MAC OSX Users, Can we buy a Tungsten T5?

C

chris_r1996

New member
Brief Background: I have been a palm user for about 4 years, had an m100, m505, m515, and Tungsten T, (All of these units, I had to exchange several times, I would say too many times! because of defects from factory. In my opinion, Palm was getting more production but bad in their quality control. Looking for innovation and something better, I switched to Sony Clie handhelds, and there at that time, also tired of the problems I had with my crashing brand new Windows PC, I moved to the Macintosh OSX Platform. (I love Mac ever since) With Sony, I bought consecutively the NX70V, NX73V, NX80V and finally an NZ90 unit. Recently another turn happened: Sony drops the US market, it was time to sell my NZ90. I did it recently, so I am just on time to buy a Tungsten T5, which is suspected to have OS6 (Cobalt).

Just about to be excited to buy a good PDA, I read the Brigthhand review of Cobalt (Palm OS6) and found the following:

1. palmOne (formery Palm Inc.) developed their software more efficient (expected of course)
2. It will allow devices like the Tungsten T5 to be used as a removable drive to drag and drop files to and from the palm
3. Such changes in the OS will interact differently with the palm Desktop and Hotsync Technology, therefore a new Palm Desktop is coming out...
but, only for PC's...
4. the bad news is that palmOne made this changes only commited to the Windows platform, leaving Mac users behind. Then, palmOne offically states that they will not support the Mac platform.

So how could I buy a Palm that will not sync with Mac OSX and there will be absolutely no new palm Desktop for Mac?

I kept on reading the article in rabroad on this review and talking about the Mac platform I found the following commentS:

"Desktop Synchronization

I've already mentioned that PalmSource has revamped personal information management (PIM) apps. This includes revamping the way Cobalt stores the user data and adding much better support for Outlook. One nifty feature I read about but didn't see demonstrated was the new HotSync Exchange. This means you can drop a PC file onto the Install Tool and it will be automatically transferred to an application that can make use of it on the handheld during the next synchronization. The documentation says this can be done with images, which doesn't surprise me, but it also mentions Word and Excel files. I'm not sure how this is going to work, as the standard version of Cobalt doesn't include a word processor or a spreadsheet application.
Mac Synchronization: No surprise, PalmSource's decision to no longer develop a Macintosh version of its desktop client is proving controversial. I found it somewhat surprising, as I know David Nagel, the company's CEO, is a Mac user.
Still, this might not be as big a deal as some think. I spoke with a palmOne VP who gave me the impression that palmOne will be at least talking to Mark/Space about bundling The Missing Sync for Mac OS X synchronization with its Cobalt powered handhelds. And Sony Clie users have already had to use The Missing Sync for years." :mad: :mad:

After reading this article, I wrote to MarkSpace, creator of Missing Sync (I am glad that they are around) and asked if they are planning to support OS6 devices. And they were very nice at answering soon the following:

"We do plan to support OS 6 devices. Since none are currently shipping,
it is hard to provide more specifics at this time. Just check back with
our web site again after the first devices ship. Note that at this
time, palmOne has not made any announcement about the T5, so it may run OS
5, or it may run OS 6. Nobody will know for sure until palmOne says (or
it ships!)"

Thank God for this guys, however, I hope that palmOne gets their act together and provide the Mac users with an exit to this sad problem.

What do you think?

rabroad's full review on OS6 could be found here:
http://rabroad.com/article/First_Impressions_of_Cobalt?site=Palm

Thanks! :cool:
 
Until the new T5 is actually released, I am afraid we all are being left in the dark on what is going on. Everything that is circulating about the T5 is just pure speculation and not fact.

palmOne is being a lot more secretive about the features of the new T5. In the past, information was leaked freely about upcoming devices.

With all the hoaxis going on surrounding the new T5, it is very difficult at best to know what the device will really be like and what hardware and software features it will have.

I am pretty sure that Macintosh users will have software support from either palmOne or a third party. They would have to be pretty stupid to stop supporting a large portion of their customer base. Perhaps this was the mistake Sony made that caused their downfall. I hope palmOne will learn from Sony's mistake.
 
It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Palm's lack of interest in the Mac platform were an indication that Apple has it's own PDA in the works, and that Palm knows about it. Recently I read an article wherein it said that Apple was going to expand its iPod division and rename it the "small devices" division or something along those lines, the idea being that more different small devices from Apple will be forthcoming. It only stands to reason that a PDA would be among them.

