One of the Palm Pre’s features was its ability to sync to iTunes. This obviously did not please Apple and now as of iTunes version 8.2.1 syncing directly to the Palm Pre has been blocked. Palm does need to create their own media management software but is in no hurry to do so, thankfully Salling Media Sync has come to the rescue.

Salling Media Sync is best described as a intermediary between iTunes and the Palm Pre. It is a simple little application that handles all of the communication instead of relying directly on the device and iTunes software.  It is a Free download but they do have a paid version that adds a little more speed to your syncing. Versions are available for both Mac and Windows.

Check It Out> Salling Media Sync, via Pre Thinking

• Cut and Paste (I can’t believe this is finally a “feature”)
• New Spotlight that searches all of the phone
• 3G tethering to a computer, will need to have carrier support before functional
• Landscape keyboard
• MMS (multimedia messaging)
• Support for 2 new calendar types, .ics (same as iCal) and CalDAV (Google and Yahoo)
• Improved stocks application
• Stereo Bluetooth A2DP audio
• Sync notes with iTunes
• Automatic login for Safari
• Shake to shuffle music
• WiFi auto login
• Safari now has Anti-Phishing capabilities
• Extended Parental Controls

New Applications

• Voice Memo
• Send and Receive files

None of those new additions impress me at all except Parental Controls.  The others are all expected in any mobile OS and are just a given that it will contain them.  Seriously MMS? Copy & Paste? Auto logins?  What I would like to know is how this actually gets a “3.0″ version number!  This at most should be a .1 bump in versions.  Maybe I am just being overly critical but I am really not seeing where this is a decent release that justifies all the buzz it has received.

The only place where Apple deserves a little credit on this one is some of the API’s that they have opened for the iPhone with this release.  There are 1,000 new API’s  for developers to utilize that will give them access to more features that will enhance the device further.  Yet again many of these are actually expected API’s and should not really be flaunted as Steve Job’s gift to mortal man.

The OS will be a free upgrade for iPhone owners but iPod touch owners will have to pony up $9.95 if they want to get it.  My friend Adam said it best “Apple is a genius, who else can get their users to actually pay for copy and paste support?”.

Check It Out> Gizmodo, Engadget, MobileCrunch