Apple Releases iSync v1.0

Posted By: Ryan Thursday, January 2, 2003 12:52:23 PM

Apple today announced the immediate availability of iSync 1.0, Apple's multi-device synchronization software and iCal 1.0.1, an update to Apple's calendar program that lets users manage multiple calendars and share them over the Internet. The update to iSync enhances synchronization, adds scheduling and improves on the Palm OS handheld support.

You can use iSync to synchronize your Address Book contacts and iCal calendar and To Do information on your Mac with the contacts and calendar on Palm OS devices like the Palm Tungsten T Handheld and the Handspring Treo. To do this, make sure you have iCal 1.0.1 (or later) and HotSync 3.0 (or later) for Mac OS X installed on your computer. iSync is also compatible with some of the latest GPRS Bluetooth-enabled wireless phones, including the T68i from Sony Ericsson.

Since the introduction of iCal in September, more than 1 million copies of iCal have been distributed and more than 200,000 calendars have been published online. iCal's breakthrough “Internet publish and subscribe” capability is a first for any calendar program. Users can “publish” their iCal calendars on the Internet, and other Mac® users can “subscribe” to them and view them in iCal on their own Mac. The subscribed to calendars will automatically update whenever the original published calendars are updated.

iSync

iSync 1.0 works seamlessly with the Mac® OS X version 10.2 “Jaguar” Address Book and iCal to synchronize contacts and calendars between Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, PalmOS devices, Apple’s iPod™ portable digital music player and other Macs using Apple’s .Mac service. With iSync 1.0, users can for the first time sync their “Jaguar” Address Book with the new .Mac Address Book making it incredibly easy to access contacts while using .Mac Web Mail from any computer in the world. iSync 1.0 also includes regularly-scheduled Mac to Mac synchronization, which makes it even more convenient to keep information updated on multiple Macs. Both applications require Mac OS X version 10.2.3.

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Cool

rmcalister @ 1/2/2003 1:17:34 PM #

Maybe now I have a compelling reason to upgrade to OS X 10.2 from 10.1.5.

RE: Cool

Spell @ 1/4/2003 1:34:33 PM #

Actually, I highly recommend upgrading to X.2, regardless of iSync. I found X.1.5 to be very buggy. It's really the first OS upgrade, Mac or PC, I ever regretted installing. X.2.3 seems to have squashed 95% of those bugs without any further tweaking (or swearing) on my part. If X.1.5 isn't giving you problems, more power to you, of course, but I thought I'd mention the overall impression of my own recent upgrade.

Good news, I hope

Moosecat @ 1/2/2003 1:41:45 PM #

I hope this version is faster than the beta -- I found it almost unusably slow. (So I very rarely sync with my Mac as things stand.)

If anyone gives it a shot today (while I'm away from my Mac), I'd love to hear some thoughts.

RE: Good news, I hope

kezza @ 1/2/2003 2:22:29 PM #

yeah, put me on the "too slow to use" list of beta-users. i'm tempted to try this when i get on my mac at home, but i still doubt i'll like it that much.

i've grown very accustomed to the palm desktop on my mac, and i didn't like ical at all, but i may go back to syncing my addressbook with isync. maybe.

--------------------------------------
"Well, if it isn't the leader of the wiener patrol, boning up on his nerd lessons"
http://stirwise.com

RE: Good news, I hope

vgz @ 1/2/2003 2:49:44 PM #

iSync seems to run about 3x faster on my Dual 450 G4. iCal is also much faster and finally remembers the window location, it also allows you to set different sizes for the different views (day, week, month). It's worth installing them, especially if you used the beta of iSync.

Not mentioned but of interest is that iSync now has a menu extra that lets you open iSync or perform a sync.

iCal doesn't currently have a menu extra but someone wrote a program called MiCal that you can find on versiontracker that will give you a menu showing all the events for the day. It's still beta so use at your own risk.

----------

Matt

Owned Palm Vx, m505, soon to own Tungsten T

RE: Good news, I hope

elo @ 1/2/2003 5:37:49 PM #

I was in the same camp; I tried the beta for about two days and found it too sluggish to keep using. This, on the other hand, absolutely flies. It's hard to believe it's the same program. Guess the moral is not to pre-judge beta software.

elo

Mac Brand Palm OS????

