Clie to Mac Synch. Will Palm Mac Sync work?

[jreddington]

Read on Sony's Clie support pages that they do not support Mac applications. That's disappointing because I thought part of the beauty of Palm OS is that is was separate and neutral from both PC and Mac operating systems.

Sony's support site points to a third party vendor which provides a synchronizing software package. You end up with Sony's Palm OS version on the Clie, a third party package to synchronize, and then Palm's Mac Desktop. Sonds like a recipe for incompatiblity disaster.

Can you use Palm's synchronizing Mac Pac software to save the $29 and keep down some of the compatibility issues?

Also what is folks experience with the third party software (or sucess in using the Palm synchronizing software)? Looking through it there seems to still be some stuff you can't do, like move pictures from the Mac to the Clie. They point to yet another software vendor to provide image management software. The whole point of the Clie is its superior display and I wonder if you start losing resolution with all this different software.

[Bob Eller]

I'm assuming the 3rd party software you're referring to for the Sony Clie is Missing Sync. No worry, it's worth the $29 and when you purchase you get some discounts on the purchase of other Palm software that will soften the $29 cost.

It works great and the support from the developer is great. You can check out MissingSynce at www.markspace.com. They include software for mounting the memory stick on the Mac desktop for new Clie's like the 760.

You can't use the Mac desktop software, it won't sync. The only other alternative is to use Virtual PC and sync to the Clie from the VPC. It works but can be a bit slow if you don't have a fast Mac. MissingSync is a much better alternative.

Bob

[jreddington]

Thanks for the reply Bob. Yes, I was talking about Missing Synch. However you mention one thing, that you can't use the Mac Desktop software from Palm. If so, what is the point of the Missing Synch software? What would I end up synching with? Do I have to buy another set of desktop applications for datebook, address book, memo, to do, etc.?

[Bob Eller]

Ooops...what I meant to say was that the Mac conduits for the desktop software didn't work...of course the Palm software for the Mac works with MissingSync.

Sorry bout that!

Bob

[jreddington]

Thanks for clearing that up Bob. I did a doublecheck at the vendor's site to doublecheck and was pretty sure you meant just the Palm synchronizing software but I want to get all my ducks lined up in a row before plunking down bucks on the PDA plus software, especially since a lot of stores now charge a 15% "open box" fee if you return something.

One question left (at least for now). I looks like the image management software that comes with the Sony doesn't work with the Mac. That same vendor looks like they sell another piece of software for $9.99 for image management. Do you need to get this to download and view images on the unit? Does it take full advantage of the extra resolution of the Clie? (OK, that's two questions).

[Bob Eller]

For images, the recommended program from MissingSync is PGConverter will convert images to the proper format for viewing. The image sofware on the Clie controls the hi-res viewing so if the image is high quality you'll get a nice hi-res view on the Clie.

I'm sure you've seen this page, but if not, here's a guide to Mac equivalents for the PC software on the Sony Clie CD:

http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_sonycd.html


Bob