Still rocking that Palm Zire with your new Intel-based Mac? Then you might just want to reconsider that upgrade to
Snow Leopard, as Apple has apparently decided to ditch its support for legacy Palm OS devices in the latest incarnation of iSync. That, as you may be aware, had previously acted as a conduit for Palm's aging but still available Palm Desktop software, and let folks easily sync up their contacts and other data from their Centro, Treo, Zire, Tungsten, or even a venerable old PalmPilot. Of course, that doesn't quite rise to the same level of controversy as the whole
Pre / iTunes situation, especially considering that Palm itself has mostly moved on from said devices, and there are still some third-party sync solutions available for folks that want to keep the Palm OS dream alive.
posted Aug 25th 2009 4:32PM
I mean come on! Just 2 days without an apple article!
Apple makes gadgets. This is a gadget blog. Expect there to be articles about Apple stuff.
I know there's a lot of Apple stories, and it can get a bit redundant but if you look at the number of comments they get in relation to other stories (even if the comments are negative) it makes sense for Engadget to keep posting them. By complaining about it you're just adding to a statistic that promotes MORE stories. Good job!
Also this gadget blog like many others is written by geeks who generally use Mac's as their primary computer, because the are awesome.
@Tsing Tao: Way to add nothing to the conversation, just like usual!
Then maybe they should talk about Apple stuff vs how Apple rockz (?).
Everytime I hear "Snow Leopard" it sounds funny to me. What a weird name for an OS. They should have called it "Fluffy Bunny Running". "Jaunty Jackalope" takes the cake tho.
@onelove
I've taken to calling it "Ol' Snowy" to clients
Apple once again forcing people to buy new things they don't need or want because they don't support anything for long
forcing?
quit whining
I'm a former fanboy-turned-hater (love the products, hate the company, mostly the app store...) but I have to say, they don't support old stuff because a lot more people upgrade than on the windows side.
When was the last time Palm update their own Palm Desktop software? By the way, Nokia has no problem making their own iSync plug-in, so why suddenly Apple have to do Palm's job?
you could just not use snow leopard
@pika2000: So, um, Apple removing features that were there before... is Palm's fault? What?
You can't knock Apple on this one. Palm has let their "legacy" products (ie non steady monthly trickly of smartphone kickbacks) die on the vine for far too long, so even Palm themselves half-heartedly supports their own products. That is too bad considering how hard it is to actually get a non-smartphone PDA anymore.
I agree with pika.. When I actually used a palm pilot years ago the difference in the software offered BY PALM for THEIR product was ridiculous. Other examples of this are AIM and MSN. It's ridiculous =(
If you are still happy with your 3 year old Palm and the software they (didn't) provide, then why do you insist on updating your computer to the latest-greatest and complaining about poor support. Just stick to your 3 year old operating system and the world will happily go-around the way it always has for you. Still got those bell-bottoms?
Palm did not provide software that was iSync compatible, so Apple did them a favor in the first place by writing a conduit that sits on top of iSync.
@Epsilon-Not: Apple did it in the past out of courtesy for their customers. If Palm doesn't even bother to support their own legacy products, why should Apple? Again, Nokia has no problem making their own iSync plugin. So why is it Apple's fault for Palm not supporting their own products?
Does Windows support Palm OS device out of the box? No, you have to install Palm's software. So why is nobody whining to MS for Windows to support Palm OS syncing out of the box?
are you damaged ?? the support is good since they make your stuff work with the os from the beginning..you can't expect that they have to support your pre-year2000 device as well...its actually palms task to provide the necessary drivers and softwares since it's in their own interest that people can use their devices especially since you can change to an iphone/itouch these days...
Spin it however you like, add as many whiny comments about Windows or trying to pass the blame onto a company that doesn't even own the rights to Palm Desktop or Palm OS, Apple is removing features that were there before.
That is not a good thing... just admit that you don't have a Palm OS device and so it doesn't affect you- I wouldn't care if it was, say, WinMo or BlackBerry OS being affected.
I'm just saying, Apple likes to ditch support for things. Try to defend them if you must, but they do.
Sometimes ditching support for legacy products is good. There probably aren't any 64 bit drivers floating around for these devices. If Microsoft had done some trimming once and a while, malformed JPGs wouldn't be able to execute code from an exploit in Windows 3.1
@Epsilon-Not: Fail. I own a Handspring and Tungsten E. Palm themselves are doing a poor job supporting them on Windows. Would it be great if Apple continue to support them? Yes. Would I blame Apple for stopping support for them out of the box? No. Besides, there are 3rd party software, or simply the option to stick with Leopard. You're making it sound like Apple stopped Palm OS devices to be used with OS X entirely.
Huh? there's no forcing. That feature never worked well with newer OSes anyway. I couldn't get it working on Leopard. It contains tons of legacy code with a support base that really doesn't matter. Besides it's not like you can't still sync a Palm device-you CAN. It's that you can't use iSync to do it. If your primary device is really old, then you will have compatibilities with newer stuff. I've had tons of older products that I had to sell or not use.
sucker punch!
Everyday? This not not news, this is BS. Newsflash flash boys and girls. Your old @ss palm pilots might not work with new software.
Spare me.
The Centro is still being actively sold, actually.
Old palm? There are 2 million Palm Centros out there, all sold in the past 24 months.
I could understand removing support for a Palm III or V, but this just stinks of pettiness.
@Scooby: Then why don't you ask Palm to simply make an iSync plugin? Nokia does it. Or do every other companies now have to do Palm's job? It's petty that Palm doesn't even bother to update their Palm desktop software for ages.