Palmruz @ 1/2/2003 1:39:05 PM #

This story reminds of an idea I have had for a long time. Mac should license Palm OS, especially now that PalmOS 5 has been launched. Mac is in time to come out with a killer PDA in OS 5 that could complement the whole mac lineup. There is room for a high end, mid range or low end PDA if released with OS 5. I personally would love a mid range PDA like the Clie SJ-30, 320x320 color, rechargable battery, in casing that matches the iPod and the rest of the mac lineup.

The market for a Mac Brand Palm OS 5 Machine? HUGE!!!! Just think of all the Mac users who currently have a Palm OS 4 and under device, think of the millions of Palm users who have a Palm OS 4 and under who might be upgrading in the next year!!!!!!! If this device could complement an iPod think about these users as well!!!!

I just can't think of a reason not to do it!!!!

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

masitti @ 1/2/2003 3:36:19 PM #

You must not understand why Apple does what it does.

They stand strong behind the theory of creating both the hardware and the software for their products. And it works well. If Apple creates a PDA, it would have it's own hardware and own software. Not from anyone else.

------------------------
Mario Masitti
O/T Mod
I Love Tennis :)

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

macnux @ 1/2/2003 3:38:17 PM #

I absolutely agree. If it didn't come out from Cupertino, it'll not be Apple branded.

They need to get out of this mindset if they intend to capture more market share. It is also one reason why quite a few IS managers are nervous about adopting Aple products - they are too reliant on just ONE company for EVERYTHING.

Instead they should do as Palm did; separate into TWO entities that deal separately with hardware and software - AND CONSIDER LICENSING OSX TO RUN ON THE x86 platform ....:)

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

timewaster77 @ 1/2/2003 3:41:26 PM #

I would consider buying a Palm OS handheld from Apple if they made one. However it would have to be able to work with a PC, because as much as I love Apple, I am not getting an iMac.

Happy Sony Clie User

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

Davy Fields @ 1/2/2003 3:53:01 PM #

I'm not sure if they want more marketshare.... well, obviously, they'd like it, but they're the innovators of the industry, the designs everyone looks up to. BMW would love to have everyone buy their cars, but they're perfectly happy to sell to the higher-class folk and have other people admire them.

-Davy Fields
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Palm_OS_5/

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

serpico @ 1/2/2003 4:08:36 PM #

I remember iSync beta being slow with my Palm IIIc. I hope this version is better and faster. Also, make note you need to update iCal to use this.

The Sony/Ericsson cell phones are a great companion to the OSX platform. Bluetooth may be catching on this year on all platforms. I too would like a new device such as a PDA and perhaps with the Woz being involved next week in Macworld, we may see some collaboration with Danger and Apple.

Hey, you never know! ;-)

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

Fammy @ 1/2/2003 4:42:35 PM #

I could see Apple going with PalmOS for a handheld. They tried Newton, and it failed. If they want back in on the handheld industry, they will have a hard time beating Palm and MS OS. Why not partner with the leader and get a head start.

We all know they'd never go with MS for a handheld OS.

(I'd buy OSX for the x86!)

_____
Fammy

Steve Jobs said...

Solo @ 1/2/2003 5:15:22 PM #

That he fundamentaly do not believe in handheld, he believes cell phone will overcome Handheld because people don't want to carry both. Even though I carry both for the last 5 years, I think he'll be right someday.

So maybe when Apple will jump into that market, it will be with a Smartphone or something like that (or acquiring Handspring).

Solo

Just like Dire Straits sang so long ago in their hit, Money For Nothing : "I want my, I want my, I want my MTV." Same thing now, but different lyrics : " I want my MP3 software".

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

ig-88 @ 1/3/2003 9:06:34 AM #

"They stand strong behind the theory of creating both the hardware and the software for their products. And it works well. If Apple creates a PDA, it would have it's own hardware and own software. Not from anyone else."

Actually... that's not entirely true. Apple's ipod uses a 133Mhz ARM processor with the Pixo operating system. The ipod is the closes thing that Apple currently has to a PDA.

RE: Mac Brand Palm OS????

enjolras @ 1/3/2003 11:48:01 AM #

Not to mention that OS X is built around BSD. At the most basic level OS X is most definitely a Unix, and not a proprietary Apple OS.

what about multi day events?

RichardW @ 1/3/2003 4:57:18 AM #

I installed the new iCal and iSync and yes, both are greatly improved. iSync also stopped creating duplicates of all sort of entries. A severe problem I have however is that multi day events in iCal are ignored by iSync, so entries like conferences or vacations simply don't make it to the Palm. Does anybody know of a workaround?

RE: what about multi day events?

blind505user @ 1/3/2003 3:22:00 PM #

After reading your comment, I picked up (found) my Palm and all of my reoccuring events are in my Palm. These are events created in iCal.