Or, what I'd love to see from Apple is a front-end app to integrate Mail and Calendar and Address book (like Entourage), with a built in hot-sync/conduit manager for Palm devices. This isn't too far fetched. Let us not forget that the Palm Desktop program is, after all, a retread of Claris Organizer - an Apple program.

In any case, if the T5 doesn't have built-in WiFi, I'd have no compelling reason to upgrade from my T3.
 
Did'nt Steve Jobs pull all development for PDA"s? He felt that the market was drying up, hence Sony's descision to do the same? Many users seem to want mobile entertaiment systems and smart phones (ipods, mp3 players) and not PDA's. ipods may come with colour screens and some ability to sinc contact's etc but would be very surprised if it was a fully functional PDA! Still what a cool looking thing it would be, hard drive not card!
Hopefully there will still be some one there to develop software for Mac users to use with Palm. I would sooner ditch my Palm than my Mac!

Nigel
 
I'm not a Mac user but might be . . . my next (or 2nd) "sit up and beg" desktop computer may well be a Mac for no other reason than to learn OS10 and reap the benefits of a REALLY WELL MADE machine (Apple make the drives, the monitors, the cables, the staples, the rivets and everything else -- no "throw-togethers").

Steve Jobs expressed interest in buying Palm - recently.

I would buy an Apple PDA tomorrow. It would W O R K and probably be fast as hell. The G5's dual main chipset(s) will run Windows, OS10 and Linux . . . AT THE SAME TIME. Try that with a PC!! The only caveat with me would be that PLEASE GOD it ran OS4/OS5 Palm OS apps (probably would?) and maybe . . . just maybe . . . allowed hacks. Maybe too much to ask but I can hope.

There is NO WAY Mac Users would be left "out of the loop" for long . . . there are too many of them. Personally, I'm surprised more "PDA Rebels" like those of us on this forum don't in fact have MAC's -- the other "rebel." I bought a PC as a peripheral to the Palm . . . so SOS's "frying pan/fire" reference really made me laugh -- he's right. I would take Palm and pick the computer OS to match . . unless Apple made a PDA. Then I'd probably go all MAC and use Safari (best browser the he planet) & itunes and all the other "stuff."

Some of you MAC users, however, might also consider doing what I'm thinking about . . . get a good CHEAP $500 Athlon (all included) at WalMart or some other discount place where you live and entertain (at least for the next few years) both platforms. Nothing wrong with experimenting . . . heck, we do enough with Palm software trials every day, don't we?!

As for the T5 I'm hoping (and I'm assuming) it's OS5, and that MADE MY DAY because no I don't have to panic about scrambling for a "close-out" or used T3 to have as a spare. Not only that . . . I really don't have to panic about grabbing a T5 either, and that gives me (and all of us) more time to see if Aple does in fact launch something in the New Year. MacUsers will more than likely be able to use that "bridge app" like they've been doing. It makes sense for the T6 to be OS6, and then there'll STILL BE a solution. I know YOU ALL have been chomping at the bit for weeks, and NOW I AM TOO since the T5 may be OS5 set-landscape with FLASH ROM (Rather have THAT as a a spare or primary rather than another T3, obviously) . . . but as Confucius said,

" It's all bull**** "

til we not only HEAR but SEE with our own eyes.
 
A very open minded and admirable sentiment. Computers are tools. I own lots of tools, and each has its use. I don't grumble when I come across a slotted screw because I have a bias towards my phillips-head screwdriver.

There are many times a Windows machine would make PDA related things easier - loading maps onto SD cards, or fetching golf courses from StarCaddy (I've been using Virtual PC, but that is a blunt tool indeed!) So why not set myself up with a cheap Windows box and a KVM switch, or spend the same money on a used laptop that will take up less space when not in use.

I guess there's this tacit idea in our heads that one box has to do everything. For me it started in 1986, when I got my first computer and started forming my fantasy about a paperless office. Well, almost 20 years later, I've spent tens of thousands of dollars in pursuit of that fantasy, and I'm still awash in paperwork. The computer has in that span of time replaced the typewriter, the stereo, the U.S. Mail, the television, the moviola, and a host of other technologies. We get this idea that it can do everything, and worse, that it SHOULD. (Marketers capitalize on this weakness to convince us that our six-month-old computer is obsolete.) It's this one-box-fits-all philosophy that forces us to choose sides between Windows and Mac machines. But it's a hollow ethic that has generated way too much ire and hot air.
 
