writers than Palm - and they know from their Mac how tough that is (What would they do better anyway - Palm software (5.0) right now is great, just the hardware sucks)

RE: If I was Palm, I wouldn't trust Jobs no more than Gates
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/19/2002 5:25:00 PM #
>You mean Apple's going to release a Palm OS device with
>Compact Flash, dual expansion slots, voice recorder,
>hi-res, virtual graffiti and long battery life? U R a
>genius! I can't wait.

Yeah, it's called the Newton! Hmm...dual PCMCIA slots, voice recorder, 320 * 240 screen, write anywhere onscreen, and long battery life.

Jobs Hints Of Move To Intel
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/19/2002 9:50:04 PM #
MWNY - Steve Jobs Hints Of Move To Intel As A Possibility
by Bryan Chaffin

Will wonders never cease? Reuters has published an article about MACWORLD New York that includes a very tiny mention of a very large subject: Mac OS X on Intel. In that mention, the way it is presented by Reuters, Steve Jobs hints that moving Mac OS X to Intel is a possibility.

www.macobserver.com/article/2002/07/18.5.shtml

Please don't post the entire text of copyrighted articles. It's illegal. This is also only marginally on topic. -Ed

One thing I noticed

dulinor @ 7/17/2002 1:43:36 PM #
During the keynote was that the demo of iSync very conspiciously did not touch any of the Palm features. I like Palm Desktop as much as anyone, but if this worked and worked well, it would be huge. I want my addresses available to Mail.app. I suppose this calendar thing could be cool, but it will be useless if it can't read from palms.

Anyway, just looked to me like the Palm sync wasn't even close to ready, or they would have demo'd it.

RE: One thing I noticed
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 1:55:17 PM #
I'd love that too. However, it seems to me that the biggest problem is on the Palm side. I've loaded my Address book into Excel, and I don't see how the Apple software can determine the difference between a phone number and a fax number. Additionally, I use a 'return' character in many of the input fields; this would probably screw the import up as well.
Conduit control
Moosecat @ 7/17/2002 1:56:46 PM #
One thing I wonder is whether iSync will manage Palm conduits other than calendar and contacts. The screenshot on the Apple site makes it look like it will only deal with calendar and contacts. Which would mean that I would still have to use Palm Desktop for everything else.

iSync would be truly righteous if I could throw all my conduits -- including complex ones like Vindigo and Avantgo -- into it, and let 'er rip.

(Maybe even put Palm web content like Vindigo or Avantgo on my iPod via iSync? A man can dream ...)

RE: One thing I noticed
Ed @ 7/17/2002 2:00:29 PM #
I noticed the lack of details on the Palm conduits myself. That's why this article is so sketchy.

---
News Editor
RE: iSync is new
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 2:51:55 PM #
iSync is a new app, it's not a powerful one though. But it is a beginning to assist in syncing so many devices. One sync app is all we need and Apple is the only one that has thought of this to date.

It's smart to sync a cell phone alone or all 3 devices together. You never know when you will leave your Palm at home and maybe need an address. Most people will carry a cell phone and that can help. The iPod is great and we can see that it will become powerful one day for possible Inkwell. (Apple's handwriting recognition software).

This just shows that Apple is not ready to bring out their own PDA, just yet. They will still support other devices for now. Nice to see. But the idea of one sync software is a welcome. It's a start and I think it's more geared to the ipod and cell phone crowd. Palm desktop of course is still a big app for palm devices.

RE: One thing I noticed
jdc0730 @ 7/17/2002 3:07:08 PM #
"iSync is a new app, it's not a powerful one though. But it is a beginning to assist in syncing so many devices. One sync app is all we need and Apple is the only one that has thought of this to date. "

This isn't entirely true as TrueSync (www.truesync.com) has been available from Starfish for a while. I don't have a compatible phone so I don't use the feature, but it available. I currently sync my Palm, Palm Desktop, and Yahoo! account all at the same time. Another option is fusionOne (www.fusionone.com). It's downside is that it syncs each source independently which when I used it before (over a year ago) it had a tendency to foobar my data.
Apple may be the first to think of it for the Mac, but the services are available for PC users.

