Push technology

Google just made syncing the iPhone, the iPod touch, and Windows Mobile phones a lot easier for users who rely on organization and convenience. The search giant released the beta version of Google Sync on Monday.

Google is using the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol to sync both calendars and contacts from Google accounts.

When Apple launched its MobileMe Web cloud software last Friday, customers ran into severe glitches. The subscription service is designed to synchronize calendars, e-mail and other applications between iPhones and Mac or Windows desktops, but users of the new service were unable to log in or sync files correctly.

The company fielded a torrent of criticism from end-users. An e-mail from the MobileMe team on Tuesday read in part:

Palm released a new business phone for Sprint on Monday -- the Treo 800w, with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional. The new model, which Palm described as its "most business-friendly phone yet," supports EV-DO Rev. A, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, and a Global Positioning System.

Sprint said the Treo 800w is its first smartphone to ship with EV-DO Rev. A support, and includes Microsoft's Internet Explorer Mobile.

Support for Exchange

Verizon Wireless and handset maker Palm are raining on Apple's iPhone 3G parade this week. The companies announced the Palm Centro smartphone will go on sale through Verizon on Friday -- for $99.

Dressed in a crisp cobalt blue, the Centro provides customers with a wireless tool to manage busy lives with voice, text messaging, e-mail and the Web.

Verizon Wireless and handset maker Palm are raining on Apple's iPhone 3G parade this week. The companies announced the Palm Centro smartphone will go on sale through Verizon on Friday -- for $99.

Dressed in a crisp cobalt blue, the Centro provides customers with a wireless tool to manage busy lives with voice, text messaging, e-mail and the Web.

On Monday, Apple introduced a new service that delivers push e-mail, push contacts and push calendars into the "cloud" of native applications on the iPhone, iPod touch, Macs and PCs.

Dubbed MobileMe, the service also provides a suite of ad-free Web applications that aim to deliver a desktop-like experience through any modern browser.

MobileMe applications -- available at www.me.com -- include Mail, Contacts and Calendar, as well as Gallery for viewing and sharing photos and iDisk for storing and exchanging documents online.