Review - SyncMate Expert Edition
Posted by JakeRich on 09/22/08 in Mobilitysite Reviews, Software
I have recently moved from Windows XP to a new Intel iMac running Leopard (OS X). The one thing that was a challenge in the move was that I didn’t have access to ActiveSync to keep my calendar, mail, contacts, etc. synchronized. I could use Boot Camp, Parallels or VMWare to boot XP on the Mac, but those solutions are a real pain to open every time something changed in my PIM data. But then came SyncMate by Eltima Software. A Mac application, SyncMate provides USB drivers and the software to synchronize not only your calendar and contacts, but also to allow you to mount the WM PDA as a drive for file management, software installation via cab files and synchronizing of time, pictures, files, tunes and videos. You can also use SyncMate to explore the memory usage of the PDA in a graphical interface.
Review Environment:
- Dell Axim X51v running WM6.1 (Lenny L11)
- E-ten Glofiish X61 running WM6.1 (Build 20269.1.3.0)
- Apple 24” Intel (Aluminum) iMac with 2GB memory
Installation is typically easy. I downloaded the .dmg file and installed the .pkg file therein. Installation was quick and easy. I entered the registration number and the system was ready to use. I first used the Axim’s cradle, connecting the USB cable to a hub, then putting the X51 into the cradle. After installing the driver on the PDA, a small Icon popped up on the bottom of the iMac screen indicating that the USB was connecting.
After a few seconds, the system reported that there was another USB driver (I had another synchronizing package installed) and that it was temporarily disabling that driver. I accepted that message and it connected. On connect, I got this screen:
Fig 1. USB connecting Fig 2. Connected
Note that I have checked the options for synchronizing of Contacts, iCal, Applications, Device Info and Action Log. You can also choose to synchronize many other items as you can see. At the top of the screen you see that I am Connected, but not mounted and that is is using the profile for me that I set up under my name. Of interest is that you can also synchronize by Wifi, if you wish. Using Wifi is really simple. You connect by Wifi to the network, provide SyncMate the IP number or name of the device, activate WiFi on the SyncMate driver on the PDA and they connect. After that, it’s just like it was connected by USB. Very slick to have that functionality back that Microsoft took out of Activesync!
The next picture shows the software while it is syncing. Not much to see here, but you do get the little spinners next to what you have selected to synchronize to tell you it’s working. If more than 5% of the data is changing, it pops up a window to tell you that and to get your OK to proceed. Similarly, I have it set to prompt me for any conflicts, and I can choose how to resolve them either one at a a time or as a whole. You can also select to have the Machine override Mac, Mac override Machine or for them to sync using both.
Figure 3. Sync in progress.
Once the synchronizing is done, the spinners turn to either green checks or red Xs to show success or failure. In Figure 4 you can see it succeeded.
Under the “Other Plugins” are some additional things you can use with SyncMate. You can install cab files, although not .exe files intended to run on Windows. To install, just drag the .cab file to the applications list and it will install. You don’t get any prompt on the Mac during install, but once it is installed, the new software show up on the Applications list. If you have a Smartphone, you can review the call history and even move a call number to the contacts list automatically. The Device Info screen shows both information about the connected device and the use of memory. SMS reader and SMS manager let you see any SMS messages that are on the phone. Plus, you can create SMS messages using your keyboard, edit them on the computer, send and receive not even touching your Pocket PC. With SyncMate you can also synchronize your mail.
Figure 4. Sync completed Figure 5. Device Info
In this screenshot you can see what the Device Info plugin reported on the Glofiish. As you can see, it gives CPU and device information and a pie chart of how internal and storage card memory is used. If you move the mouse to the pie wedges, it shows exactly what the segment is reporting (program, pictures, text, music and other). You can also check and manipulate the alarms.
Overall, the software works and works well. If you mount the PDA as a disk, it shows up in Finder. You do get a warning with the current version (1.4.0.356) that the mount plug-in is Beta, but for me it worked well. I copied several files to and from both the Axim and the Glofiish, both to main storage and to storage cards. The one annoyance is the typical one between Mac and windows; it creates the “.” metafiles on the PDA that the Mac OS uses and hides, but Windows doesn’t use and doesn’t hide. They are small, so you can either leave them or delete them.
At the Eltima website you can download a free version of the software to use or just evaluate. Here is a table with the differences between the free version and the expert version I used.
Overall, I liked SyncMate. It is one of those rare software products that does exactly what it says it does, and it does it very well.
Written by JakeRich · Filed Under Mobilitysite Reviews, Software
Tagged: Syncmate
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Did you try ‘The Missing Sync’? It has been around *forever* and I swear by it … it would be interesting to see a compare & contrast of the two.
I’ve had loads of problems lately with Missing Sync, so I’m glad to see that there may be something else that works. (Though I suspect the problem is with Apple Sync Services not supporting all features of both platforms well.)
OK, I do have both. I, too, have more problems with Missing Sync. It seems to be touchy about syncing if the PDA has been synced with any other computer. I do that all the time, syncing from my Windows laptop to the PDA to the Mac and back, so I get the sync errors frequently. I haven’t seen them with SyncMate. SyncMate noted that another sync package was installed, as I said, and offered to disable it temporarily. Missing Sync detected that SyncMate was installed and required that SyncMate be completely uninstalled before it would connect. SyncMate mounts the PDA to one point, with any storage cards under that directory. Missing Sync detects any storage cards and mounts them separately. Missing Sync doesn’t seem to have any equivalent to the Device Info screen of SyncMate. Missing Sync has a “Backup Documents” function that SyncMate doesn’t. SyncMate lets you SEND SMS messages from the Mac, which Missing Sync doesn’t seem to do. Missing Sync sees multiple categories on the iCal, which SyncMate doesn’t do, although it will sync them independently.
Other that those, they seem to be very similar. Both install cab files, both sync time, both let you see call logs, SMS messages, etc.
UPDATE: The article has a link to the home site of Eltima, which is a German firm selling many products, one of which is SyncMate. In fact, there is another website for the specific SyncMate produt. Here is the link:
http://www.sync-mac.com/
That site is more specifically for SyncMate and has is tailored for support.
Enjoy!