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USNA91 · Aug 16, 2006, 11:19 AM

I am running the latest and greatest version of Tiger on a PowerBook G4 1.5 15" with 2GB of RAM, and loving every minute of it.

I currently own an HP iPaq PocketPC PDA, and had purchased MissingSynch way back to use with it, with limited success. So limited that I have decided to ditch the damned thing altogether.

My question is this: Does PalmOS link well (if not natively) with OSX? I would be synching with Microsoft Entourage. After that, is there a particular recommended model?

I put this here since I think the OS of the computer is the primary factor.

Thanks!

kman42 · Aug 16, 2006, 12:14 PM

Don't get a Treo 650. I hate mine with a passion. It crashes 4-5 times per day even when it is just sitting there. It uses crap technology that was state of the art along with OS7. I think Palm may have even been started by some Apple defectors who took the worst of the old MacOS and stuck it in a handheld device. I just can't believe that there is an OS out there today that is SINGLE-TASKING! The worst part is that you still have to sync the device. How quaint. Why don't they have an over-the-air solution like Blackberry or the Hiptop. What good is a to-do list if it is constantly outdated. Maybe some people don't do stuff during the day, but it is useless for me to have a to-do list with items checked off if I then come back to my computer and they all still need to be done!

Sorry, had to vent there. Maybe it is just my phone or my software or my carrier (VZN). This is what all of the Palm people keep telling me on the Treo sites. I have gone through several phones and tried the stock apps and it still crashes. Why should my phone reset if an app crashes?! Unbelievable.

Still waiting for the perfect mobile device...

kman

Macola · Aug 16, 2006, 12:46 PM

I switched from Palm to a Pocket PC this year and have not regretted it. The multitasking and handwriting recognition alone are worth it. You may want to give the latest version of Missing Sync a try...it's not perfect, but it's the best solution out there for Pocket PC.

USNA91 · Aug 16, 2006, 12:49 PM

My problem was that Missing Synch would synch once, but not afterwards. I'd have to shut down Entourage AND Missing Synch and restart them. Sometimes I'd even have to reboot.

So the Treo650 sucks, eh? Bummer. I was looking at that one.

kman42 · Aug 16, 2006, 12:56 PM

I use Missing Sync for the Treo and it sometimes syncs and sometimes not. It seems to work every other attempt and then I have to shut off bluetooth on the computer and in the Missing Sync app and then restart them both and it will sync again. This has added to my frustration and might be a bluetooth problem on my PowerBook, but I'm not sure as I don't have any other bluetooth devices to play with.

I have never put much stock in the Apple phone before, but if Apple has created a system-wide service for to-dos in Leopard, along with the AddressBook database, and .Mac syncing, I'm starting to hope they create a portable device that will sync automatically with .Mac (or other server if you are not .Mac inclined). It seems like a no brainer if they add wireless to the iPod to at least allow syncing to/from the device even if they don't have a full-fledged phone in the near term. I would gladly shovel out the $275 to cancel my VZN subscription if something comes along from Apple that 'just works'.

kman

OreoCookie · Aug 16, 2006, 02:23 PM

Wrong forum! Moving …

golfmacgirl · Aug 16, 2006, 02:40 PM

I like my treo 650 (granted not as much as my treo 600 - which finally died a few months ago). The 700 should be coming out for palm really shortly- i was waiting for that one.

I have never had a problem syncing with my powerbook- but I haven't figured out how to do it wirelessly.

chefpastry · Aug 16, 2006, 04:50 PM

I love my Treo 650, too. Initially, I had a few problems but firmware updates have corrected them.

fisherKing · Aug 16, 2006, 06:11 PM

i have a palm tungsten t3, synced (just through isync) to address book, and ical.
works great...mostly.

had some weirdness once, but got it straightened out.

am thinking of moving to the t/x, which is a great pda (check froogle or ebay for a good price...)

USNA91 · Aug 16, 2006, 09:52 PM

Well, it would seem that the problem is that MS doesn't support my iPaq h4300.

Terrific.

tae667 · Aug 17, 2006, 09:42 AM

PDAs are ancient history. Get a smartphone!

Macola · Aug 17, 2006, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by tae667

PDAs are ancient history. Get a smartphone!

...

...and you get a device that doesn't perform well as either, and has the worst features of both.

