iTunes comes to the Palm OS

Hey, Palm fans. Are you jealous of those lucky stiffs with the Motorola Rokr and soon Razr that listen to their iTunes library in between taking calls?

Well, if you're a Treo 650 user working in a Macintosh world, at least you can now take some of your library around with you as well.

Los Gatos, Calif.-based Mark/Space released its update to Mac synchronization software, the Missing Sync for devices running on the Palm OS. Version 5.0 improves syncing with the Address Book and iCal applications in Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger", introduces folder synchronization, Spotlight searching of memos and for the first time adds synchronization of iTunes play lists.

It also helps Palm OS owners to do something that neither Motorola nor Apple even let you do--sync your device with your iPhoto albums.

Previously, users had to go through Apple's iSync utility and iSync Palm Conduit to get access to all their content on their Macintosh machines. Unfortunately, the latter has not been updated to handle the latest handheld database fields, such as calendar event categories, multiple postal addresses, instant messaging addresses, and birthdays.

There are some limitations on the song side, according to Mark/Space spokesman Eric Ullman.

"For starters, Missing Sync only recognizes and transfers non-AAC encoded content (i.e. MP3-encoded tracks that were not purchased from the Apple iTunes Music Store)," he said.

It also does not recognize folders as much as it does individual play lists and songs.

Ullman added if Apple ever contracted out to Treo-maker Palm Inc. as they did with Motorola, that Missing Sync would be able to accommodate the upgrade.

The download sells for $39.95. Retail packaged CD's will be available in stores in a couple of weeks for $49.95. If you bought an upgrade or after October 1, 2005, Mark/Space will give you a free upgrade.