Press releases

Take Control of Syncing Data in Leopard--New from TidBITS: New ebook helps Mac users sync media and managed data (contacts, calendars, etc.) with devices from Apple and other companies.

Press release: December 4, 2008

Take Control of Syncing Data in Leopard Ithaca, NYTidBITS Publishing Inc. has just released Take Control of Syncing Data in Leopard, a 147-page ebook that explains how to sync data from a Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard with other Macs and a variety of devices from Apple and other companies.

Whether readers want to sync phone numbers between a Mac and a mobile phone, share calendars and keychains between Macs, or move only new podcast episodes to a small iPod, syncing expert Michael Cohen has the answers. Readers will learn what software and gear they need and the best ways to move data between devices.

Cohen also explains how syncing works under the hood and provides troubleshooting advice in case a reader's sync engine throws a rod. The ebook is available for $10 at Take Control Books and oreilly.com.

Types of sync data covered include:

  • Calendar items stored in iCal, Entourage, and Google
  • Contacts stored in Address Book, Entourage, Yahoo, and Google
  • Data on Exchange servers
  • Dock items, Dashboard widgets
  • Apple Mail account settings, Safari bookmarks, and application preferences
  • Apple Mail and Entourage notes
  • Keychains (user names and passwords)
  • Items from software that uses Leopard's Sync Services, including NetNewsWire and Yojimbo
  • Audio, video, photos, and associated metadata from iTunes

Types of devices covered include:

  • Macs, with details on MobileMe and overviews of popular third-party options
  • iPhone and iPod touch, via MobileMe or iTunes
  • Old and new iPods via iTunes, with details on using a USB and FireWire connections
  • The Apple TV via iTunes
  • Mobile phones, smartphones, BlackBerries, and Palm OS PDAs

Connection technologies and software examined include:

  • Bluetooth, USB, FireWire, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet
  • MobileMe, iTunes, iSync, IMAP (IMAP discussion is limited to Apple Mail)
  • Third-party products from BusyMac, Mark/Space, PocketMac, and Spanning Sync

For a review copy or more information please email takecontrolpr@oreilly.com. Please include your delivery address and contact information.

Michael E. Cohen has worked as a teacher, a programmer, a Web designer, a multimedia producer, and a certified usability analyst. He's the author or co-author of several books; his latest is Take Control of Syncing in Tiger (TidBITS Electronic Publishing, 2006).

Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bios, and cover graphic, see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9781933671512

Take Control of Syncing Data in Leopard
Publisher: TidBITS
Michael E. Cohen
Take Control of Syncing Data in Leopard,
PDF format, 147 pages, free 30-page sample available
PDF Price: $10.00 USD
ISBN: 9781933671512



About TidBITS
The Take Control series is published by TidBITS Publishing Inc. TidBITS co-founders Adam and Tonya Engst have been publishing highly regarded news and editorial since 1990 when they created the online newsletter TidBITS, which covers Macintosh- and Internet-related topics. The Take Control series has helped many thousands of readers with high-quality, timely, real-world, cost-effective documentation since 2003.

About O’Reilly

O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

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