Entourage 2008 and Palm Treo

[GlobalX]

I just upgraded to Office 2008. I loved it until I realized that Microsoft had removed the Entourage conduits in Palm's HotSync software.

Now, they claim that the only way to synchronize a Treo is through Apple's iSync. Yes, except that iSync doesn't work with the Treo (it does work with a few Palm devices, but only PDAs, not their smartphones). Apple recommends that you buy Missing Sync from Mark/Space. Nice, but Missing Sync works with Entourage 2004, not 2008. And it costs $40, by the way.

I spent some time playing with all of that (I have not purchased Missing Sync yet), and the result is a total mess: the "work" addresses that are in my Address Book on my Mac are totally gone from the Treo but the "home" addresses appear as "work." Let's not talk about the Calendar data or the Notes... You get the picture --a big mess.

Now you would think that in the year 2008, one could synchronize a Treo with a Mac using Entourage, as I was able to do in 2005. Apparently not... And if you search Palm's support Web site and enter Entourage 2008 in the search box, you get 0 article.

So we are in a situation where Microsoft is basically saying: get a Windows Mobile phone. Then you go to Apple that says: get an iPhone. And Palm? Just playing dumb: We didn't see anything, didn't hear anything, and won't say anything.

If you have any advice, let me know before I switch back to Office 2004.

 

[jdrobnsn]

Don't feel bad. I have Missing Sync, and it still won't sync with entourage.

 

[Marty Mankins]

So we are in a situation where Microsoft is basically saying: get a Windows Mobile phone. Then you go to Apple that says: get an iPhone. And Palm? Just playing dumb: We didn't see anything, didn't hear anything, and won't say anything.
If you have any advice, let me know before I switch back to Office 2004.

Welcome to the club. Us Treo users have pretty much been dumped by
both Microsoft and Apple.

And unless you are switching to a Windows Mobile device or an iPhone,
I would suggest going back to 2004. Even once my 2008 upgrade arrives
for my own systems here at home, I'm staying with 2004 until a decent,
workable solution arrives for 2008.

I need my Treo to work for me, with the data I use every day.


- Marty

 

[edwin.metselaar]

I also went back o Entourage 2004. No sync is just no option for me.

Actually I am pretty happy with 2004,
I know my way around and have shortcuts and Applescripts all over the
place for weird things I want to do.

But still it was kind of disappointing.

Anyway - spread the word among your Treo using friends and collegues,
so people don't buy this product before they realize what is going on.
Cheers, Edwin

 

[danzigpr]

I spent most of a weekend trying to find a solution to this problem, and finally, I gave in --I went back to Entourage 2004.
This is very sad because after 24 hours, I was starting to appreciate how pretty and Mac-like 2008 was, and how fast (compared to 2004) it opens and executes functions. And it's a bit depressing to realize that technology companies dare go backwards in their offerings and sell these as upgrades...
For those who need to go back to Entourage 2004, I hope you made a backup of your 2004 database with all your data before installing 2008. But that's not enough --obviously, you need to find your original disk and re-install Entourage 2004. I did a custom install, as I didn't want to reinstall Word, PowerPoint and Excel --after all, I may be able to use the 2008 versions.
The tricky part is to download all the updates, one at a time. If you don't, you won't be able to open Entourage, because your 2004 database has been saved in a more recent version than the one on your original disk.
The updates are at . You may want to download the AutoUpdate for Office 2004 first --it may speed up the process compared to downloading and installing every update one at a time.
Then you have to install the Handheld Sync Installer, which is located in your Applications folder, under Office 2004 / Additional Tools.
Then I performed a hard reset on my Treo to delete all the junk I had transfered through the lousy Entourage 2008 / iSync partnership. And in Palm's HotSync Manager, I opened the Entourage conduit and made sure that Entourage would override my device for the first sync. It took 30 minutes and I am now back in business.
Bottom line: I wasted $150 and a whole weekend, to reach the point where I was Friday night. No --I am totally bitter at the whole experience. I don't know whether it's Microsoft's fault, or Apple's, or Palm's, but this is not pretty...

Man I wish I had read this before I upgraded to 2008, I just had a
feeling I should have left well enough alone.

