(Last edited Feb 27, 2008)

One of the most important applications in the Palm is the Hotsync application. This is the main application that allows the transfer of information from your Palm device to the computer and vice versa. You install new third party applications, software patches, upgrades, drivers and other software through the Hotsync application. And it’s very closely related to the Palm Desktop, since it is responsible for the synchronization of data and files between both the Palm device and the Palm Desktop.

Hotsync achieves a few functions:

It “synchronizes” the data (ie. Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, etc) that’s on your Palm handheld device with the data on your computer so that both computer and Palm will have the same data updating both if required.

It transfers any new changes including installations of new software, drivers, etc to the Palm from the computer.

If there are major changes on either the Palm or computer (eg. your Palm device has a hard reset and wiped out back to factory settings), Hotsync will reload and re-install data from one to the other. It provides somewhat of a back up of files in the Palm’s RAM on the computer by saving your settings and preferences, although not all files in the Palm device’s RAM is stored on the computer. But the Hotsync is not a very reliable way to backup files. In a future posting, I will discuss various backup softwares that will reliably back up all files stored in RAM to the expansion flash memory card and allow you to restore the device back to a previous state via a backup archive. Trying to do that via hotsync is not as easy. If you can’t wait for the future posting, check out my posting on backups at Palm Addicts here

There are two parts of the Hotsync application. One is the Hotsync application installed on the Palm device. The other is the Hotsync Manager application that’s installed on your Windows or Mac computer. Unfortunately, since I don’t own a Mac, I will only be able to provide information for Windows users. When you originally got your Palm device, you are expected to install the necessary Windows programs which includes the Hotsync manager application as well as Palm Desktop and other included software.

Again, a great way to show how the Hotsync works is by showing a simulation.

Simulation of a Hotsync

Alternative links: Photobucket

This simulation attempts to simulate a Hotsync by launching the Hotsync application on the Palm and tapping on the Hotsync button located at the center of the application. This only shows what is seen on the Palm device when Hotsync is launched.

The simulation will play through to the end unless I’ve inserted a pop up note for specific points.

To continue playing the simulation, press the button.
To go back to a previous paused segment, click on the button.
To pause the simulation at any time, press the button. To continue after it’s paused, press the button again.
To scroll forwards or backwards in the simulation, click anywhere on the left (to go back earlier in the simulation), or right (to go forward in the simulation) on the progress bar.

Simulation of the menus of the Hotsync Manager

Alternative links: Photobucket

This simulation shows the various menus of the Windows program, Hotsync Manager which must be running in the Tasks tray (lower right hand corner of your Windows near the clock) before you can do a Hotsync. Most times, you can set it up so that Windows will automatically load Hotsync Manager at startup or you can run it it manually before you do a Hotsync, otherwise Hotsync won’t work.

Cradle with Hotsync button

Press on the Hotsync button to start a Hotsync.

Charging cable with Hotsync button

Press on the Hotsync button to start a Hotsync.

Screenshot of the Hotsync applicaton on the Palm with the button at the center

Tap on the Hotsync button at the center to start a Hotsync from the Palm.

Screenshot of the Windows pop up showing the status of the Hotsync process

This pop up Window shows up on the computer screen when the Hotsync has initiated. During the process, it will show what components are being updated or installed. Once the Hotsync is done, the pop up window will disappear.

To start a Hotsync, simply press on the Hotsync button on the cradle or charger when the Palm is plugged in, or launch the Hotsync application on the Palm and then tap on the Hotsync icon (located at the center). A distinctive sound could be heard. The Palm display will show the Hotsync process screen and a pop up window should come up in Windows. The process of going through various updates, installations, etc will be shown in the pop up window and in the Palm. Depending on how much data needs to be transferred, the hotsync process could take from 30 seconds to minutes. If transferring a number of large sized files (eg. 5MB or more), it could take about 5 minutes for each file.

This is not a good way to transfer large files, especially lots of mp3 audio files from your computer to the Palm because if you’ve ever attempted it, you will find that it takes a LONG TIME. In the early days, I was installing my mp3 files this way and I remembered waiting HOURS to transfer songs over. At first I thought that the program hung, until I realized that after a few minutes it was going to the next file. An easier way to transfer mp3 files or other large files is to purchase a card reader and then use it to make your expansion flash memory card become a temporary removable drive. Then simply drag and drop the files over to the drive. Rather than taking hours, it merely takes minutes. Or, there are software alternatives that simulates the card reader function. Check out this posting.

In the next part of this Hotsync Application series, I will discuss how to install Palm programs via Hotsync and the correct files that can be installed on the Palm (a common mistake for Palm newbies).

Thanks for visiting and supporting Palm Discovery. If you are not reading this article from Palmdiscovery.com or palmdiscovery.net, the website you are reading it from is guilty of copying and posting my content without consent. Please visit Palm Discovery for the original source of the material.

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