iSync with bluetooth only? or with usb cable?

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Level 4

1,147 points

iSync with bluetooth only? or with usb cable?

1- Can iSink be used with a USB cable instead of bluetooth?

2- I have a TReo 650, and trying to sync up. My computer has 10.2.8, and not sure if iSync is even avaailable for 10.2.x

but my wife's computer has 10.3.9 so I might have to use her computer!

Side note
3-this is not my regular user name.... I'm stuck being a "new user" because my computer keep remembering this new user name. I wanted to relog with my older user name, but the cookie (or some @%$@) keeps remembering the new user name and password. and I am not able to re-type the old name ^ pass, because that page never comes up. Just the login button shows up.

any though on this one too??

michel

Posted on Nov 6, 2005 1:12 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 6, 2005 1:40 PM in response to Michel Vézina

A Treo 650 can be synchronized using either its Bluetooth interface or using a USB cable or crade. Bluetooth is somewhat more convenient but has a slower throughput. USB requires that you cart around a cable or cradle, but is much faster - an issue with large contact and calendar files - and at least the Palm cable or cradle also recharges the smartphone when it's attached. You should pick one interface or the other - while it is possible to switch back and forth, that choice can create problems.

iSync 1.5 and the iSync Palm Conduit 1.2 both require Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later, so you can, in fact, use them with your present OS installation. iSync 2 or later require Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

If you are intent upon synchronizing a Treo 650, I very strongly recommend that you update to Mac OS X 10.4.3 and iSync 2.1.1, and use The Missing Sync version 5. While this addtional software will operate with Mac OS X 10.3.9, it does not provide the full functionality you should enjoy with devices like a Treo 650.

The Missing Sync is leaps and bounds ahead of iSync. If you follow the instructions carefully for its installation and first use - including backing up both your Address Book and iCal databases - it works flawlessly, and addresses most of the serious design flaws and performance problems of iSync.

In short: synchronization under Mac OS X 10.3.9 or earlier with iSync 1.5 and the iSync Palm Conduit 1.2 was a marginal experience. Synchronizing under Mac OS X 10.4 or later with iSync 2 or later, was a much less rewarding and often quite problematic experience. Synchronizing with Mac OS X 10.4.3 and the latest version of The Missing Sync is a great experience - everything that iSync should have been!

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Answer 2

Nov 6, 2005 1:42 PM in response to Michel Vézina

Oh - I forgot mention this: while I do not recommend that you switch back and forth from Bluetooth to USB using iSync, you can easily - and just about automatically - do so with the latest version of The Missing Sync. It is designed to support just that sort of activity.

More details about that program are available here:
] http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_palmos.php

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Answer 3

Michel Vézina Author

Level 4

1,147 points

Nov 7, 2005 8:38 PM in response to Michael Lafferty

Michael,

Thanks for all the informations.

The link you provided above, said to use iSync conduit and Palm desktop .

I tried to install iSync conduit, but I got a message that " iSync requires thta Palm Desktop 4.0 or newer to be installed 1st "

Well Palm Desktop 4.2.1 is installed in my application. So I'm not able to install iSync palm conduit!!!

What's up with that? I even tried to install iSync palm conduit, while while Palm Desktop 4.2.1 was running. So iSync Palm Conduit has no clue that Palm desktop is installed!!

How can I get it to recognize that it is there??

michel

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Answer 4

Nov 7, 2005 9:44 PM in response to Michel Vézina

A couple of questions

* on which computer did this happen - the one running Mac OS X 10.2.8, the one running 10.3.9 or both?

* which version of iSync is installed - iSync 1.5, or something earlier?

* are you able - or have you tried - to synchronize your Treo with The Palm Desktop yet? Apple recommends this step before attempting to use iSync.

* did you repair permissions after installing the Palm Desktop 4.2.1 and is it revision D or an earlier release?

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Answer 5

Michel Vézina Author

Level 4

1,147 points

Nov 8, 2005 2:35 AM in response to Michael Lafferty

Hey Michael,

It is on my 10.2.8 G5. I'm resisting the upgrade to 10.3.9. I'm a creature of habit.

I did re-installed the Palm Desktop, and was finally able to get it going. But I realized that it did copy the contacts from address book, but not the photos associated with every contact. Do you know if in 10.3.9, it does? Or is it just not possible at this point with Palm & Mac?

two questions:
1- How can I download the pics and videos I have stored on the palm, onto my computer? Any way to have a icon to appear on the desktop like any digital camera does when connected via USB???

