VisorCentral.com - HotSync CABLE (not Cradle) external "button"?

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VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Accessories (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=3)
-- HotSync CABLE (not Cradle) external "button"? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=11446)

Posted by MitzEclipse on 02-02-2001 06:15 PM:

Hi,

I was wondering if Handspring made a hotsync Cable that had a button to hotsync so that I didn't have to go into the palm software to initiate the hotsync.

The palm m100 uses a cable and has an external button, i was sorta shocked when i saw the visor's cable didn't have one.

Posted by ProjectZero on 02-02-2001 06:28 PM:

No, the Visor USB HotSync cable does not have an external button to initiate a sync.

It shouldn't be a shocker if you've been following the PalmOS device market-- If I recall, Palm's HotSync cables for all other models don't have a button to start a HotSync. Only the m100 has this.

Posted by septimus on 02-02-2001 06:45 PM:

I guess I'm shocked... seems absurd to make the cable w/out the button. Aren't these devices supposed to be all about ease of use?

Why were they left out, do you suppose? Just to save a few $?

Posted by visorking on 02-02-2001 08:25 PM:

If its a just the hotsync cable where would you put the button???????

Posted by septimus on 02-02-2001 09:08 PM:

on the m100 the end that plugs into the palm was slightly oversized so it can accomodate the button...

Posted by ProjectZero on 02-02-2001 10:06 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by dietrichbohn
I guess I'm shocked... seems absurd to make the cable w/out the button. Aren't these devices supposed to be all about ease of use?

Hmmm.. you have a point there. However, Palm has been shipping HotSync cables without a button since Day One for the Pilot/III/VII-series and the V-series. Although that doesn't justify _not_ having a button for those cables, there's no apparant reason Palm (and Handspring) could have done for all models.

But, from a marketing standpoint looking in from the outside, it could have been due to the following reasons and events:

1) At one point in time, there was no need (read: not enough customers demanded it back then). That point in time would be pre-m100, which the III/VII/V and Visors fall into.

2) At another point in time, there now appears a need (read: now enough customers demanded it today *or* a different set of customers need it today). Result: introduction of the m100 and its accessories-- note that it doesn't ship with cradle but a cable. Keep in mind how the m100 is marketed versus the other Palm devices and the Visors.

3) By the time event #2 occurred, enough of the III/VII/V and Visor cables without a button are in the channel where it would be more expensive to withdraw and replace. Since Palm and HS are in the business to make money, they want to avoid having to throw out old inventory.

4) A cable with a button would be reserved for a new product line. That's what appeared to have happened with the m100. A case could be made for the Platnium and Prism as well-- new product line...there should have been a redone cable introduced. But perhaps that's not the target audience for the Plats and Prisms.

I also noticed that Mark/Space's cable doesn't have a button for their version of the HotSync cables for III/VIIIs and Visors. And they don't have a cable for the m100 (but they state it's due to different connector). Given everyone's past experiences with promises about when "X" becomes available from vendor "Y", I'll let you draw your own conclusions here.

quote:
Why were they left out, do you suppose? Just to save a few $?

I don't think cost is involved; the m100 cable has the same MSRP as the cables for the other Palm product lines.

Posted by Matthew Nichols on 02-03-2001 02:56 AM:

I remember seeing about a year ago a company who made HotSynch cables for Pallm IIIs/Vs with a button on them that weren't much larger than normal, so the idea isn't a new concept. Do the iBiz folding cradles have a button? Perhaps that would be a better option for some people.

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Posted by MarkEagle on 02-08-2001 02:32 AM:

Just saw this...

There's a hack available over at PalmGear that let's you use the UP or DOWN button to initiate a HotSync when using a cable.

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Posted by nightingales on 02-09-2001 08:55 PM:

Actually, it would be pretty easy to add a button to your hotsync cable. All you need is a little push button (Radio Shack), connect that to pins 3 and 4 of your connector (this is for the PRISM, I haven't checked if its the same pins on a Vdx), and you're done.
I'm not sure if it's worth the effort and you should know how to use a soldering iron but if it is important to you to start a hotsync with a button instead of software it can be done for like 2 bucks.

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