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Media Sync posts

Palm WebOS 1.2.1 now available, 'fixes' iTunes media sync

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 3rd 2009 @ 4:20AM

The game's back on. Palm just announced the availability of its 1.2.1 update to WebOS for the Palm Pre and, well, that's it for the time being. It fixes Exchange mail syncing issues experienced by some users, which is nice, but for everyone else it re-enables media sync with iTunes 9.0.1, with or without the USB-IF's support. In fact, Palm has signaled its commitment to its rogue approach by improving synchronization with the Photos app to keep the album structure in tact while allowing lower-resolution images to be synced to the Pre. Oh happy day -- enjoy it while it lasts Pre owners.

Apple, Palm hear privately from USB-IF on iTunes spat, involvement unlikely (update: the Forum's not pleased)

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 22nd 2009 @ 9:46PM

The very public fight between Palm and Apple to allow the Pre to sync directly to iTunes (without just... you know, doing it the same way as everyone else) is showing no signs of slowing down, with Palm continuing to pursue every angle it can to rile up Cupertino -- most recently taking the battle up to the USB Implementers' Forum in an effort to stop Apple from restricting iTunes usage by the hardware's Vendor ID. Hard to say what ended up going down behind closed doors, but on an official level, the USB-IF is issuing a terse statement that it "communicated its position on the matter to both companies" and won't be speaking further on the issue "at this time." We'll see if anything ends up changing on the software side from the conversation, but separately, the Forum has mentioned to us that it considers this a member-to-member concern -- so in all likelihood, they're taking a hands-off approach.

Update: Digital Daily has come away with a very, very different story from the actual leaked communication, and it turns out that the USB-IF has actually sided against Palm on two different fronts. First, the Forum has told Palm that it doesn't see how blocking Palm's Vendor ID from accessing iTunes violates its policies; and second -- this might be the big one -- Palm's actually riled up the Forum by saying that it'll be using Apple's Vendor ID on the Pre going forward. It wants a clarification of Palm's "intent" within a week, saying such a move would be contrary to the rules and regs set out for the proper use of USB. At this point the question becomes, how many companies and industry bodies is Palm willing to piss off to keep iTunes working exactly the way it wants?

iTunes 9 breaks Pre media sync... what did you expect?

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 9th 2009 @ 3:14PM

Here we go again: round umpteen of the fight to break and re-enable Pre syncing with iTunes is now underway thanks to the release of iTunes 9, and we're sure there's plenty more where this came from. Endlessly amusing to casual observers, yes, but Pre customers are the ones losing out -- sure, Palm might be able fix this in a jiffy (especially since they continue to tout compatibility with the Pixi), but meanwhile, media sync's out of the picture once more. Stay tuned for more on this as it develops.

Get your iTunes on: BlackBerry Media Sync now available

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 24th 2008 @ 9:29AM

The thoroughly-discussed, briefly-available conduit betwixt the realms of RIM and Apple, BlackBerry Media Sync, is now available in a totally official capacity for your downloading pleasure. Owners of Pearls, Curves, and 8800s (and pretty much everything that's released out of Waterloo from here on out, we'd imagine, starting with the Bold) can now snag music and playlists right off iTunes, though DRM'd tracks are naturally off limits. Then again, aren't BlackBerry owners too busy having power lunches, signing contracts, picking out new suits, and generally being important to enjoy trivialities like music on the road?

[Via MobileSyrup]

BlackBerry Media Sync for iTunes makes all-too-brief appearance

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 29th 2008 @ 10:52PM

We've known for a while that support for iTunes synchronization (songs, artwork, playlists, the whole nine yards) would be coming to the BlackBerry platform, and very briefly last week, RIM unleashed that capability on the world. It's unclear why the software was pulled -- maybe it just wanted to release the software to more fanfare, maybe it was buggier than a standing pool of swamp water -- but either way, BlackBerry users desperate to get their sync on should still be able to nab the goods from a number of mirrors hosted by vigilant (and quick-thinking) users around the world while we wait for RIM to decide when to introduce it again.

[Via Gear Diary]

RIM prepping BlackBerry Media Sync for iTunes transfers

by Darren Murph posted May 15th 2008 @ 9:48AM

Everyone knows that nobody buys a BlackBerry for its musical prowess, right? Au contraire, dearest email addict. RIM is currently working up a new application for BlackBerry smartphones that will "transfer your desktop iTunes music files" to your BB for those rare moments when you can actually kick back and enjoy the soothing sounds of Rogue Wave. Interestingly, we're not told whether BlackBerry Media Sync is being crafted specifically for the upcoming Bold, and we're also left to wonder when it'll actually be released. Patience is a virtue -- at least that's the word heard through the grapevine.

[Via CNET]