webOS Software

[#1]

Now that Apple has closed the door on syncing with their iTunes (for those that do upgrade past 8.2), let's discuss alternatives.  After this happened yesterday, I've seen other alternatives such as:

 Reverting back to a version that works:  http://www.oldapps.com/itunes.php

iTunes Agent:  http://ita.sourceforge.net/

DoubleTwist: http://www.doubletwist.com

Missing Sync (Mac now, will have windows version out "Coming soon"):  http://www.markspace.com/products/pre/mac/palm-pre-sync-overview.html

I heard of others using things like Songbird (Pre not supported yet, but soon?), and WinAmp (Windows only?).

PreThinking also has a good article about using something called Sailing Media Sync.  See http://bit.ly/fppvl for more info.

Others?

P.S.  responses in this thread about Apple's decision, why it was made, etc, etc... will be removed.  Thank you.

Post relates to: Pre p100eww (Sprint)

Message Edited by PDAGuy on 07-16-2009 03:25 PM

[#2]

Much of the iTunes music is DRM-free and downloaded directly to the local hard drive, so it can just be copied using the Pre in USB drive mode as well.  I transfer all of my music this way, regardless of the source.  It allows me to organize the storage of my music exactly the way I want.  The Pre music player automatically sees the songs transferred this way.  Just another option for getting music over to the phone.

Thanks for starting this new thread.  Might want to make this a sticky thread, so it doesn't get pushed off the bottom of the list.  Kudos.

[#3]

vic20,

The only problem I saw with syncing using the USB sync method is that my tags got all screwed up. I use iTunes and the tags are pristine in iTunes, but when I downloaded the songs down, the genre and all that info were not the same as in iTunes. I deleted the songs and then synced using iTunes and the tags were fine.

Do any of the above mentioned programs keep the original tag structures?

Thanks,

Tee

[#4]

Tee-

I'm with you here.  I have tried many of the "third-party" solutions -- doubletwist, etc -- and none of them are able to translate tags well.  Or maybe they're not doing anything with the tags (beyond artist, title and album) -- and the Pre just can't read the ID3 stuff very well?

I have been using iTunes (and thankfully have not updated yet) but I made sure that I embedded the tags for all of my music -- not simply pulled in iTunes album art, for instance.  And the tag info appears correctly in Windows Explorer and Windows Media Player.

Doubletwist and others, moreover, can't handle playlists .... which sucks for multiple reasons but most acutely for podcasts, which become buried in the albums ...

It seems to me like the Pre was built for iTunes.  Does anyone have a solution that truly gives us the functionality of a full-fledged media player -- and knows how to get the Pre to recognize tags and playlists?

-Bernie

[#5]

I looked at the Missing Sync app and it looks like it solves the iTunes problem.  However, it's $39.95 and most of its synching conflicts with the Synergy web sync that I have with Google for contacts and calendars.  So I don't know how that would work - for now I'd disable the contacts and calendars in the app, although I like the Missing Sync's capability to sync with contact groups that doesn't work with the Google sync (they don't show up at all on my Pre, just the flat contact list - my gmail labels aren't accessible either in the Pre, only the inbox, sent mail, and trash - it would be nice if you fixed both of these).

The other option, removing iTunes 8.2 from my Mac and downloading and installing an earlier version, frankly scares me.  I'm afraid I'll lose my libraries, etc., and I still have an iPod that I use for podcasts (while driving) and videos.  BTW, I had no choice on updating to 8.2 - Apple pushed it to my iMac without asking.  I saw a post on the blogsdna.com site on how to uninstall using a terminal window on the Mac and executing a series of linux-looking commands.  So if I do that, do I lose my iTunes libraries, Playlists, Podcasts, etc.??  If not, how do I get them back when I install the older iTunes??  I see some suggestions on the same site but they are conflicting and very brief.  And how do I prevent Apple from updating iTunes again without asking??  So as I said, I'm scared to go that route.

SO..., given that every Pre owner and prospective Pre owner is facing this iTunes problem, I suggest one or more of these options for Palm/Sprint:

1) Give current Pre owners a discount or coupon to use for buying the Missing Sync app.  $39.95 is steep to fix something that was supposed to work seamlessly (one of the reasons I got the Pre, not an iPhone).  Also get Missing Sync to work with Google web syncing so their contacts and calendar syncing don't conflict with the web sync.

2) a) Provide detailed instructions on how to uninstall iTunes 8.2, keep your iTunes libraries, playlists, podcasts, vidoes, etc. intact, install an earlier version, 8.1.1? (recommend one and a download site), and restore the iTunes libraries, playlists, podcasts, videos, etc. to the new installed version that will work with the Pre. 

b)  Provide detailed instructions on how to prevent the old iTunes version from getting updated automatically by Apple, thus defeating everything you did in a).

3) Provide some other fix/workaround that is free or not as involved as 2).

I realize that Apple is the bad guy here, but we need to fight back!! 

[#6]

Amazon MP3 is an alternative to buying music on itunes. I have playlists on my Pre from an earlier itunes sync before 8.2.1 was "pushed" to my iMac. Now I'd like to copy a song I just bought on the Amazon MP3 app and downloaded to my Pre to a playlist in my music Library on my Pre. I don't see any way to do this. I tried copy and paste but doesn't work. How can I do this? Thanks!

Message Edited by nupreusr on 07-19-2009 10:01 AM

[#7]

I don't think Missing Sync is able transfer iTunes playlists to the Pre -- so that's not a complete solution, in any case.

The real solution is to allow Pre to work well with other media organizers/players besides iTunes ...

[#8]

I haven't updated my itunes in forever (I'm probably using like 6.something lol), so I just use iTunes if I use anything.

I personally have a Zune, and love the zune software, so I enjoy USB mode. I just drag and drop it, and it works really well.

I have doubleTwist, but I don't use it much.

Songbird doesn't have Pre support, which I really don't like. i liked songbird a lot when I used it.

I enjoy WinAmp for streaming, but I don't see Pre syncing coming to it very soon. It's more of a music PLAYER than SYNC-er, in my opinion.

So there's my thoughts.

I know you said not to talk about Apple's decision, but I just want to point out that I think it's annoying that they took out that support. What JERKS! lol.

Go pre

[#9]

There is also Sailing Media Sync for MacOS.  The unregistered version syncs a bit slowly (resyncs EVERYTHING on each sync).  

[#10]

DON'T UPDATE itunes.  Yes, it's that simple. If you have updated it, uninstall it and install an older version.  Others have already said this, because it's the easiest, simplest way to have you cake and eat it too.

itunes updates, recently, are USUALLY only done to fix APPLE hardware compatibility issues and the like.  When's the last time itunes made sifnificant improvement to its UI or customizability?  Just DON'T UPDATE.  Don't forget to turn off Apple software autoupdate.  So, until itunes has a nasty exploit or revolutionary UI upgrade, DON'T UPDATE!

And don't be fooled by an update veiled as security update that merely blocks other devices from syncing with itunes.