Thread: Sync iPod touch with Palm OS and Desktop

I have a Mac 10.5.8 OS and a Palm Tungsten T3 PDF. The Tungsten T3 syncs information with its Palm Desktop.

I would like to purchase an iPod touch and have the data (addresses, calendar, memos, etc.) from my Tungsten T3 transferred to my new iPod touch.

Does the iPod touch or my Mac honor the Palm operating system?

Is there an application which permits the transfer of information from the Palm to the iPod? I understand there is an application by the name of The Missing Link, but I can not find it on the internet.

Also, does the iPod touch permit information to be entered via use of a stylus/curser?

Hi Kayden. I'm also on Mac 10.5.8 and I own a Palm TX. I just ordered an iPod Touch and have been doing a lot of research which may help you, too.

Palm stopped supporting Palm Desktop for the TX (I don’t know about the Tungsten T3) a couple of years ago, so I had to switch to Mark/Space’s The Missing Sync for backups. Their website is at markspace.com (Because I'm a new member, this forum doesn't allow me to include the actual link.)

I ended up getting very frustrated with The Missing Sync because, unlike Palm Desktop, the data from my native Palm apps automatically backed up to various native Mac programs, rather than to a single program. For example, my Palm’s Tasks backed up to Mac Mail (and I think to another Mac app, too), and something else backed up to iCal. My notes/memos/tasks also backed up to a Mark/Space desktop program called Notebook, but other data like addresses didn’t. I’m a little vague about the details because I eventually gave up on The Missing Sync and stopped backing up, which I luckily haven’t lived to regret.

The good news is that this negative might be a huge positive for transferring data from our Palms to our Touches. I don’t know this for sure yet because I don’t have my Touch in hand, but I believe we can move the backed-up data (which is now Mac data, not Palm data, so the Palm OS doesn’t need to be honored or recognized) from these native Mac programs to their counterparts on the Touch. (As far as I know, there’s no way to link a Palm directly to a Touch--our Macs have to be the go-betweens.)

I strongly suggest that you contact Mark/Space to get the facts. They now also have The Missing Sync for iPhone (which incs. iPod Touch), so they will at least know what is and isn’t possible with their software. You may or may not need to buy both Missing Syncs--for Palm (so you can upload your Tungsten data to your Mac) and for iPhone/Touch (to then download that data to whatever Touch apps are app-licable). I just checked their site and only saw Palm Centro and Treo models mentioned, so hopefully they still support the Tungsten.

I hope I’m not making this sound too complicated. After you set up your preferences, most of this will be automatic . . . which may or may not be a good thing!

By the way, my husband just got a Touch, and he easily transferred his Mac Address Book contents directly to it. (He doesn’t have The Missing Sync.)

Re: a stylus--there are several available online, and I’ve read pros and cons. The biggest con is that, if you have a screen protector, you have to press somewhat harder for the stylus to work. (I don’t know if this is bad for the screen or not.) But the glass screen can scratch, so going without a protector is asking for trouble.

The most recommended stylus is the Pogo Sketch. There’s something special about the tip of a touchscreen stylus, so you can’t use the same kind that you do on your T3. They’re pretty inexpensive, so you can try one out and see what you think. But I suggest using just your finger for a while, to see if you really need a stylus. Most users say that you only really need one if you have long nails, big fingers, gloves, and/or are an artist who wants more pinpoint accuracy.

I hope this info helps. If you find out more from Mark/Space, please post the details!

Sappenin has released a new windows application that lets users send their Datebook, contacts, memos and to-do's onto and Apple iPod. The free beta of PalmPod exports to any 3G or later iPod and supports multiple character sets and offers a number of options for send over your data.

I found also this program that transfer the information from the Palm to the iPod touch;

iClink for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store