2- I had to go to the hospital tonite, and while waiting 4hr in the ER, I edited and/or deleted duplicates of contacts in my Treo650. Now if I want the palm to update the computer, without the computer re-copying the deleted contact back to the plam, how do I proceed????

michel

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Answer 6

Nov 8, 2005 7:50 PM in response to Michel Vézina

Moving backward [or maybe, moving forward from the end]

The way that iSync is supposed to work, is that it should note that you had deleted that set of contacts from your Treo 650, and should - during the synchronization process - delete any matching records found in the Address Book on the Power Macintosh G5. I say 'supposed to' because sometimes, unpredictable outcomes occur. The concept of synchronization under iSync is that upon the completion of a synchronization event, all additions, changes and deletions made anywhere beforehand should be reflected everywhere. That's an absolute - iSync just does not seem to reliably perform that way, though I have never figured out what triggers the occasional misbehavior.

If you're interested in exchanging media files - pictures, video and music - then you should take a look at The Missing Sync. However, it
i requires
Mac OS X 10.3.9 at minimum, and performs optimally with a device like your Treo 650 only if Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later is installed. iSync and the iSync Palm Conduit will not copy the little contact photos associated with Address Book contacts to your Palm. In fact, they have the annoying behavior of removing them from the Address Book for no apparent reason. Not always all of them, just some of them. Such is the unpredictable nature of iSync.

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Answer 7

Michel Vézina Author

Level 4

1,147 points

Nov 9, 2005 12:10 AM in response to Michael Lafferty

Michael,

"the annoying behavior of removing them from the Address Book for no apparent reason"

Darn little pesky thing! I will find a work around it! I'll open iPhoto, and take picture of the photo on the screen with the Treo 's camera! I've done a few and they look good! Hope iSync does not erase them at random!

As far as the the iSync " delete any matching records found in the Address Book" it does not always work..... I discovered in the interim that there's a prefs somewhere (i Forgot already where it is) but it had 4 differents options with the Palm's icon on the left and the computer's icon on the right. Option #1 had an arrow pointing from palm to PC, option #2, arrow pointing from PC to Palm, option #3 had 2 arrows pointing in both directions (for proper filing up palm and PC with missing items between each other) and option #4 (I don't remember what it was.)

So it gave you a choice. Because if your MAc had a bunch of contacts not needed anymore and you had done the cleanup on the plam first, at Syncing time , the MAc would have re-exported those "not needed" contact back to the palm, essentially un-doing my "spring cleaning". It could have been a mess.

Also, some contact were duplicates, in the way that the first and last name, were interchanged in the duplicate copy. So iSync, could not be intelligent enough to realize that Susan Block, was the same as Block Susan!!!! So the "dup" remained in the address book. But I had cleaned it up in the Palm/Treo. I did not want the address book putting those back in my palm.

So there's a preferences [I think it was in Palm conduit or was it Palm Desktop??? ... alhzeimer moment here! 🙂 ] (I have to find it again) where you can tell which one between the palm and the computer is the "master". This can be changed at will, just before every Sync, depending which one is considered the "Master".

Anyway I hope I was clear enough, for anyone else thta may need this information.

Thanks for your replies, it directed me in the proper road to success.... Now I have to remember What I did yesterday to find theses preferences again!

Michel

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Answer 8

Michel Vézina Author

Level 4

1,147 points

Nov 9, 2005 12:48 AM in response to Michel Vézina

Allright I found it again.

It was in the Hot Sync Manager

Hot sync manager is in Applications>palm>Hot sync manager.

Launch Hot Sync manager, then go to menu bar "Hot Sync" and got to Conduit Settings (command+ J --- shortcut), then select "media" and click on 'conduit settings' button above on same window. Then the magical pull down window appears with 5 options as follow

(Icons are in the place of words Palm and MAc)

HotSync action for : Media

Palm -> MAc (select button) Syncronize the files ( 2arrows on this one)
<-

Palm <- MAc (select button) MAcintosh overwites device

Palm -> MAc (select button) Device overwites MAcintoch

Palm " MAc (select button) Do nothing

Palm -> MAc [Checkbox] Backup capture photos/videos

Default setting : syncronize the files

Button : Make default Cancel OK

et Voila la piece de resistance!

Hope someone find this usefull for their onw syncing needs!

If you want to see a pic of what I'm talking about, see link below. Cut and paste it in your browser if it is not active link.

http://homepage.mac.com/mvezina1/computerstuff/PhotoAlbum44.html

Michel

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Answer 9

Stribe

Level 1

9 points

Nov 9, 2005 3:16 PM in response to Michel Vézina

re 1

iSync use with USB depends on device. Check the mac website for iSync compatible devices and READ THE FOOTNOTES (thats were they say which one can be used with BT and / or USB

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