Back it Up!

It's been a little over a month since we've launched Palm Backup Beta, and we have been getting a lot of valuable feedback and comments. A big thanks to everyone who has tried the application, and we hope you will keep sending us your feedback: backup.feedback@palm.com.

I also wanted to take some time to answer a few of the common questions we have seen so far:

1.) How do I restore my data after I have backed it up?

When you first register for Palm Backup, it's important for you to confirm your account by clicking through the activation email from Palm. Make sure to check your spam or deleted email folder if you didn't receive the email after registration. For security reasons only a confirmed account is allowed to restore data, so no original confirmation, no backup and restore.

To restore data (contacts, calendar, tasks, memos, bookmarks, speed dials, and call log) after doing a hard reset or replacing a lost or damaged Treo, install the Palm Backup application and then sign in with your registered email and password (you can download the application from http://www.palm.com/backup on your Treo).

2.) Why does it take so long to backup my call log?

Unlike regular cell phones, Treos can hold a large number of call log entries. Some users have thousands of call log entries because they have been using Treos for years (including me). If you don't need years worth of call log history, the best way to speed up your backup is to purge some of your old call logs. Here are some instructions on how to do that.

3.) Why am I getting this error message, "an unknown error has occurred, please try again?"

This is usually because the Palm Backup server is temporarily unavailable and it often returns to normal after a short period of time. If it appears repeatedly, please contact Palm Backup Beta support at 1-866-785-7256.

Also including a link to the Palm Backup FAQ: http://www.palm.com/us/support/palmbackupbeta/faqs.html

We will continue to improve Palm Backup Beta over time, and we want to make sure it's working well for everyone. Please continue to share your thoughts and let us know if there are topics on Palm Backup that you would like to talk more about.

Kevin Wu - Product Manager

Comments

[SMuRS]

I think this is a great app (I only recently discovered it). Is this going to continue to be a free service? Also, I know this is not the appropriate place for feedback, but I would really LIKE palm backup to backup my exchange info (e.g., calendar and contacts). I also like the redesigned webpage--gives me hope for the future!

[BryanD]

I have to say I'm a big fan of Palm Backup app. Just recently I killed my 700p @ work and I had no choice but to hard reset if I ever wanted to use it again. I hadn’t sync to my home pc in nearly 6 months! A tear almost came to my eye as I confirm yes to delete but, then I realized I had the Palm backup and exchange email setup. I had all my numbers, memos, etc. and apps back (I always install apps from email). Good job Palm!

[Alan Grassia]

Thanks for posting the updates to the Palm Backup beta program, Kevin.

Backup is a great value added feature for the Palm OS Treo platform. I wanted to submit some feedback and ask some questions about why the software works the way it does, and the posting of this article along with that email address was perfect timing!

Thanks,
Alan G

[AJ0230]

Without looking @ the FAQ and my apologies if this is answered there, but are there any plans to allow for backing up of ALL of our apps not just the PIM apps?

Id also like to know if this will continue to be free or what will the charge eventually be?

[bob]

This app works great. Only one question - How many users never received their confirmation email from Palm?

I installed it when it first became available but still have not received the email. And no, it's not stuck in my spam folder.

[Nathan Whitmore]

Palm Backup Beta sounds cool, but is it ever going to support non-treo devices?

[PacManFoo]

It's too bad you don't include your other products such as the Palm TX in the Backup program. I just lost several contacts on my TX due to a crash and need for a hard reset. Thankfully there is NSBackup availbe from a 3rd party otherwise I would have lost much more. Amazingly I pulled out my Apple Newton which has been sitting in a drawer for quite some time and all it's contacts where still there even though the batteries had been dead for quite some time.

[Fred]

This app seems to be nice. But did you know that some Palm users actually lives outside the USA (and Canada) ?

[Kevin Wu - Palm, Inc.]

To answer AJ02230's question about plans to backup other data types: http://blog.palm.com/palm/2007/05/back_it_up.html#comment-70525536

Our plan is to expand the backup capability of Palm Backup over time, and if you have any thoughts about what you would like to see backed up(SMS, MMS, email settings(Exchange and POP), photos, videos, and etc.) Drop us an email at backup.feedback@palm.com.

[LouC]

I just started to use this... I currently do not sync with an exchange server, but I get a message stating that Contacts will not sync because I do?? What gives??

[Global X]

The idea is great, but it is flawed.

I had to go through a hard reset on the plane between NY and SFO last week. I was sure that when I landed, I would simply turn the phone on and Palm Backup would detect that something really bad had happened to my data and re-sync it --as it claims on the Palm page. But nothing happened.

I looked for the app on my Treo to see if I could manually initiate it, but the app was gone because of the hard reset. Doh!

Palm Backup should be part of the ROM, so that in a crisis situation (a hard reset just before landing is a major CRISIS situation!), one doesn't need to remember where, on Palm's Web site, is located the Backup app and what e-mail address was used to register.

Please!

[Glendon Gross]

I like this application, but I am running into a problem when I sync with Palm Desktop on Mac OS X. The sync initiates fine, but halts when trying to sync Palm Backup Beta, after which the computer reports "Unknown Sync Error". My hunch is that this is due to some file permissions problem, but it is annoying because it breaks the sync connection, and rebooting the phoneis necessary after that to continue to use the phone. Any ideas?

Regards,

Glendon Gross
gross@clones.net

[uoflkim]

Global X, I am having the same problem with my sync being interrupted when trying to sync Palm Backup Beta. I get the same error message and also have to reset my phone. I am on a Mac too. I noticed you never got a response to this. Have you figured out how to fix this problem/are you still having it?

Thanks,
Kim

[Wilfred T]

Is there any reason why the software could not back up everything? And I mean E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G !!! So that
if you lost your phone whatever programs, photos, data, MP3's, audible books, voice memo's, text memo's, anything could be restored t o a new phone.