The written musings of a long-time Apple //e and Macintosh tech nerd. Opinions are my own.
I’ve posted this week’s 1SRC Podcast. This week I cover:
Last week I was lucky enough to be able to co-host the January 16th Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show with host John Iasiuolo.
If you didn’t get a chance to listen to that show live last Wednesday, it is now available for download as a podcast. To listen to the show, visit the Computer Outlook show archive, and click the Play button for the January 16th show.
I’ve done some more testing, and it is becoming clear that to sync with Palm Desktop, the device must meet the two following conditions:
The Palm Treo 600 smartphone is the exception to this rule. It runs Palm OS 5.2.1, but it does not use the Palm enhanced PIMs.
If you have an older Palm-branded device, the Treo 600, or some other Palm OS device that runs Palm OS 3.5 or later, you can use HotSync Manager 7.0.2 to sync your device with Microsoft Outlook only.
The following my list of tested devices and their sync status with Palm Desktop 6.2.2. Devices listed as Working should have no problems synchronizing PIM data with Palm Desktop 6.2.2. Devices listed as Outlook Only will only be able to sync data with Microsoft Outlook.
Palm OS 5.4.x Devices
Palm OS 5.2.x Devices
Palm OS 5.0 Devices
As I stated yesterday, I’m trying to figure out just what Palm OS devices can sync properly with the new version of Palm Desktop 6.2 by ACCESS. Just so we’re clear on the ground rules of my testing, here is what I’m doing.
I’m using an Apple MacBook dual booted into Microsoft Windows XP Pro SP2. I’m not running any software emulation or virtualization here. As far as Windows is concerned, it is running on an Intel Core2 Duo processor.
I have installed Palm Desktop 6.2.2 on top of the Beta 1 release (6.2.1). For my testing, I’m trying to HotSync my contacts exported from the HotSync profile of my Treo 700p which is my everyday device. I am only syncing data with Palm Desktop. I am not working with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, or any other enterprise messaging system.
Now that you know what I’m testing, let’s talk about what I’ve tested. The following is the list of devices that I’ve tested and their status.
Palm OS 5.4.x Devices
Palm OS 5.2.x Devices
While I have only tested a handful of devices, it looks like Palm OS devices running Palm’s enhanced PIMs are working at this point. Additional testing with older devices like the Tungsten T and T2 will tell me if I’m correct or not. If that is true, Palm Desktop 6.2 should work with any Palm-branded device launched after September 2003, with maybe the exception of the Treo 600.
Since the release of Palm Desktop by ACCESS 6.2 for Windows, I’ve been trying to figure out what, exactly, of Palm’s devices work with this new release.
The download page states, as a new feature:
“Integrated Desktop: Provides a single desktop and conduit compatibility across all Palm OS 3.5.x through 5.4.x devices.”
The download page also goes on to state in the system requirements section:
“Palm devices:
- Palm Centro
- Treo 755p , 700p, 680, 650
- Palm TX, Z22
- Tungsten E2″
Not wanting to let this direct conflict go unchallenged, I have decided that I’m going to start testing the devices in my collection of Palm OS devices against Palm Desktop by ACCESS 6.2.
So far, I’ve be able to HotSync my Treo 700p (Sprint) and my Treo 650 (Verizon) without any trouble. I’ve also been able to HotSync my Palm TX. But all of those devices are on the supported device list. But what about the LifeDrive, Tungsten T3, m505, and the Handspring Treo 90? What about the Tungsten T, the Palm Vx, and even a Clie NZ-90? I don’t know. Keep reading and I’ll post my findings as I work through my collection of devices.
According to the Palm company blog, a new VersaMail client update has been made available for Centro customers.
The latest update, VersaMail 4.0.7, adds enhancements to VersaMail’s support for IMAP compatibility with Google’s Gmail service. Palm has also rolled in an update for customers who use automatic data synchronization with Microsoft’s Direct Push technology when using the Exchange ActiveSync feature in VersaMail.
VersaMail can be downloaded directly to a Centro over the air (OTA) by tapping the following URL:
http://www.palm.com/versamail407
This update is intended only for the Palm Centro, and will not work on other Palm OS devices, including, the Treo 755p, 700p, or 680.
You can read the upgrade directions on the Palm website.
Palm has released the non-beta version of ACCESS Palm Desktop 6.2 for Windows. This is long awaited news for Windows Vista customers who, for the better part of a year, have had to jump through hoops to get the Palm OS devices to sync with the latest version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system.
Before you download and install Palm Desktop by ACCESS, there are a few things you should keep in mind, as this is not the Palm Desktop that you are used to.
1. Palm Desktop 6.2 now works with all Palm OS devices running Palm OS 3.5 and later.
2. ACCESS has added an option to only install the HotSync Manager. Palm Desktop is no longer required.
3. The Palm Quick Install tool has been replaced by the Install Tool. Windows Vista customers will now be able to HotSync Palm OS applications (.prc files) and database files (.pdb) to their devices.
