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Palm phones face serious backup failures

updated 03:55 pm EST, Tue November 24, 2009

Palm online sync fails for some users

Owners of Palm's newer phones have encountered a flaw in its online backup system that has wiped out contacts and calendars. A portion of users note that backups sent to Palm's Profile cloud service from a Pre (and now Pixi) are being corrupted and blank out any synchronized data when the phone has to be reset or restored. Those without a local backup, such as through an app like Missing Sync, have no choice but to recreate the data from scratch.

Palm is working on a fix and claims the issue touches only a "small number" of users, but also believes the issue only affects those migrating between phones where users at PreCentral and elsewhere have reported it occurring with their existing devices.

The failure is the second for online backup to affect the phone business in recent memory and follows Microsoft's widespread Sidekick outage, which nearly lost data for those using the T-Mobile messaging phone. Palm's loss is less severe as the phone has solutions for offline sync and can tap into services whose backups are independent of Palm. Apple's MobileMe service, in comparison, is intended only as an optional feature for the iPhone and won't necessarily trigger major data loss in the event of an outage.

 
Previous Comments

Why???

11/24, 04:10pm reply

Will someone please tell me why having all of your info from your mobile device backed up to a cloud server is the way to go? First T-mobile and now Palm. Not having a lot of confidence in that type of service! I don't think I would buy a phone that only gives you cloud backup service. But, at least with Palm you can use MissingSync.

Bearcat

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2009

+7

Re: Why????

11/24, 04:30pm reply

Because people have been told for years by the Web 2.0 geek heads that cloud computing is the way to go!

h***, look at Apple. They rebranded their entire service towards the cloud.

It's the FUTURE!!!

testudo

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

-7

Is there an app for that?

11/25, 12:48am (1 reply) reply

If so i hope the app store rejects it.

Seriously though, people passed up an iPhone for all of this junk and problems? They should know apple has its ducks in order.

- A

Fast iBook

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2003

+3

Just a gut feeling...

11/25, 10:13am reply

...but doesn't the Pre just seem like old news these days? It feels like it's even older than the iPhone as far as appeal, service and features. The buzz prior to launch has been 10 times greater than the buzz since.

I'll say it again, the disappointment of actually holding one of these the first time is immense... it just shouts 2001 cheap!

/

pairof9s

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2008

+1

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