Man, I'm at $3369 for Palm and PC stuff and thought THAT was high (I spreadsheet EVERYTHING!!). The vast majority of that on PALM.

I thought that was high . . . I guess it could go into the "multi thousands." Jeez. Buddy of mine spent nearly $10,000 on MAC with the "Giants Stadium Monitor" which is impressive but Good Lord.

I've always been amazed there wasn't a proper "3rd choice," although Linux I suppose could be a candidate.

It just amazes me that if it's paperless (I HAVE fortunately succeeded in about 95% of that) . . . . why does my girlfriend always tell me we need another PRINTER cartridge?

Know why? BECAUSE SHE LIKES TO READ THE PRINTED PAGE.

Just shoot me.
 
totally agree... the worst, is that sometimes we don't want to recognize it. Our pursue of those dreams, and when are not accomplished is always our tendency to say "such company" failed. Whoud that be why Sony retired from the PDA sell in the US market saying" "Americans are too demanding and too expensive"?
 
If Mac OS X can run Linux programs, I have a question.

Has anyone tried running Pilot-link with Evolution, or KPilot on a Mac? This might be the free Palm synchronizing software you've been waiting for.

This is just a thought.
 
hello palm pros and lovers...

when clies were released, we were here working with mac and found easily a way to sync between the machines...

since there is a market, developpers or aficionados will -no doubt- produce sooner or later some kind of virtual interface...

let's believe in human creativity and appetite for gain !



all the best in your quests

dom
 
Well what about linux fort he palm? I beleive there is this project out there somewhere. Non proprietary, not so chuncky (PPC not palm) and the forgotten stepchild of the Unix/OSX family. Just a thought.
 
I know there is a Linux project for the Pocket PC devices, but I haven't heard of any for Palm OS.

On a separate note, I have been testing SUSE Linux 9.1 Professional on my computer. All I can say is this is the best version of Linux I have ever used and I actually might be able to survive without Windows. This version has support for card readers. OpenOffice will actually let you save files in the MS Office file formats. It is possible to copy and paste native Office files to the memory card, which in turn can be used by Documents To Go.

KPilot works great! It even has an option for backing up everything on the handheld. When configuring, I did have to change the device from /dev/pilot/cradle to /dev/ttyUSB1 .

It will synchronize calendar, tasks, memos, email, and contacts. I am not quite sure if it has support for the extended databases yet. But at least it is improving. I haven't tried Evolution yet, so I can't comment on it.

It would be interesting to see if this would work in Mac OS X. It would also be interesting to see if the Mac OS version of Palm Desktop works in Linux.
 
I just visited http://www.pilot-link.org and saw some interesting information about the next release of Pilot-link. Even though Pilot-link is a Linux program, the developers have been able to get native Mac OSX USB support. Here is the info I found:

pilot-link 0.12.0-pre1 is just around the corner!

We've made a healthy number of changes to the existing codebase, and in the process, fixed dozens upon dozens of bugs. Some of these are:

* The 64k segment problem with some file resources is now gone. You can successfully synchronize files with any size segment. This closes out bugs 400, 585, 612, 657, 828, 831, and 1030. Whew!

* We now have native libusb support. With libusb, you can synchronize your Palm device without using the Linux kernel visor driver. You also get a 60%-80% increase in speed. It defaults to off until all of the kinks are out, but can be enabled at build time with --enable-libusb if you want to try it or test it out.

* Native Mac OSX USB support. With Florent Pillet's large number of contributions to pilot-link, we now have native Darin USB support for using pilot-link on OSX platforms, including Jaguar, Panther, and Tiger. We're getting about 4M/sec. over USB on OSX machines, depending on the speed of your Palm device.

* Lots of new buffering and caching fixes in libpisock have been made, to make the library more robust, including better error handling, better utilization of the DLP layers, and more.

* ...and literally dozens upon dozens of fixes in userland and other parts of the project. This is a very large update to the previous releases, but it is MUCH more robust, reliable, and a LOT more stable than prior releases.

There are still quite a few fixes to be made to the code, mostly in userland (I'm replacing getopt() with popt() so we can do some interesting things later on with argument parsing), and lots of changes to the way userland itself works. Those will probably appear in 0.13 at some point.

A release is iminent.. we just need to shuffle our schedules around to wrap it up and get the -pre1 out the door for testing.

It sounds like a free alternative utility will be available. :)
 
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