My primary computer is a 12 inch Apple Powerbook G4. I use it everywhere, which makes it very difficult for me to sync using the large bulky USB cable that comes with the Treo. It is to big to carry around with me, so normally it ends up being stored in my “tech repository”; a room far off in my basement chock full of computer stuff. To make my story short, I never have a cable nearby me when I want to Hotsync my Treo.

The ideal solution to this problem is for Bluetooth support to magically appear in my Treo 600; my Powerbook has excellent Bluetooth integration thereby making my need for cables disappear. But as Bluetooth isn’t an option in the current Treo, the next best solution would be a super small, retractable cable called the Sync & Charge from store.treocentral.com for $15.95.

Actually, store.treocentral.com is not the only retailer of this device, nor is it the cheapest. BoxWave sells the same device branded as “miniSync” for $14.95. And it can be found at PocketPCTechs.com under the “Lil’ Sync” name for $15.99.

The Sync & Charge retractable cable is only a few ounces and four and a half inches in length when closed, but it can extend to more than two feet. For being a portable solution, it is a killer product. In the middle of the device is the reel for the cable. The reel is made of a rubberized plastic, making it slightly soft to the touch. On this little reel is a blue button decal with “Sync & Charge” written on it. On one end of the cable is a USB plug, and on the other is the Treo connector. It works with all Treos. There are two little arrows on one side of the plug to indicate which way to plug it into the Treo. Sadly, there is no hotsync button on this device, forcing users to launch hotsync through the Palm OS launcher, or as I do, through a pre-assigned favorite key.

The Sync & Charge has one fatal flaw. The cable is fragile, and I successfully broke it after only a month of using it. It still retracts, but it cannot maintain an electrical connection to the Treo for hotsync or charging. I was sent a new cable; store.treocentral.com promised me that if any customers have their cables break they will replace it for free. That’s good, but I have a feeling that my replacement will also eventually break.



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