Product Description

The Palm m500 HotSync USB cradle updates and recharges your handheld quickly and easily. Use it in your home or office to keep your handheld in sync with your desktop computer. It's a snap to back up your data - just connect the cradle to any USB port on your desktop, slide your handheld into the cradle, and push the HotSync button. Once you push the HotSync button, the cradle automatically synchronizes the information in your handheld with your PC or Macintosh.

Product Details

• Brand: Palm
• Model: P10819U
• Original language: English

Features

• Quickly synchronizes information in your handheld to your desktop computer or laptop
• Recharges your Palm handheld
• One-touch HotSync button performs synchronization
• For PC or Macintosh; requires available USB port and compatible system software
• Compatible with Palm m125, m130, i705, m500 series handhelds, as well as the Tungsten T, Tungsten T2, Tungsten T3, Tungsten W, and Tungsten C

Amazon.com Product Description
Synchronize and back up data with Palm's USB HotSync Cradle for Palm m500 and m550 series handhelds. The cradle will update and recharge your handheld quickly and easily. Just slide in your handheld, connect it via any USB port on your desktop, and push the HotSync button for automatic synchronization. Use the USB cradle in your home or office to keep your handheld in sync with your PC or Macintosh.

Special note to customers: If you are running Windows 95, Windows NT, or Mac OS 8.0 or earlier, or do not have a computer with a USB port, you will need to purchase the Palm m500 series Serial HotSync Cradle.

Customer Reviews

Not compatible with Tungsten E!
I can't comment on the quality of the cradle but I have one comment. I ordered the cradle as it was listed as an accessory for the Tungsten E. However, it does not fit into the cradle and Palm doesn't seem to currently produce one compatible with it. Just want to warn others so you don't have the hassle of having to send it back.

Not your father's HotSync Cradle
With the introduction of the new Palm m50x series, Palm needed to make a whole different type of "universal connector." With this new "universal connector," we get a new fangled cradle.

Palm's explanation for a new cradle and a new connector was to give true USB support to the cradle. Let's not forget that we'll have to buy all new accessories to cater to the new "universal connector." The question I ask is "Is it new functionality, or new sales they're after?"

Enough about my rant on the universal connector. Let's get to the cradle itself. It's different that the Palm V cradle (I compare it to the Palm V cradle since the m50x series is just following in the footsteps of that series.). First, it isn't slide in and out, like the old cradle. To take the Palm out, you have to lift up, then pull vertically up. To put it in, you have to put it in vertically, fumble around a bit, then once you hear the Palm beep, you can nestle it back in the cradle.

For people who don't know about the above process, I'm guessing you're going to break your Palm, so be warned.

Once you get the process down, it actually becomes second nature. Granted, I think it's a cumbersome process, but the unit stays in the cradle securely.

One issue that made me knock this cradle down to three stars (and this could be in conjunction with the Palm itself) but sometimes the unit doesn't charge fully in the cradle. You place the Palm in the cradle, the Palm makes the beep, and you think you're charging, right? You take it out th enext morning, go to work, and then you notice that your battery indicator is still int he same position. What's up with that? I've discovered that for the unit to fully charge (and sometimes HotSync correctly), you have to make sure the connection to the cradle is flush.

The product does give USB support, so the cradle does have a functionality. For me, personally, I wish Palm didn't have to give us a new "universal connector" every couple of years...

Slower, But Cheaper
I bought this cradle because I have to leave the USB cradle that came with my Palm M515 at the office. I chose a serial cradle for two reasons: all of my USB ports are filled at home and this cradle was significantly cheaper than a USB model.

I find that the cradle is quite a bit slower. This would be a problem if I did as many Hotsync operations at home as I do at the office. Since I only sync at home to updat my AvantGo data and to re-charge my Palm,this cradle works fine.

If you need a cradle for a situation similar to mine, don't waste your money on the more expensive USB model unless you're really impatient.