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PocketMac Pro 2 Released

Posted by pudge on from the in-case-you-really-did-want-a-microsoft-os-all-along dept.

gl1ched writes "PocketMac 2.0 is finally here with support for Jaguar (the previous version only supported up to Mac OS X 10.1.5). For those who have not seen it yet, PocketMac gives users the ability to sync PocketPCs with their Mac OS X computers, finally giving Mac users an alternative to a Palm Pilot."

18 comments

  1. sweet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    now that i fled from the grips of microsoft into the loving arms of apple, now i can run back while i'm on the road. sweeet.....

    but seriously, this is awesome. my dad wants to get an iPaq and has an imac... now he can:)

  2. Another Alternitive to the palm pilot by snitty · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Oddly overlooked on APPLE.slashdot.org, the newton.

    Seems to me that with some of the software for OS X 10.2 it is a perfectly reasonable alternative to PalmOS

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    Modular Redundancy--Because 4 out of 5 Nodes agree
    1. Re:Another Alternitive to the palm pilot by Descartes · · Score: 1

      *grumble*

      read the article before you post (or at least the entire original post)!

      Anyway, now that that is out of my system. I thought this already existed under linux (and for free) can't they just port that to OS X?

    2. Re:Another Alternitive to the palm pilot by Alan+Partridge · · Score: 2, Insightful

      wonderful as the Newton WAS, I rather think that a Zaurus would make a much better solution for the Microsoft-phobic Mac OSX user out there.

      --
      That was classic intercourse!
    3. Re:Another Alternitive to the palm pilot by byolinux · · Score: 1

      the Zaurus is pretty sweet too... especially with all the VNC, etc you can run on it. My boss recently upgraded from some Palm to a 64mb iPAQ... it's in colour, but he admits that there's very little more he can do with it. Mozilla on Zaurus would be nice... I wonder if Apple will ever launch the mythical iWalk PDA.

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  3. Re:overpriced... by scmmss · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Even more disapointing I bought the previous version in May for $50 and there is no upgrade path so I have to buy the full version again for the extra $70 so I'm effectively paying $120 for it.

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    Matthew S. Shields, Cardiff University
  4. still another alternative (?) by buzban · · Score: 2

    does anyone successfully run a linux PDA with Mac OSX? That would be my choice for a palm alternative.

    1. Re:still another alternative (?) by Benley · · Score: 3, Informative
      Currently there is no IP-over-USB driver in existance for OS X, which prevents the use of Sharp's Zaurus PDAs. If that hurdle could be overcome, data exchange would probably be pretty easy. I'm really not sure about other Linux PDAs like the Yopy or the AgendaVR.

      Links:
      Here is a guy who is working on it
      Current status - it seems he's got some example USB driver source, but it doesn't work yet.
      Of course, Sharp has claimed on a number of occasions to be working on OS X support along with Apple, but so far nothing appears to have come out of it.

    2. Re:still another alternative (?) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am waiting for my Palm Vx to die so I have an excuse to get the 5600 Zaurus. Hopefully by then synchronizing over USB or 802.11b will work...

  5. Depends on what you call an alternative by Aram+Fingal · · Score: 2, Informative

    I use a Psion with my Mac system. I much prefer the form factor of the Psion, with it's keyboard and 640x240 screen. I can actually touch type on it and see a full page width at a time.

    It can run a version of Linux in addition to it's native Epoch OS. It will dock with a Mac by way of the serial port (or serial to USB adaptor) but I mostly transfer files by way of a Compact Flash card.

    I bought mine on ebay for $70 a while back and I have another one for backup. I just can't see carrying around a device worth several hundred dollars when I could so easily break it, loose it, or have it stolen.

  6. Fortunately, Pocket PC's are so expensive... by dpbsmith · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...that nobody who owns one will mind paying $70 to add a capability that a $100 Palm has right out of the box.

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    "How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!

  7. Re:overpriced... by chris_martin · · Score: 1

    Did you buy the regular version or the pro version originially? I don't know, but my pro SN works in the released version of 2, I bought the pro version last june. I bought the regular version when it was announced, and upgraded to the pro version in june, when it was released and the version 2 just works.

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    -- Chris Martin, System Administrator
  8. Application syncing. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This isn't really that useful. Most pocketpc software is distributed as a .exe file that self-extracts and registers with the application manager, etc through InstallShield.

    All you could do with this would be to sync data to your PPC, not actually install applications, which is quite a limitation if you're thinking of using this as your primary sync tool.

  9. Re:overpriced... by scmmss · · Score: 1

    I bought the regular version originally, I just remembered though that they offered me the upgrade to the preview pro release back in June for $15 but I didn't bother at the time. The page still seems to be live so with a bit of luck I can do the same thing as you, albeit a little later. Thanks for that post, I'll let you know whether it works :-)

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    Matthew S. Shields, Cardiff University
  10. Newton rules by fermion · · Score: 2, Interesting
    We have long have an alternative to the palm. It is called the newton. I recently acquired a used on, to replace one I broke a few years ago. I look forward to upgrading to Jaguar and running nSync to synch the address book.

    As it is now, the the NCU works fine through my network(network connected syncing, that is what I miss most) on Mac OX 10.1.5. I use Newton works for writing and exchange via RTF.

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    "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
  11. Re:overpriced... by scmmss · · Score: 1

    Excellent, it worked. Got the new upgrade for the old price. I'm a happy user now. :-)

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    Matthew S. Shields, Cardiff University