Palm T3 Used with OS X & XP

[JB52]

I currently use a Palm Vx and would like to upgrade probably to a Palm T3. I am split between an Windows XP PC at work & at home (typing on it now), but my wife has an iBook. We will probably replace the home XP with a G4 in the next year. So, here are my Qs...
- will I have problems synching a T3 with both a Windows machine and a Mac?
- Also, I'd really like to go with iTunes, but I do not think that I can use iTunes on a Palm? Any help?
- Is there another Palm OS machine that does handle iTunes?

 

[Mustafa]

Mac/Palm

I have a Tungsten T and run OS X, and have no problems synching using iSync via either Bluetooth or the USB cradle. I've used the Palm Desktop software, too, but iSync is simpler, IMO.

You can't run iTunes on any PDA, as far as I know, but it's simple enough to drag MP3's from iTunes onto a card (I use a USB 2.0 card reader) and then play back using Real Player.

Can't help with any Windows solutions, I'm afraid.

 

[Steven1621]

i believe you can set up different "sites" for the T3. i don't bother do to this on my computers, for it is far simpler to just have it sync with one computer

 

[cocoa_nut]

Mac - Palm - Win

You can sync multiple computers to the same Palm. From Hotsync Manager Help:
"You can synchronize your handheld with more than one computer -- other Mac computers or PCs running Microsoft Windows -- so long as the other computers also have HotSync® Manager installed on them. This enables you to maintain the same information on all your computers."

If your work machine is running the Outlook client for Exchange, and your IT dept has setup the Outlook Web Access service for Exchange, such that you can access your email and contacts via web browser, then iSync on your Macs can directly access your Exchange/Outlook contact and to do information with or without hotsyncing the information to the Palm OS device.

As for music, I believe Mustafa is correct. You can load your MP3 files from you Macs to your Palm. These would be file you ripped in MP3 format from your own CD collection. iTunes also supports the even-more-compact AAC format. I don't know if any of the Multi-media players for Palm OS support this. Check out the Multimedia tab at http://palmsource.palmgear.com for more information.

I would guess that music purchased from the iTunes music store would not be transferable to the Palm OS device. If it were, Apple would loose software control over subsequent distribution of the files (illegal copying). Apple would need to write the software for the Palm OS device to support the DRM scheme used in iTunes Music Store distribution. I'm guessing this won't happen because it seems that most of Apple's profits from their music business endeavors come from iPod sales not from iTunes Music Store sales. Writing software for Palm OS would likely cannibalize a few iPod sales with little or no revenue generated by the software written for Palm OS. That said, the folks running Apple are pretty cleaver and may well have come up with ways to generate income from such a software product.