If you have successfully downloaded the 10.1 MB “semi-public beta” of Palm Desktop for Mac OS X (4.0v76) color yourself lucky. The beta was “only intended for Palm employees” according to once reader justifying the 300 user limit and woefully slow FTP server.
Mirrors are available if you do a little digging or if you are a member of the PowerPage Historic Society (PHiSh) but most downloaders are discovering that you will also need Mac OS X native versions of popular conduits if you want to sync data from anything other than Palm Desktop.
If you have successfully downloaded the 10.1 MB “semi-public beta” of Palm Desktop for Mac OS X (4.0v76) color yourself lucky. The beta was “only intended for Palm employees” according to once reader justifying the 300 user limit and woefully slow FTP server.
Mirrors are available if you do a little digging or if you are a member of the PowerPage Historic Society (PHiSh) but most downloaders are discovering that you will also need Mac OS X native versions of popular conduits if you want to sync data from anything other than Palm Desktop.
Microsoft does not yet have an Entourage conduit for OS X, their support site has an article on the topic ENTX: Cannot Synchronize with Palm Handheld Device (Article ID: Q311587) that flatly states “This issue occurs because Palm Computing has not yet released an OS X version of its software or conduits, and Entourage therefore has no way to connect with a Palm handheld device.”
The Microsoft Office v. X for Mac Resource Kit states:
Entourage 2001 included the Handheld Synchronization component that allowed Entourage users to synchronize contacts, tasks, notes, and calendar events with any Palm handheld that uses Palm OS 2.0 or later, including Handspring Visor.
No such component is included with Entourage X. However, information about directly synchronizing Entourage with a handheld will be posted on the Mactopia Web site as soon as it is available. For information and updates, visit the Handheld Synchronization page on the Mactopia Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/mac/entourage/palm/default.asp.
…which states:
A Microsoft Entourage conduit is not included in Microsoft Office v. X. However, information about directly synchronizing Entourage X with a handheld will be posted on this site as soon as it is available. To make sure you are notified when the information is posted, subscribe to the Mactopia newsletter.
Sheesh. Ever feel like you are getting the runaround?
Now that Palm has posted the “semi-public beta” of Palm Desktop for Mac OS X I would urge Microsoft to quickly release a Mac OS X conduit for Entourage so that owners of Office v.X can again enjoy using their Palm OS-powered devices. If you are in agreement, send MS some feedback about the need for a Mac OS X conduit for Entourage.
Unfortunately, the excellent Avantgo, Vindigo and most other conduits will not work. They need to be carbonized to work with PD v.4. Let’s see how long it takes Avantgo, Vindigo others to deliver carbon versions. Email the conduit vendors that are important to you and let them know that you want OS X conduits.
Also troubling is the beta’s lack of support for the Sony Clié PEG-760c PDA. Does this mean that Sony Clié users are going to be (once again) incompatible with Palm Desktop for Mac OS X? Will “Missing Sync v.X” be required for Sony Clié owners to sync?
Sound off on our Mac OS X message board to weigh in on this topic.