 

[Diane Ross]

For those who need to go back to Entourage 2004, I hope you made a backup of
your 2004 database with all your data before installing 2008. But that's not
enough --obviously, you need to find your original disk and re-install
Entourage 2004. I did a custom install, as I didn't want to reinstall Word,
PowerPoint and Excel --after all, I may be able to use the 2008 versions.

You can just select the option to not remove 2004 when installing. Just be
aware if you install 2008 then 2004, the 2004 installer will not honor the
new fonts installed in 2008 that could result in problems.

The tricky part is to download all the updates, one at a time. If you don't,
you won't be able to open Entourage, because your 2004 database has been saved
in a more recent version than the one on your original disk.

You'll find all the updates here:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/downloads/mactopia_dl.html>

 

[Andre]

Does anyone know if MS is planing to offer a conduit for Palm? It is essential for my use of Office 2008.

 

[Marty Mankins]

Does anyone know if MS is planing to offer a conduit for Palm? It is essential for my use of Office 2008.

I seriously doubt that. I think both Apple and Microsoft (especially
so with MS) are more interested in working with Sync Services than
going down the road of an updated conduit. Andy Ruff, a lead
developer with MS, said in another post out here, that it was too
expensive to develop an updated Palm conduit for Entourage 2008.

I wouldn't say they don't care about Palm and other handheld users,
but I would say they are more interested in going down a single
solution and spending less R&D money to develop something specific.

That, to me, is sad news and something I personally wish they would
reconsider. Maybe after all of us that stick with Entourage 2004
longer, that will be a sign to MS that maybe they should reconsider
their options for supporting handheld synchronization.


- Marty

 

[Marty Mankins]

Actions speak louder than words.

Well, yes... that does stand out as a sore thumb... but given Andy's
responses here, I personally think it boiled down to money and
assumption that Sync Services was the end-all support.

All of this makes me wonder what handhelds the Entourage developers
use. Curious minds would like to know.


- Marty

 

[Kerry]

That may have been true.  But now Microsoft should be well aware that
Sync Services are panning out to be unsuitable for that use. And if they
do nothing about it now, their actions will show they don't care.


I'd like to know that as well.  It wouldn't surprise me if most of them
used iPhones.  ; )

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JR

I've written in other posts my disappointment with MS not including a
conduit, especially when pre-sales told me there would be one. But I
am successfully using Sync Services with 2008. Remember that there is
now only one calendar called Entourage and if you create something on
your Treo (have a 680) categorize tasks and events as Entourage. The
sync works. The problem is it is very slow compared to the conduit in
2004, you don't get to sync Notes (I'm now using SOHO notes for that
function but a whole Entourage module is now defunct) and categories
don't sync across as sync services doesn't support that.

All to say very disappointing from Microsoft as I feel I've gone
backwards. I do like Entourage's speed although the features and
functionality are almost identical to 2004 except for My Day.

 

[Marty Mankins]

I'd like to know that as well. It wouldn't surprise me if most of them
used iPhones. ; )

JR

Yeah, all syncing to iCal and Address Book.


- Marty

 

[Marty Mankins]

I've written in other posts my disappointment with MS not including a
conduit, especially when pre-sales told me there would be one. But I
am successfully using Sync Services with 2008. Remember that there is
now only one calendar called Entourage and if you create something on
your Treo (have a 680) categorize tasks and events as Entourage. The
sync works. The problem is it is very slow compared to the conduit in
2004, you don't get to sync Notes (I'm now using SOHO notes for that
function but a whole Entourage module is now defunct) and categories
don't sync across as sync services doesn't support that.

All to say very disappointing from Microsoft as I feel I've gone
backwards. I do like Entourage's speed although the features and
functionality are almost identical to 2004 except for My Day.

The slow sync is something that would turn me off big time. As you
mentioned before about syncing multiple times a day, I do that now and
it's nice and quick (less than 3 mins for a full sync).

I do have a question about SOHO Notes. Does it do categories and does
it have it's own conduit, separate from iSync?

Notes are one of the big reasons I stay with Entourage 2004 due to how
the categories are matched up and synced flawlessly.


- Marty