[missing-sync-palmos-dev-talk] features?

[Brian Hall]

At 1:44 PM -0400 4/6/04, Mark Mieczkowski wrote:
>Any updated info on the Missing Sync CDK?

The most recent information posted to the public is at
http://www.markspace.com/cobalt.html

>1. What are the licensing details for the missing sync for palm 6?
>2. Is this subsidized by Palmsource, will mac users have to purchase
>"The Missing Sync"? What will be the price?

I *think* you are asking pretty much the same thing in 1 and 2, if I don't
cover what you are asking, let me know and I can clarify.

There will be various models for Missing Sync getting to an end user.

- OEM (ie, hardware vendor) could choose to bundle
  a full, reduced, or trial version of the product
- Conduit developer could choose to do same
- Customer could purchase product
    - direct from Mark/Space
    - via US distributor for resale (Navarre, Inc)
    - via international distributor for resale (Hamiro - France, JTT - Japan)
    - via one of our online resellers in the US, France, Germany, Japan, UK
      (www.markspace.com/distributors.html)
    - via one of our retail resellers (Comp USA currently,
      Apple Retail, Frys, etc in the timeframe of this product).

(Note that this product will be available localized to French, German and
Japanese, same as we currently do for our Sony and Pocket PC versions of
Missing Sync).

We started talking with all of the Palm OS licensees (ie, hardware vendors)
last November, and continue to keep them abreast of our progress and plans.

Much as it is now, we expect that some licensees will choose to include a
Mac solution "in the box" (for example PalmOne does that currently) and
others will not (for example, Sony,Garmin, Kyocera, etc.)

Either way, a customer will still be covered because they can always
purchase a copy direct from us if it has not already been provided for
them. There are several current devices that right now fall between the
cracks - nobody "supports" them (Kyocera 7135 for example). Our upcoming
product will (in general) support *all* devices that meet the basic
criteria (native USB on device, Palm OS 4, 5 or 6).


>3. As a developer how do I distribute conduits which rely on it?

You can continue to do as you do now. In fact, current conduits will work
with our solution w/o any changes so long as they don't "break the rules".
If you are concerned about this, and need to get a general idea now (vs
when we start seeding outside developers) you can ask that we test your
conduit against our internal builds to see if there are any issues.

Your installer can also remain the same as we provide the "User Manager"
API in a transparent form.

So, short term, just continue to write conduits to the current CDK, and you
are all set for a "classic" style experience with our upcomiing product,
and remain backwards compat with the current Palm Desktop as well.

If you are willing to do a recompile, you will get additional benefits,
which will be explained at a later date.

> Do I
>bundle the missing sync with the conduit? If I do that what is the cost
>to me? is it a flat fee or a price per unit?

We are very flexible. You could bundle Missing Sync with your own product.
You could direct your customers to purchase direct from us. We could
provide you with a referral code and/or special web "landing page" at
markspace.com where you earn a referral fee for sales generated by visits
you generate (ie, we write you a check, instead of the other way around!)

We also will soon (later this month) have the ability to sell 3rd party
products at our own store, giving you great access to those with Macs and
handhelds. You don't have to wait for this new Missing Sync to participate
in that - as long as it compliments one of our products (and any Mac OS X
conduit qualifies for that), you should talk to us.

Again, this is similar to how it is now - you write a conduit, and if
someone wants to use that conduit with a Sony CLIE (for example), they
purchase Missing Sync and your conduit and off they go.

>4. is the missing sync cdk going to have any additional classes and
>utilities above and beyond the palmsource cdk?

Scott (lead engineer) will take this and the other technical questions.

For now, it is best to tell us what it is you'd like to see, as we may or
may not be able to discuss technical details in public in advance of those
details being made officially public.

>Are you still taking
>feature requests?

Absolutely. Now is a great time to make your wishes known. You can do that
via this list, or via private email. For technical issues, please contact
Scott Gruby (lead engineer), for business issues, please contact myself
(President/CEO) or Ken Freeman (Product Manager). Other Mark/Space
engineers and support staff also monitor this list.

Brian

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