Tapwave’s Zodiac is a portable handheld gaming system that leverages Palm OS to provide you with more a lot more functionality than you get from a Game Boy Advance. Up until now, though, you’ve needed a PC to synchronize information on the Zodiac, since the software that comes with it runs on Windows only. Missing Sync software developer Mark/Space Inc. on Friday announced the availability of The Missing Sync for Tapwave, enabling Zodiac users to connect to their Macs.
Tapwave’s Zodiac features a Motorola i.MX1 ARM9 processor and ATI’s Imageon W4200 graphics accelerator along with an analog thumbstick, so it’s no ordinary PDA — this device is optimized for entertainment value. But since the Zodiac uses Palm OS, the handheld system can maintain calendar and contact data, memos and to-do list items. It can also play MP3 files, or be used to view digital photos, video and more.
The main focus of the Zodiac is its gaming capability. With the system’s PC-centric focus up until now, games sold through the Tapwave e-store are designed to be installed using Windows PCs. To help simplify the process of installing such software, Mark/Space has created the Missing Sync Game Installer, which enables Mac users to drag and drop the installation of .zip-encoded games created for the Zodiac and Windows PCs. The Missing Sync Game Installer also provides a high score conduit so you can share your high scores over the Internet for games that use this capability.
Gaming isn’t the whole story, however: The Missing Sync for Tapwave provides the ability synchronize calendar, address, memo and to-do list information between Palm Desktop on the Mac and the Zodiac. iCal and Address Book synchronization is also supported if you have Apple’s iSync Palm Conduit installed.
The Missing Sync for Tapwave can move music, audio and digital picture files between iPhotos and iTunes to the Zodiac, also. And it can mount the Zodiac’s MMC/SD/SDIO expansion card slots on your Mac’s desktop SplashData’s SplashPhoto has been included to let Zodiac users view digital photos on their handhelds, as well. Synchronization support using existing third-party conduits is supported.
System requirements for The Missing Sync for Tapwave call for Mac OS X v10.2.8 “Jaguar” or later and USB or Bluetooth capability. The software costs about $40. More details about the Zodiac itself are available from Tapwave’s Web site, at the link above. As MacCentral posted this article, Mark/Space’s Web site had not yet been updated with information about the new release.