S
Scott Melendez
After what seemed like a very long wait, Mark/Space released Missing Sync
for Windows Mobile 5 devices. I have been using it extensively (what I term
³stress-testing²) since its official release, and I wanted to share some
observations:
Until Apple gives us a real Mac-friendly smart phone (the rumored ³iPhone²
or the ³AppleBerry²), most of us Mac users don¹t have many options when it
comes to the new generation of smart phone devices (this applies to users
doing a desktop sync):
* Palm OS devices while the Palm OS is tried and true, it is showing its
age ‹ it is not multitasking, and there are questions whether it is viable
with new devices;
* Symbian OS ‹ more proprietary;
* Blackberry via PocketMac ‹ this is a ³solution², but it doesn¹t really
exploit the true capabilities of a Blackberry.
If your organization uses the Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES), desktop
synchronization doesn¹t matter (all sync is done wirelessly). The growing
number of Windows Mobile 5 devices were not only not Mac-friendly, it seems
as if Microsoft deliberately engineered the OS to work only with Windows
(what a surprise). And, in my experience, Windows XP doesn¹t work very well
with all WM5. Even though it is still Windows, it is probably the best
handheld OS, in terms of overall functionality. (The Blackberry OS is
unsurpassed for wireless applications, particularly with security.)
I worked with some WM5 developers on the Windows side, and the OS was
half-baked on released, and was so different from its predecessor that we
were having problems even with the built-in Outlook conduits. If the Windows
developers were frustrated with it, one can appreciate the work Mark Space
put into it. I had some bumps upon initial installation, and occasional
hiccups during synchronization with the Entourage conduit, but nothing that
was a show-stopper. Just as I was writing this, they released version 2.5.1,
which seemed to address some of these issues. Overall, though, it¹s about as
close as Mac users can get to an almost ideal combination. WM5 includes Word
Mobile and Excel Mobile, which use the same format their desktop
counterparts do (WM 2003 versions had a proprietary format.) The higher-end
PDA-only devices, such as the Dell x51v, are very capable media managers ‹
much better than Palm ever was. Yes, you still have to use Windows Media
Player, but that isn¹t really an issue. Slap a high-capacity CF card, and
you¹ve got a mobile office.
One of Palm¹s strengths was in the amount of applications available for it.
Most developers now have WM5 versions, and they don¹t require a desktop EXE
to install. Dell and HP PDAs universally have Bluetooth and 802.11b
built-in, and Outlook Mobile as the basic PIM. Entourage users will like
Outlook Mobile, as it is a much more capable than the Palm. A cool
third-party app, Informant 2005, is almost a perfect handheld PIM, with
enough organizational features to please even the most fastidious of people.
The Mail interface is very much like Outlook, and easy to use. Unlike Palm,
you can have multiple applications open on the handheld ‹ something that can
take getting used to for Palm users. For example, when you click on the ³x²
in a WM5 application, it doesn¹t close necessarily close it (and there is no
provided way to switch between applications). (Note: as far as I can tell,
categories from Entourage sync to the device, as well.)
WM5 phones, like the Treo 700w, are great desktop companions for Entourage.
It has smart contact lookups and ³Today² screen that lists all upcoming
tasks and appointments. Internet Explorer is still the default browser,
which is a double-edged sword; better than the Palm browser, not quite so
good as the Blackberry browser. Finally, since you can mount a device on the
OS X desktop, you don¹t need to rely on the sync process; just drag and
drop.
So if you want a handheld or phone that is a better match for Entourage than
current offerings, or have been eyeing the new WM5 devices, Missing Sync is
a worthwhile investment. I expect there will be a couple of more bumps in
the road, but Mark Space has EXCELLENT the support and response.
for Windows Mobile 5 devices. I have been using it extensively (what I term
³stress-testing²) since its official release, and I wanted to share some
observations:
Until Apple gives us a real Mac-friendly smart phone (the rumored ³iPhone²
or the ³AppleBerry²), most of us Mac users don¹t have many options when it
comes to the new generation of smart phone devices (this applies to users
doing a desktop sync):
* Palm OS devices while the Palm OS is tried and true, it is showing its
age ‹ it is not multitasking, and there are questions whether it is viable
with new devices;
* Symbian OS ‹ more proprietary;
* Blackberry via PocketMac ‹ this is a ³solution², but it doesn¹t really
exploit the true capabilities of a Blackberry.
If your organization uses the Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES), desktop
synchronization doesn¹t matter (all sync is done wirelessly). The growing
number of Windows Mobile 5 devices were not only not Mac-friendly, it seems
as if Microsoft deliberately engineered the OS to work only with Windows
(what a surprise). And, in my experience, Windows XP doesn¹t work very well
with all WM5. Even though it is still Windows, it is probably the best
handheld OS, in terms of overall functionality. (The Blackberry OS is
unsurpassed for wireless applications, particularly with security.)
I worked with some WM5 developers on the Windows side, and the OS was
half-baked on released, and was so different from its predecessor that we
were having problems even with the built-in Outlook conduits. If the Windows
developers were frustrated with it, one can appreciate the work Mark Space
put into it. I had some bumps upon initial installation, and occasional
hiccups during synchronization with the Entourage conduit, but nothing that
was a show-stopper. Just as I was writing this, they released version 2.5.1,
which seemed to address some of these issues. Overall, though, it¹s about as
close as Mac users can get to an almost ideal combination. WM5 includes Word
Mobile and Excel Mobile, which use the same format their desktop
counterparts do (WM 2003 versions had a proprietary format.) The higher-end
PDA-only devices, such as the Dell x51v, are very capable media managers ‹
much better than Palm ever was. Yes, you still have to use Windows Media
Player, but that isn¹t really an issue. Slap a high-capacity CF card, and
you¹ve got a mobile office.
One of Palm¹s strengths was in the amount of applications available for it.
Most developers now have WM5 versions, and they don¹t require a desktop EXE
to install. Dell and HP PDAs universally have Bluetooth and 802.11b
built-in, and Outlook Mobile as the basic PIM. Entourage users will like
Outlook Mobile, as it is a much more capable than the Palm. A cool
third-party app, Informant 2005, is almost a perfect handheld PIM, with
enough organizational features to please even the most fastidious of people.
The Mail interface is very much like Outlook, and easy to use. Unlike Palm,
you can have multiple applications open on the handheld ‹ something that can
take getting used to for Palm users. For example, when you click on the ³x²
in a WM5 application, it doesn¹t close necessarily close it (and there is no
provided way to switch between applications). (Note: as far as I can tell,
categories from Entourage sync to the device, as well.)
WM5 phones, like the Treo 700w, are great desktop companions for Entourage.
It has smart contact lookups and ³Today² screen that lists all upcoming
tasks and appointments. Internet Explorer is still the default browser,
which is a double-edged sword; better than the Palm browser, not quite so
good as the Blackberry browser. Finally, since you can mount a device on the
OS X desktop, you don¹t need to rely on the sync process; just drag and
drop.
So if you want a handheld or phone that is a better match for Entourage than
current offerings, or have been eyeing the new WM5 devices, Missing Sync is
a worthwhile investment. I expect there will be a couple of more bumps in
the road, but Mark Space has EXCELLENT the support and response.