Mac OS X and the PocketPC

[CoreyJF]

I have been playing with the Mac mini for a couple days and I really like it. It blows XP way. The only thing it is missing is the ability to play nice with my pocketpc phone. Currently I am not using my Mac for email or PIM and I am running outlook and VZW’s wirelesssync software on a spare XP box.

I would like to be able to sync my i-730 and my Mac. What I would really like is to be able to sync wirelessly (and I don’t mean BT/WIFI). As Verzion doesn't currently make a Mac client for the wirelesssync software, I think my only option is to use a hosted exchange server. If anyone has come up with a different solution, I would love to hear about it.

I have looked at PocketMac and The missing Sync, neither of the products seem to have the capacity to take advantage of the Samsungs EVDO goodness.

Any help or suggestion would be appreciated

[Janak Parekh]

I would like to be able to sync my i-730 and my Mac. What I would really like is to be able to sync wirelessly (and I don’t mean BT/WIFI). As Verzion doesn't currently make a Mac client for the wirelesssync software, I think my only option is to use a hosted exchange server. If anyone has come up with a different solution, I would love to hear about it.
Verizon's Wireless Sync technically needs an Exchange Server as well. Some people may have gotten it to work with Personal Folders, but that's unsupported and I've heard lots of trouble doing so.

For true wireless sync, your best bet is indeed a hosted Exchange setup. However, do note that the native Exchange client on Mac OS (Entourage) only supports Contacts and Calendar, not Tasks, on Exchange -- the Tasks remain stored locally. This is mitigated by the fact that WM2003SE does not include Task sync anyway in Exchange ActiveSync. :?

I have looked at PocketMac and The missing Sync, neither of the products seem to have the capacity to take advantage of the Samsungs EVDO goodness.
I popped up Missing Sync, and it does have the ability to allow connections via "Network", which supports LAN sync. Whether you can get that to work well for EVDO connections, I'm not sure. As a minimum you'd need to tweak the firewall, if it's on, pretty heavily. Missing Sync does have Contacts/Calendar/Task sync support for both Address Book/iCal and Entourage.

--janak

[Guest979]

I'm a Mac user with a PocketPC, and I can help with a lot of the common issues that may arise.

Unfortunately, not this one. :oops:

I don't know that particular PocketPC, but I'm pretty sure that neither TMS nor PocketMac supports WM5 yet, if that's what it uses.

I tried PocketMac Lite, and I can confirm other reports that it does literally nothing. Don't even bother. Some people say PocketMac Deluxe is a lot better, but I'm sticking with The Missing Sync, even though Mark/Space is chronically late with critical updates. Other than that, it is a good product.

I don't know about network syncing either, but since ActiveSync 4.0 and later on Windows add a lot of restrictions to this sort of feature, I'm not sure how much WM5 even supports.

[CoreyJF]

The latest version of VZW wirelesssync software doesn't require an exchange server. I have to leave an XP box connected continuously. It does a pretty good job with email, contacts, tasks, (I don’t really use notes, but the few times I have, it has synced them). I have been using it since August and the only times it has failed has been if I lost internet at home. I have my outlook set to check every minute, and it pushes it upon receipt. I couldn’t get it to work with IMAP because it only pushes what in your main PST file; but it does work fine for pop mail. You can use IMAP if you are using there web interface, but I find that slow. VZW web interface only polls your IMAP server every 5 minutes or so, and it is not adjustable; 5 minutes is a little too slow for “push” email.

I am not sure I can give up the tasks; I am a heavy user (that sounds bad.) I guess I might be stuck using a separate computer for email/PIM until the next version of Entourage and windows mobile 5 for i-730 are released. Hopefully tasks will be enabled.

[Janak Parekh]

I'm a Mac user with a PocketPC, and I can help with a lot of the common issues that may arise.
Ditto (Powerbook G4 1.67GHz running 10.4.4), but I can tell you the i730 is not running WM5, so that simplifies things. ;)

The latest version of VZW wirelesssync software doesn't require an exchange server.
Interesting -- I used "v2" of their sync software, but early on, they must have changed it.

I am not sure I can give up the tasks; I am a heavy user (that sounds bad.)
What you can do is to restrict task sync to USB/LAN via Missing Sync, and then sync Contacts and Calendar via Exchange. That might be an acceptable compromise. If you do, be careful that you update Missing Sync when you install WM5 on your i730.

--janak

[CoreyJF]

Thanks for your help. I will consider it.

Do you know if there is reliable software to sync windows outlook 2002 with entourage or apple's built in software? If so, one possible solution would be to keep using my spare laptop as a vzw server while I am out and have it sync with my mac for when I am home. I am considering a hosted exchange account, but as I said the wirelesssync software works great for me and I would hate to pay to loose functionality.

[Janak Parekh]

Do you know if there is reliable software to sync windows outlook 2002 with entourage or apple's built in software?
An automated sync? Not that I know of, unless you're using Exchange. :( I'd love to know if there is one, but I'd be surprised.

--janak