.KEYWORD chargesync
.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT REVIEW
.TITLE Recharge and synchronize on-the-go with the Charge-Sync Cable
.OTHER
.SUMMARY If you’re a laptop and Palm V user that needs a simple way to both synchronize and recharge on the road, then the Targus USB Charge-Sync Cable for Palm V may be just what you’re looking for. David H. Ringstrom reviews this great product for business travelers.
.AUTHOR David H. Ringstrom, CPA
The Targus USB Charge-Sync Cable for Palm V (at http://www.targus.com/default_product.asp?sku=PA260U) serves as a very portable version of the cradle that most folks use to synchronize their Palm handhelds. The cable, pictured in Figure A, is ideal for laptop users who need a simple way to both synchronize and recharge on the road, particularly international travelers.
.FIGPAIR A The The Targus USB Charge-Sync Cable for Palm V series is great for travelers.
Behind the scenes, this product uses the same serial connectivity as the Palm cradle. This means you don’t have the immediate plug-and-play functionality of most USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices. However, installing the cable is easy. My only complaint is the awkward software user interface, which I’ll discuss in a moment.
.H1 Getting started
Your first task is to make your way into the almost impenetrable plastic case. Once you do so, strongly resist the urge to immediately plug the cable into an open USB port on your computer. It’s absolutely required that you first install the software from the accompanying CD-ROM before the cable will function. If you try to wheedle your way through the installation without first following the proper installation process, you’re going to wind up with a headache-and unable to synchronize via the cable. Fortunately, installing is fairly painless, but be prepared to reboot your computer as part of the process.
.H1 How it works
The cable itself weighs less than one ounce and is 24 inches in length. One end of the cable contains a USB connector, which attaches to an open port on your PC. The other end connects easily to the bottom of your Palm handheld. Synchronizing is controlled via a button in the middle of the cable. As long as the cable is connected to both the PC and your Palm handheld, recharging occurs automatically.
Although the hardware element of this product is quite elegant, the accompanying software leaves something to be desired. If the cable is attached properly, a status window, shown in Figure B, appears.
.FIG B You’re alerted to the COM port assigned when you start your computer.
However, if you booted up without the cable, you’re alerted as shown in Figure C.
.FIG C Click the Manual button if you forgot to attach the cable before startup.
In either case, the window appears in the lower-right corner of your desktop and also appears as an open application on your Windows Taskbar. This program is dispatched easily enough with a mouse-click to the Hide button shown in the figures, but it’s an extra step to perform every time you boot up. Unfortunately, there’s not an option to permanently hide this window, so you have to manually hide it each time you start your computer. The good news is that a recent $20 price reduction makes the quirky software a little easier to live with.
.CALLOUT Warning: editing the Windows Registry can severely damage your computer unless you know what you’re doing.
Editing the Windows Registry can severely damage your computer unless you know what you’re doing. Regardless, if you’re comfortable editing the Windows Registry and are careful to back up your registry first, then you can prevent this program from running automatically by deleting the following key:
.BEGIN_CODE
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\SetPort
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You’ll then want to transfer a copy of the "COM Port Set Utility" shortcut from your Windows Programs menu to your Windows Desktop. This allows you to launch the program when you need it, without having yet another program constantly running in the background.
If you encounter the window shown back in Figure C, attach the cable to your computer and then click the Manual button. The dialog box shown in Figure D appears, from which you can make the appropriate changes.
.FIGPAIR D You can assign the cable to an open COM port.
You should then click Set. You’re now ready to synchronize or charge your Palm handheld. Keep in mind, though, that you may also need to change the HotSync manager to the appropriate COM port, as shown in Figure E.
.FIGPAIR E Ensure that the HotSync Manager is assigned to the correct COM port.
In my case, I still use my cradle when my laptop is docked at my desk, so I have to remember to toggle the HotSync Manager between COM1 when I’m docked and COM2 when I’m using this cable in the field.
Since the USB cable draws power from your laptop, you now have an easy option with regard to recharging on the road. Or, in my case, recharging when I think about it, which is usually when I’m out of the office. This feature is ideal for international travelers, who no longer have to worry about carrying an additional power adapter for recharging their Palm handhelds.
.H1 System requirements
This product requires Windows 98 or later and an available USB port. Other requirements are a Palm V or Palm Vx and version 3.1 or higher of the Palm OS. Since you have to assign an open COM port to the USB cable, it’s possible that you could run into conflicts with other devices in your computer. However, as shown back in Figure D, you potentially have up to ten ports to choose from. In my case, the synchronizing with this USB cable took about the same amount of time as using the Palm cradle.
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.H1 Conclusion
From a hardware standpoint, this is a very clever product for road warriors. My only complaint is that the software component could be more elegant. If you’re a road warrior with a laptop, or if you have a new computer without a serial port, this may be the ticket for you. The Targus USB Charge-Sync Cable for Palm V retails for $29.95.
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on the Targus USB Charge-Sync Cable for Palm V, visit http://www.targus.com/default_product.asp?sku=PA260U.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
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.BIO David H. Ringstrom, CPA is a freelance writer and is president of Accounting Advisors, Inc. He can be reached via email at david@accountingadvisors.com or on the Web at http://www.accountingadvisors.com.
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