Migration Palm TX (Palm Desktop) to iPod Touch (Mac OS 10.6 apps)

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Migration Palm TX (Palm Desktop) to iPod Touch (Mac OS 10.6 apps)

I'm migrating from a Palm TX to an iPod Touch. The Palm Desktop comes complete with apps (Calendar, Address Book, ToDo and Memos) that sync with equivalent apps on the hand-held device (in my case, a Palm TX).

Apple handles this a little differently. There are apps on the iPod and some equivalent apps in the Mac OS, e.g., iCal and Address Book.

I have several problems in converting from the Palm Desktop apps to the Mac ones. But firstly, the unmitigated success was the export of PD (Palm Desktop) Calendar data via the vCal standard format and importation into the Mac's iCal app. And it syncs nicely with my iPod Touch via iTunes.

Now for the problems/challenges:

1. I also need to transfer my PD Address Book data to my Mac's Address Book. I tried it by exporting via the standard vCard format and found that it all imports successfully into the old Mac Address Book (v4.0.6) on my old iBook running Tiger (OS 10.4), but when imported or transferred to my iMac running OS 10.6 and Address Book v5.0.1, the PD Custom fields are lost -- seems the new Mac Address Book isn't as fully featured as the old one and is non-upward-compatible -- not nice! Any ideas how to get the Custom fields data into the Notes section of the latest Mac Address Book?

2. PD doesn't permit exporting my ToDo lists in vCal format, which is the only format iCal can use to import them. Any ideas? I'd prefer to integrate them into this app, since that's where my Calendar data is; but I'm open to finding an app that can first import them and then export in vCal format, in order to transfer to iCal.

3. The iPod Touch comes with a freeware app called Notes, which would seem like a good app for housing my PD's Memos. However, it's not supported for the iPod Touch on 10.6. Meanwhile, I need some app that can run on both the iPod Touch and OS 10.6 to house this data and allow me to synchronize via iTunes -- is this impossible due to restrictions iTunes places on what can be sync'd?

Thanks for any ideas you can contribute. I'm in urgent need, since OS 10.6 is not supported by Palm, and I can no longer view my Palm's data on my main machine (my iMac) running 10.6.

John

2 x 24" iMac 3.06GHz Core Duo with 10.6; MacBook Pro 2.26GHz Core Duo with 10.6; iBook G3 with 10.4, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Jan 18, 2010 3:55 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Marlinespike

Level 4

1,897 points

Jan 20, 2010 9:31 PM in response to BigMacUser

For #1 - have you tried importing the Palm contacts into Addressbook version 4, then exporting it as a a vcard or Addressbook archive and reimporting it into Addressbook 5?

For #3, also, what version of iphone OS are you running? I've heard or read that the notes will sync if you are running iphone OS 3 but I haven't taken the plunge yet so I can't confirm that.

Over the years, I dabbled in the idea of switching over to the Apple apps from Palm desktop but as long as I was using the Palm it didn't make sense, but as I recall the Missing Sync app is supposedly one of the frequent ways people have been able to sync their devices or migrate. It's not freeware though, and I never used it so Caveat Emptor.

Now that I made the plunge and am using my ipod touch for everything, I don't think I'll ever go back to the palm desktop. But there are things that I may never port over to the ipod and it's because of no easy way to do it.

Good luck

Message was edited by: Marlinespike

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Answer 2

BigMacUser Author

Level 1

6 points

Jan 21, 2010 7:35 PM in response to Marlinespike

Hi, Marlinespike. Tx for the input.

Unfortunately, yes, I also tried exporting from AB 4.0.6 to 5.0.1, with the same result -- it appears that the new AB is not upward-compatible from the last version. A darned shame -- don't know why the Apple folks would remove important capability like this.

As for the iTouch OS; hmmmm, interesting thought ... I am running v3.1.2 ... something I'll have to check into -- tomorrow's another day.

I am looking forward to using the Mac apps, actually, esp. Address Book, since I can then sync it via Mobile Me with various devices & Mac platforms (and I have lots of 'em!). But having all of my data is important to me, and being able to back it up regularly ...

BMU aka John

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Answer 3

Feb 8, 2010 1:30 AM in response to BigMacUser

I'm in the same boat, preparing to move to the iPhone from Palm Desktop. One key concern is my Palm Memos, which are listed alphabetically, making it easy to sort and find data. I don't believe Apple's Notes app on the iPhone does that. Is there a better notes app that will sort alphabetically?

Another dilemma: my wife and I beam selected calendar events from her Treo to my Tungsten E. I'll be moving to iPhone, but she's ticking with her Treo and Palm. Is there any way to somehow keep sharing select calendar events if we're in 2 different organizer worlds like that?

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Answer 4

Feb 22, 2010 5:42 PM in response to BigMacUser

I haven't been able to find a no-cost solution either, but from everything I've read, it looks like The Missing Sync for Palm OS

http://www.markspace.com/products/palm/palm-sync-software.html

will probably work. At $39.95, it can synchronize data from the T|X to Apple's applications (Address Book, iCal, etc.) or Microsoft Entourage.

Once that's done, it should be fairly simple to get iTunes to synchronize with the iPod Touch, or the iPhone.

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