4. Microsoft Outlook 2007 is supported as a Personal Information Manager (PIM) application.
5. Since this application was developed by ACCESS, some things are not the same. The features that are no longer available are:
Additionally, Palm warns on their website, that you check with software developers to make sure that their HotSync conduits are compatible with the new version of the HotSync Manager. Palm also notes that Palm Desktop 6.2 is not compatible with computers that have 2 or more CPUs in them. This is not the same thing as a single CPU with two processing engines, or “Cores” as they are often referred to.
So, for example, if you have a PC that has an Intel Core2 Duo processor, Palm Desktop will work just fine. If you have a PC with two Intel Core2 Duo processor, Palm is warning that Palm Desktop 6.2 won’t work.
For more information, and the download directions, visit the Palm website.
I’ll be co-hosting tomorrow’s (1/16/08) Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show with host John Iasiuolo. Unfortunately, the regular Palm special interest co-host Justin Nolan has a scheduling issue and asked me to fill in for him this month.
I’m just working up my notes for tomorrow’s show and I think you’ll like what John and I will have in store for you.
The Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show is all about what’s new and what’s next in the world of computers and is presented in plain English and without all the “geek speak”. The show airs live at 5pm PT simultaneously on AM radio and via an audio steam from the website. The show will also be available later in the week as an MP3 downloadable podcast.
For show details, visit the Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show website.
Brighthand Editor-in-Chief Ed Hardy has posted an article earlier today which states that Palm OS II is on target for a 2009 launch.
“Last fall, Palm, Inc.’s new Chairman said his company will release smartphones running a new Linux-based version of the Palm OS in 2009. Last week, a Palm executive told Brighthand that the company is still on track to have the first model out early next year.
Palm, according to Stephane Maes, VP Smartphone Product Marketing, expects to finish work on this operating system late in 2008, and around that same time will begin distributing the tools developers need to create applications, or check compatibility of their current ones, for this new operating system. Naturally, those who are writing the software that will be bundled with the first model will get access to the SDKs well before the general public.
Palm plans to have the first devices running this operating system out early in 2009. Maes says that wireless carriers are already expressing strong interest in Palm OS II — though he didn’t call it that. According to rumor, the internal code-name for this platform is “Nova,” but Palm itself hasn’t revealed the official name.”
[Via Brighthand.com]
For the past month I have been road testing the new Treo 755p from Verizon Wireless for Gadgets On the Go. The following is my review of the newest Palm Treo smartphone to debut on the Verizon Wireless network.
Body Style
The single biggest improvement that the Treo 755p has to offer over the model it replaces, the Treo 700p, is it’s redesigned body. The 755p now has an internalized antenna bringing it in line with many of the other competing devices on the market today. For many customers, this will be a welcomed and long awaited change.
Palm has also worked to improve the way the Treo feels when you are holding it in your hand. To achieve these improvements, Palm used soft touch paint and changed the contours along the sides. Rather than a convex edge, the sides of the Treo 755p are concave. As a result, the Treo 755p is much easier to hold as you are rushing about your busy day. The Treo 755p is also slimmer and lighter than the 700p, though it is hard to notice the change even with the two devices sitting side-by-side.
Software Enhancements
The Treo 755p is noticeably more stable than the Treo 700p. During the entire month I was using the 755p, the device did not reset once on me. Google Maps is now bundled on the device and has been integrated with the Contacts application. To use the feature, look up an address in a Contacts records, and tap the Map button. You can now quickly obtain directions to locations that are in your contacts database. (If you plan on using this feature, or others that require a connection to the Internet, you will want to purchase a Verizon Wireless data plan in addition to the voice plan.)
For the most part, the software on the Treo 755p felt snappy and responsive. I was able to quickly jump between the preinstalled and third-party applications that I installed on the device. While over-all performance has been improved over the Treo 700p, the Blazer web browser still had a little bit of a lag starting up and closing down.
During my trial period, there where four applications that I either upgraded or installed to enhance my personal productivity. These items are subjective and will vary from user to user. I started off by installing Treoware’s LEDOff utility to over ride the constant blinking of the Verizon Treo’s LED since I prefer the LED to only blink when I need to be alerted to an event. I also installed Tyler Faux’s LudusP utility; which I used to remap the Menu button to the green send button. For me, it is a more natural movement to press the green send button to open a menu when my thumb is on the 5-way navigator than reaching down to the Menu button located in the lower right of the keyboard. Since I use my Treo for writing and note taking, I upgraded the bundled version of DataViz Documents To Go from version 9 Professional to version 10 Premium for Microsoft Office 2007 compatibility. And lastly, since I like to listen to music while I write, I upgraded Normsoft Pocket Tunes from version 3 to version 4.
Read the full review on GadgetsOnTheGo.net…
[Via GadgetsOnTheGo.net]