RE: what about multi day events?

RichardW @ 1/4/2003 4:25:59 AM #

I wasn't talking about reoccuring events but about events that span a certain period of time which does not lie entirely in one day. Vacations that are usually a couple of weeks don't get transferred.

RE: what about multi day events?

blind505user @ 1/4/2003 12:46:01 PM #

Wow, just tested out what you said and as I'm sure you already knew, you were right. I guess the workaround that I have been using without even knowing it is when I make a new event like a vacation, rather than calling it an all day event and then spreading the date over a range of days, I went to re-occuring and had the even re-occur daily and that seems to work. Doesn't give the same visual clue on the calander, but at least all the events will be in both places.

Tim

iSync and Palm Desktop

macnux @ 1/3/2003 3:20:15 PM #

I would really appreciate any comments on the following questions. I absolutely rely on my Palm so I don't want to screw up the Palm Desktop. My questions here is:

1. does installation of iSync prevents syncing with the PalmDesktop if I decide to drop iSync?

2. does that mean that I can go ahead and get a Clie without needing the Missing Sync? What about the ability to see the Memory Stick?

Thanks!

RE: iSync and Palm Desktop

serpico @ 1/4/2003 1:47:51 AM #

isync uses conduits that you can turn on or off if need be. This was just like the beta. You still need Missing Sync for Sony handhelds to get more than your basic sync. iSync is very easy to run, the beta worked fine for me except it was slow. I hear this is not the case anymore.

Another thing, the newton did not fail. It is still being used today by many, many on ebay selling, and amazing that many have created different uses for it such as playing mp3 files from a pc card hdd. More than what Palm can say over how many years of giving us the same old devices. Steve really cancelled the newton but kept the technology more so for personal reasons of different individuals from the past who ran Apple and he did not like. It's a very interesting story if you ever get time to read the book.

Tuesday we'll see what happens.

RE: iSync and Palm Desktop

elo @ 1/6/2003 6:32:53 PM #

The poster to which you responded didn't mention the Newton. But you're only half right anyway. No, the Newton did not fail, and its final incarnation, the MessagePad 2100, was actually quite a success. But it was not killed for petty personal reasons. When Jobs took over Apple, the company was in dire straights coming out of the Amelio chairmanship. Something had to be cut for the company to survive and a cost-benefit analysis was done. The Newton and several other lesser technologies were cut after this process was undertaken, but only because they couldn't be immediately profitable. Jobs obvously has no luck for Spindler, the soft drink pusher who originally ousted him, but this did not factor into the decision.

elo

RE: iSync and Palm Desktop

serpico @ 1/6/2003 9:17:55 PM #

I understand the business side of it, but you never know with Steve, he's an individual with a split personality!

sync all-day iCal events to t68i

tray @ 7/30/2003 9:36:12 AM #

don't get too excited.. You can't sync 'em at all!:(

Here's what I have to say to Mac users who bought a Sony Ericsson t68i mobile phone.

So you bought a t68i thinking it would sync up all the events from your Mac did you? And now you're disappointed and find the phone useless as a calendar because you can never be sure if you're free on a certain day or not? Well...

I strongly suggest that you immediately send a quick note to the President of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications about this matter. He can be contacted by:

mailto:katsumi.ihara@sonyericsson.com

Mr. Katsumi Ihara
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ltd.
Sony Ericsson House
202 Hammersmith Road
W6 7DN London
United Kingdom

Below are a couple of links to some examples of messages published by Sony Ericsson that led me to believe I was purchasing a phone that would synchronise ALL of my calendar events not only SOME of those events.

On these pages, you will find claims containing keywords like "up-to-date", "compatible", "same" and "accurate", such as:

* "Apple's hot new synchronizing software keeps your iCal information and Mac OS X Address Book up-to-date on your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone"

* "This product [iSync] is compatible with the following Sony Ericsson phones: ... T68i"

* "the same up to date address book and calendars everywhere – on their Mac and in their pocket"

* "customers using the new Sony Ericsson T68i phone are ... keeping their ... calendar up-to-date between their Mac and their phone"

* "You can have your ... calendar with you wherever you go, and you'll know the information is accurate"

http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?page=gis&Redir=page%3DC2_1_50%26B%3Die

http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?page=gis&Redir=page%3Dc_bluetooth%26B%3Die

That e-mail address again was mailto:katsumi.ihara@sonyericsson.com

Refer your request for a solution this this address now!