Lay the blame at the seat of the ACCESS Corporation for that one, not Palm...
Palm CAN'T update Palm Desktop, they don't own the rights or source to it. PalmSource did, and they were bought out by ACCESS... (More proof the PalmSource spinoff was one of the dumbest decisions in modern business)
Missing Sync can reportedly still be used for PalmOS devices, which leaves them, like WinMo devices, with only third party support on the Mac. Hopefully a free solution will become available, although I have a license for Missing Sync, I loathe it and prefer the Palm Desktop software with iSync as a solution which I'm going to have to stop using as I do want the benefits of Snow Leopard. (Leopard without the bloat and nifty new API goodness.)
I think I can hear seven people from the past weeping.
Bad blood?
I'll apologize for the "better" part, I misread your original comment, my mistake.
But yes, I do own a Mac (pro to be exact) and hate OSX. I'm a film editior and have to use Final Cut. That is the ONLY time I use OSX. Other than that, I'm sorry but Windows 7 completely destroys it.
Ignore that...
If Palm want's to play dirty tricks via ITunes then this is the price they will have pay from now on.
Just remember with Macintosh we run things. So don't fuck with us.
Signed
Stevie and Co.
@Jordan
i'm a film editor too,
i used to edit on FCP since always.. but now i've just moved to Premiere CS4, i highly recommend it, it's faster/time saver, and more complete than FC
In a related story, there will be no 5-1/4" Floppy support in Windows 7.
If you have an older Palm, don't upgrade to Snow Leopard. See, wasn't that easy?
Lack of legacy support is nothing new. First, Apple nixed the floppy, then the VGA port. Now, they're moving even beyond the DVI. It could be argued that dropping legacy support is the reason OS X is generally more stable and smaller than a Vista install. Windows (to its credit) tries to support literally thousands of legacy hardware devices, both internal and external. Unfortunately, this causes a bloated install for those who don't know how to pare down an install.
Good on ya, Apple! Always moving into the future.
"It could be argued that dropping legacy support is the reason OS X is generally more stable and smaller than a Vista install."
It could also be argued that apple and Palm aren't getting along so well (e.g. the Pre/iTunes fiasco). It could further be argued that the exclusion of legacy devices is to force people to buy Apple branded products as a "workaround" for the nixed devices. Either way: it doesn't effect me, so I couldn't care less.
"Windows (to its credit) tries to support literally thousands of legacy hardware devices, both internal and external. "
Could be why they do represent a monopoly and Apple < 10%... To each his own on the measure of success.
@Jimmy
So what you're saying is if Microsoft decided to change its operating systems to cut back hardware support to only the latest Microsoft branded computers, laptops, mobile devices, and select third party add-on hardware in the name of greater OS stability, security, and a smaller install footprint you would be perfectly fine with that?
I dont own a palm but things like this is what keeps me from buying a Mac. There is no freedom with a Mac even though I think they are well built machines. Windows is Freedom, Mac is a communist, hahahaha
FAIL. REAL people that believes in freedom use open source software, not Windows.
Worst analogy EVER.
Communism believes in government regulation to make everyone equal. How does having such a premium price that excludes a ton of people relate to that??? I guess you can agree that it's only the software, which would make sense. Apple actually offers help for issues where as with Windows you're free, and on your own.
Windows has a wild west business model Shoot the enemy in the face first and greedily make deals with everyone at the same time. While Apple OS business model of the Renaissance. You know all art and no substance.
Now this analogy I will admit sucks, but does illustate that both companies try for different things to accomplish the same goal. Some say OSX is refined while others say Windows brand offers more options. I would not go so far to call Apple communist, but they do seem to like TIGHT control over their content. While this can lead to good products everytime. It can also create elitist scum bags who think of thier products as good enough for kings. While they think of Windows as a product for commoners. Me I prefer to be a commoner than a king.
once more a proof that even monkeys can surf the web and type a stupid comment...
@David: You think having a high price is to create exclusivity so that only "better" people use Macs? That is honestly what you basically just said. It is very true, buy Apple products and you are very limited. You don't have freedom like you do with Windows. Yes I know, open source is true freedom, but if you want to use an OS that is supported by the masses, Windows is THE way to go.
Honestly, having a high price does not get you much. This is coming from someone writing it on his mac...which is running Windows because OSX sucks beyond belief. Keyboard sequence command upon key sequence command upon tragically long key sequence command, just to do the simplest of tasks. Every try to print screen? It's absolutely insane. I honestly do not know why people try to defend that tragedy. Yes, Windows has it's issues, but if you are smart in your computer usage you will have absolutely no problems. I honestly do believe Windows 7 will bring Windows back in the limelight. I haven't used Snow Leopard yet...but seeing as it's exactly the same thing only re-written the way it should have been to begin with I feel safe in saying people will like, enjoy, and see something new in Windows 7 vs Snow Leopard. And guess what, Windows isn't dropping support for things that are only a few years old.
I am amused by your assertion that freedom and communism are distinct.
..and saddened that you think Windows gives you any real Freedom.
You bought a Mac.. but hate OS X. How does that make any sense?????
I never said people who bought Macs are "better". High prices bring exclusivity, how can you try to argue against that? Exclusivity means people are left out, something that communism was "designed" to prevent from happening.
I'll apologize for the "better" part, I misread your original comment, my mistake.
But yes, I do own a Mac (pro to be exact) and hate OSX. I'm a film editior and have to use Final Cut. That is the ONLY time I use OSX. Other than that, I'm sorry but Windows 7 completely destroys it