TimmyDee51 · Aug 17, 2006, 01:38 PM

As "old" as Palm OS is, I love it. I used to use a Newton (upgraded 2000) before I got a cell phone, so needless to say I'm picky about handheld OSes. I've tried various incarnations of WM while at work and I can't stand them. While some may view Palm OS as overly simplistic, I think that's its beauty. I can whip out my Treo 600 and jot some notes, add a meeting, or check my email without having to think to hard about it.

chefpastry · Aug 17, 2006, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by TimmyDee51

As "old" as Palm OS is, I love it. I used to use a Newton (upgraded 2000) before I got a cell phone, so needless to say I'm picky about handheld OSes. I've tried various incarnations of WM while at work and I can't stand them. While some may view Palm OS as overly simplistic, I think that's its beauty. I can whip out my Treo 600 and jot some notes, add a meeting, or check my email without having to think to hard about it.

Well put!

USNA91 · Aug 18, 2006, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by TimmyDee51

As "old" as Palm OS is, I love it. I used to use a Newton (upgraded 2000) before I got a cell phone, so needless to say I'm picky about handheld OSes. I've tried various incarnations of WM while at work and I can't stand them. While some may view Palm OS as overly simplistic, I think that's its beauty. I can whip out my Treo 600 and jot some notes, add a meeting, or check my email without having to think to hard about it.

I've never used Palm myself (other than playing around in the stores with it), but I hear where you're coming from.

All I need this for is to hold my address book, my calendar, a calculator, and a notepad. I don't need to run Office (I'll run that on a REAL computer), dial a phone (I have one provided by my company), listen to music (I have an iPod), or watch movies (I have my TV or laptop).

All these handle their dedicated functions better than an all-in-one, and carrying a computer (I travel a bit), an iPod, a phone, and a PDA is easy when you have a good iCase backpack.

So..... Is Palm easy to synch with OS X Entourage, or do I have to try MissingSynch again, which I've had limited success with?

fisherKing · Aug 18, 2006, 07:58 AM

check out the palm t/x (wifi, etc) or the e2 (which might do u well, simpler, basic PIM).

u WILL prob need missing sync to use with entourage...

RzinDubs · Aug 18, 2006, 08:36 AM

Well if there is no PDA that communicates well, has anyone tried using the Sony Ericsson phones. I don't really need email on the go but would like to carry around my schedule and update it on the go once in awhile.

OreoCookie · Aug 18, 2006, 08:55 AM

Syncing works perfectly with iSync, at least with older Palms I have used a while ago.

USNA91 · Aug 18, 2006, 09:29 AM

Right, but does iSynch work with Entourage, or only with the OSX apps?

tae667 · Aug 18, 2006, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by USNA91

Right, but does iSynch work with Entourage, or only with the OSX apps?

Latest version of Entourage uses OS X's sync services so it works perfectly with iSync. That said I haven't actually tried to use it. I just see "Entourage" calendar on my iCal which pisses me off.

tae667 · Aug 18, 2006, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Macola

...

...and you get a device that doesn't perform well as either, and has the worst features of both.

Nokia E70 is good. 352x416 display, WiFi, good keyboard and great OS.

Macola · Aug 18, 2006, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by tae667

Latest version of Entourage uses OS X's sync services so it works perfectly with iSync. That said I haven't actually tried to use it. I just see "Entourage" calendar on my iCal which pisses me off.

Entourage syncing with iCal is still a joke. As you mentioned, everything is lumped into one calendar.

To the OP, you could try the Entourage handheld sync for your Palm as it works pretty well. If you want more customized syncing, try e2Sync but make sure you back up your data first.

belfast-biker · Aug 18, 2006, 03:39 PM

To be honest, syncing with a PDA is one reaon why I'll always have Windows alongside my Mac OS.

The OS should NOT be your limiting factor in choosing a PDA. Smartphones have gotten really good, and PDA's like the XDA Exec and HTC Hermes are fantasticly powerful.

USNA91 · Aug 18, 2006, 08:16 PM

I'm very embarassed to have to admit this, but I had my software wrong.

I haven't been using Missing Sync, I've been using PocketMac Pro.

Anyone else using this?

BTW, just picked up an HP iPaq rx1950, which IS supported by Missing Sync. It has a few features that Palm didn't have and which I know I like and use.

shecky · Aug 18, 2006, 08:57 PM

you should consider the hipster PDA

and i am only saying this partially facetiously.

USNA91 · Aug 18, 2006, 09:06 PM

Tell me about it.

Sadly, however, that's not really an option. WAY too difficult to maintain.

bloodline · Aug 19, 2006, 11:55 AM

Before I accidentally left it on a train, my HP iPAQ 4150 was brilliant... Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, great battery life, very thin and light... 400Mhz CPU (great for running PocketUAE)... very nice. I'm waiting for Apple to release something as good as that