good PDA to use with Macs (syncs calendar, tasks, and contacts)?

C

cornell

0
Hi Folks,

I've switched to a mac, and I'd love to know your recommendations about a PDA that syncs with the Address Book, calendar, and tasks. I've only used Address Book, so I'm flexible regarding calendar and list tools. I have a copy of Entourage 2008, but I hear terrible things about its sync ability. Also, I hear terrible things about Palm quality...

So: Anyone use a PDA with their mac with good results? Any advice would be great. Thanks!

matt
 
cornell;56996 said:
I've switched to a mac, and I'd love to know your recommendations about a PDA that syncs with the Address Book, calendar, and tasks. I've only used Address Book, so I'm flexible regarding calendar and list tools. I have a copy of Entourage 2008, but I hear terrible things about its sync ability. Also, I hear terrible things about Palm quality...
Click to expand...

Have you looked at an iPod touch or iPhone? They sync cleanly with all the built-in Apple apps, and Mail for Leopard includes To Do functions.

(The iPod touch is essentially an iPhone without the phone. It does include WiFi.)

Katherine

Disclaimer: I do have an iPod touch, but haven't attempted to use it as my main GTD tool. YMMV.
 
Thanks, Katherine. I hadn't thought of the iPod touch. Once the iPhone gets tasks (it doesn't yet sync tasks from iCal, I'm told), an open API, and Verizon (the only fast service in NE) I'll think about it. I'm planning on doing capture on paper, but being able to enter stuff on the run is important...

matt
 
Mac sync with windows mobile

http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_windowsmobile.php

This program works exceptionally well for syncing the mac with ppc.

Tried with address book, calendar -- but not with entourage.

Free trial so if you don't like it there are several competitors, but I found this one to be the best in terms of sync reliability.

If you want to get real crazy, add this http://gcaldaemon.sourceforge.net/usage13.html
to sync between Mac and google calendar...

Then you have a trifecta!

Good luck!
 
Tried it with sprint Motorola Q. It worked flawlessly. Several other programs had nothing but issues like Mac did not recognize USB drivers or corrupt syncing. Came back to this program. May try with verizon 6700 soon.
 
Thanks, rlvesco7. I guess I was thinking of having the action management system on a device separate from my phone, but after more thought that might not be a good strategy. I was thinking incremental adoption...

matt
 
I got an iPhone after my Palm T/X lost its mind. I thought about a Treo, but the iPhone was cheaper over 2 years (lower cost of data service on the iPhone). IMHO, very few people should get a non-phone PDA anymore. They are a dying breed- try to find one in a store anymore.

While Missing Sync for Palm was a reliable product, it was slow in syncing. I have a close friend who has been trying for some time to use a PPC with a mac, and is has not been good for him. The iPhone by itself is not as good as a Palm for PIM functions. I use mostly online tools, and I don't think that is going to change. iCal is not a particularly good calendar program, and I don't think it is good at all for next action lists. My advice is to try things on your mac, and see what works for you. I can recommend Google Calendar, 30 boxes, Toodledo, and Remember the Milk as online tools. I do love my iPhone, but I am looking forward to true 3rd party apps this summer.
 
PDA Experience

I use a Palm TX heavily and it has never missed a beat. I use it for all aspects of PIM as well as e-books and music for travel. I have used many PDAs/PDA phones and purchased the TX after a person in my office showed me how it worked for a whole range of business tools. I purchased a Motorola Q9h in November of 2007 and by late February it was in for repairs. I ignored constant advice not to purchase a Motorola product and hope my experience is not repeated by anybody. I have been without the phone for eight weeks!

On another note I prefer a tool with a stylus- note taking/navigation etc.

Cheers,
Brian
 
mcogilvie: You make a great point re: PDAs vs. smart phones. I really need to think about it. I thought the PDA would be a gradual entry from atoms to bits. I'd like the iPhone, baut as I said to Katherine, I'll wait until the features and carrier are better. And I didn't realize Missing Sync was so slow. I'm very hesitant to depend on on-line apps until wifi is guaranteed planet-wide :-)

Brian: Thanks for the tip re: Motorola, and how you've liked the TX. I'd like to get one in teh $100 range, though...

Thanks very much.
 
Re: Missing Sync being slow

- It has many additional things you can use it for to sync -- like itunes, etc... By default, it tries to sync many more things then you need. Just make sure you disable the stuff you don't need and it works fast (no worse than activestink!)

Re: PDA for Mac

- I've only synched the motorola with a Mac (for my girlfriend). She has no complaints so far...
- Personally I use a 6700 from verizon and I love it, but I sync it with a PC. I don't think it makes a big difference which PDA you use with a Mac as long as the software you are using to sync it with is good.
- Like the other user mentioned, I prefer having a stylus available and I'm generally not fond of smartphones because I like the flexibility and extra features of a PPC phone. But if you want simplicity the smartphone is better.
- I've tried Iphones and I don't think they are that useful for GTD work just yet (granted, I don't own one). A well configured PPC is much better IMHO. Somewhere else on this forum, I mentioned my personal setup that I am still using several months later...

Re: Pricing

- Buying phones from the carriers is especially pricey.
- Several friends have bought their Pda phones from ebay etc... For several hundred dollar cheaper than what they would have if they bought it straight from the carrier. Generally, people sell these online because they don't like the phone or they decided to buy a new one. Obviously this carries a risk, but if you buy with someone who has a good reputation it's not that risky. So rather than buying a cheap motorola q from the carrier for about 150 bucks, you can get a good pda phone for 100 bucks used... sometimes with a bunch of accessories thrown in too!
 
Treo 755p and Missing Sync on MacBook

I am quite happy with my Treo 755p on Sprint. I sync it to both a PC and my MacBook (using Missing Sync). One nice feature with Missing Sync is the message and call log. If you do a lot or text messaging for work like I do, it's nice to see a log of those messages. I can then copy and paste those messages to the client's folder.

Lots of features with Missing Sync. You just need to play with it and decides what works for you. In that respect, there is time invested in the set up that may be a turn off to users who just want a plug-and-sync conduit.
 
This year I switched from a TX to the Centro. I got tired of looking up a phone number then punching it on my phone then not having all my numbers on my TX on my cell phone when out on errends. Pain carrying 2 devices. The screen size is small but HiRes and for lengthy input I use a computer. I had the Treo wx before the TX but hated it. WIndows mobile was buggy and lost my sync data constantly w/missing sync.

Now all is good and smooth with the centro. I sync via Hot Sync got rid of Missing sync and work flawlessly (except for a minor mishap last month). I also then sync up w/google cal so my wife and I can share a calendar.

I do have Action Names which makes dates/entries easier.

Once the 3G iphone comes out I may swich over to that?? lol. The last thing I want to do is surf a "real" internet not blazer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top