RE: One thing I noticed
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 8:34:09 PM #
I always thought "foobar" should be "fubar", especially in your context. F**ked Up Beyong All Recognition. :-)
RE: One thing I noticed
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 11:20:52 PM #
With iSync, a palm-device, bluetooth and apple's "inkwell" I think it is possible for OSX10.2 to possibly use the palm as a tablet-conduit/input device.......apple is into the clever-software mode lately, and I donT think it is tough for them to turn the pda into a "tablet" persay for data input that shoots directly into the mac running the various apps. (most people have their pda sitting on their desk anyways...why clutter your deskspace with another tablet device?!)
That way, there is no need for Apple to spend resources on their own palm-device, which makes Palm (mac) users very happy. Also not having to go out to buy a Wacom tablet to take advantage of the inkwell technology....iM drooling already.
Sync It.
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 3:36:35 AM #
There are also some interesting sync products from Puma and Synchrologic out on the market. But i prefer the sync of Extended Systems which is very robust and has a cross platform so it's support PDAs from multiple vendors.

xtndconnect pc
www.gregmckinney.homestead.com/journal032200.html
One of the best selling sync products since years at Handango
http://makeashorterlink.com/?D2EF12A41

There server based synchronization product called xtndconnect server, enables users to synchronize Palm, Pocket PC, SyncML, Symbian and RIM mobile devices with corporate servers including Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and any ODBC-compliant database, and is one of the best (if not the best) on the market.

The xtndconnect server was selected as the "Editor's Choice," outperforming Infowave Symmetry Pro and Microsoft Mobile Information Server 2002--Enterprise Edition.

-Infowave Symmetry Pro: 4 OUT OF 5
-Microsoft Mobile Information Server 2002—Enterprise Edition: 3 OUT OF 5
-XTNDConnect Server 3.0 Professional Edition: 5 OUT OF 5
-SureWave Mail: x
www.pcmag.com/article/0,2997,s=1470&a=24716,00.asp

Palm Selected Extended Systems as Synchronization Solution Migration Partner: Extended Systems and Palm continue to work together to provide enterprise customers with a reliable, server-based synchronization and device management solution. Extended Systems XTNDConnect Server is being offered as a migration path for Palm's current HotSync Server customers. Microsoft has an interesting article on the xtndconnect server on there website.
www.palm.com/enterprise/products/xtndconnect.html
www.microsoft.com/mobile/developer/technicalarticles/xtndconnect.asp

Good luck.

RE: One thing I noticed
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 8:33:23 AM #
According to the Jargon File (jargon.net):

foobar /n./ Another common metasyntactic variable; see foo. Hackers do *not* generally use this to mean FUBAR in either the slang or jargon sense.


Digital hub...

atrizzah @ 7/17/2002 2:58:35 PM #
Jobs saying that Palm is part of his digital hub because of iSync is like saying Michael Jordan is on my YMCA basketball team since I ordered him a custom jersey.

Peace Out
Alan
RE: Digital hub...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 3:09:11 PM #
Who is Jordan? Apple or Palm?
RE: Digital hub...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 3:32:25 PM #
"Who is Jordon?"

Who are you, dumb or dumber?

RE: Digital hub...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 3:55:52 PM #
" "Who is Jordon?"

Who are you, dumb or dumber?"

I think that's the question you should be asking yourself. It's Jordan, not Jordon. :P

RE: Digital hub...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 4:25:17 PM #
Dear Genius:

" "Who is Jordon?"

Who are you, dumb or dumber?" "

The question was who does this poster think Jordan is:
Jordan = Palm OR Jordan = Apple?

Now go back to work at your $30K/ Year job and stop calling people dumb.


RE: Digital hub...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 9:24:03 PM #
I think it's time to disallow anonymous postings like this one.

This would cut off any further attem

RE: Digital hub...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 2:13:03 AM #
Cute analogy, but Jobs didn't say that the Palm was part of the "digital hub" because of iSync, but rather that Apple wanted to actively and creatively support the Palm because it is a part of the hub for many Mac users. Big difference.

syncing hotmail

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 3:32:07 PM #
this has nothing to do with the main topic. does anyone know if its possible to sync hotmail to my clie? what program do i have to use and how do i go about it?

also does anyone have the program called middlecapshack? if so could you send it to me at gavlim@hotmail.com thanks..

RE: syncing hotmail
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 3:49:01 PM #
Do you have to keep posting this question everywhere? There were already responses to your question over at ClieSource well before you posted your question here.

Sheesh.

And, have you considered using Google to find your answers? You'd find MiddleCapsHack pretty darn quickly that way. Or PalmGear?

RE: syncing hotmail
Ed @ 7/17/2002 4:03:59 PM #
You also already posted it on this site and got numerous answers:
www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=3845&MODE=FLAT#56399

---
News Editor
RE: syncing hotmail
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 8:56:29 PM #
Gavlim. If you want it, pay MS your money for POP3 access. Then do it through Outlook Express. Of course, if you were willing to spend money, you'd be smart enough to go on Google for answers.

Interesting... White Rabbit?

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/17/2002 7:53:01 PM #
I saw a demo of an application called "White Rabbit" about 3 months ago. An Apple employee showed it to me. It was basically a revamped Palm Desktop for Mac OS - he said it was a leadup to an Apple device. This iSync doesn't look anything like what I saw though... strange... One feature that I can't see in iSync is the ability to mount your Palm device and add/edit details without having to do a HotSync. Maybe it's what they mean when they say "iSync ensures that address books and calendars flow seamlessly from a user’s Mac to all of their digital devices and back."??

iSync looks neat though - can't wait!

Anyone else seen White Rabbit?

RE: Interesting... White Rabbit?
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 1:53:51 AM #
with iPod Apple is dipping their toe to test the PDA market once again. Apple is slowly building every component of PDA infrastucture piece by piece.

Ipod, has more processing power and bigger screen than current Palm model and the recently introduced "mini" agenda features certainly indicate the trend.

now the conduit.

It's just a step away from a full blown PDA feature and resurrection of Newton. Apple still own all Newton's IP, specially the center piece (handwriting technology). Tho' much rediculed it's still one of the best handwriting technology out there for PDA world. Microsoft tries to match it, and Palm has no such technology.

If Apple decide to get back to PDA market, Palm will be dead within the hour leaving the arena to MS, Apple, and Zaurus.

RE: Interesting... White Rabbit?
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 5:58:06 AM #
LoL Steve said Cell phone is more popular than Palm device (which probably is true) which mean he has no intention to get into the PDA business at all, phone business? maybe.
RE: Interesting... White Rabbit?
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 8:40:09 AM #
> If Apple decide to get back to PDA market, Palm will be dead within the hour
> leaving the arena to MS, Apple, and Zaurus.

Thanks for the laugh. The Newton might be remembered fondly by Mac fans but everyone else thinks of it as a huge failure. It was too big, too expensive and promised more than it delivered. If Apple made another handheld, what makes you think they would do any better?

If the market was only Microsoft, Apple, and Zaurus, there would be no handhelds that cost less than $600. Sorry pal, Palm isn't going anywhere and it will continue to to dominate the handheld market for years because only Palm/Handspring/Sony understand what the man on the street wants. Microsoft and Sharp think all handheld users are geeks with lots of cash to waste on expensive toys.

Apple understands they have no real chance against the Palm OS and will stay out of the market. Instead, it will work to make its computers the best desktops to connect Palm OS PDAs to. iSync is the first step in this.

RE: Interesting... White Rabbit?
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 10:41:31 AM #
>If the market was only Microsoft, Apple, and Zaurus,
>there would be no handhelds that cost less than $600. >Sorry pal, Palm isn't going anywhere and it will
>continue to to dominate the handheld market for years >because only Palm/Handspring/Sony understand what the >man on the street wants. Microsoft and Sharp think
>all handheld users are geeks with lots of cash to
>waste on expensive toys.

Amen to that!! Speaking personally, I've known one person with a Newton, two with a WinCE/PPC unit, none with a Zaurus, one still using an ancient Casio BOSS and a large handful with PALM based units, all of which are either m10x machines, old III/V series and one with a IIIc. Oh yes, about four with older Visors.

The "man on the street" as the previous poster said doesn't want anything too fancy. If the "man" is a college-age student, he wants an m100 with a funky face plate and a few games on it. If the "man" is a younger Exec, he wants something slim and stylish to match his cell phone and Vx still suits him just fine. If it's an older exec, then he wants a IIIc with a big, bright colorful screen. Apple has long understood this, as iSync nicely displays. The same reasons that cause the overclocking/case modding/Quak III playing/Linux box building PC crowd to deride Apple are why Apple is so beloved by still sizable group of users. If PCs had not become cheap and entrenched in business (and let me reiterate the cheap part) in the late 80s/early 90s, then no one would be singing their praises. Instead we still have folks howling at the $300 E-machines refurb STILL being too costly while at the same time howling at the unreliability of Windows ME, and the flimsiness of the E-machines' power supply. People will never be pleased by just reliability or performance---they want both without paying for either. Face it folks. PIC readers are hardcore and account for a small fraction of the people that make retail purchases/approve corporate purchasing.

That said, Apple at least wants to make things as simple as possible for the few that still WILL pay the extra $$ for an Apple system and regardless of their decision to jump into the Palm OS hardware market, they are making the right move with the software side of it. Let them tweak this app for a few months, refine it a bit and get some user feedback. Then when the ARM/OS5 devices get up to speed they can make a decision. I'd wager than the external casing/styling of an Apple handheld is already done and ready to go--they just need to figure out what to stuff in the case, what color it'll be, and whether or not the risk of launching such a beast is worth it.


Top View Full Comment Thread

Account

Register Register | Login Log in
user:
pass: