One of the new features that the Pocket PC
supports is the use of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection for
synchronizing with your desktop PC. Using ActiveSync with USB is
faster than using your serial port.
What You Need |
- A USB cable or USB CompactFlash card
from
Socket Communications
- A PC with USB support running Windows
98 or Windows 2000
|
Gotchas
- You cannot use a desktop with Windows� 95B
or Windows NT� to synchronize with USB.
- Insert the USB CompactFlash card in your
Pocket PC first. Then connect the cable to the card. Otherwise, your
connection may time-out.
- Also, not all Pocket PCs support USB
synchronization -- make sure yours does.
Languages Supported
English and any other language that
ActiveSync and the Pocket PC are shipping with.
Configuring USB Connection Settings
Before we get started on how to synchronize
with a USB connection, you need to configure your connection settings.
- If your Pocket PC does not have a USB
cable, install the Socket Communications USB CompactFlash� card
drivers on your Pocket PC. See the Socket user information for how
to do this.
- Configure your Pocket PC to use USB as the
default connection for your PC. This is done by clicking Start,
Settings, Communications, and PC. Select Socket USB
or USB Connection in the dropdown box.
- Confirm that ActiveSync is configured to
use USB. Click the ActiveSync icon in your taskbar on your desktop.
Click File, Connection Settings, and confirm that the box
next to the USB connection option has a check mark.
You do not need to edit the settings for the
USB connection. The defaults work fine.
How to Synchronize with USB
I tested this synchronization using the
Socket Communications USB CompactFlash card. Here are the steps to
synchronize using USB:
- Insert the USB CompactFlash card in your
Pocket PC.
- Once the card is inserted, connect the USB
cable to your desktop.
- Then insert the USB cable in the
CompactFlash card.
For Pocket PCs with built-in USB support
just:
- Connect the USB cable to your desktop.
- Connect the other end to your Pocket PC.
ActiveSync should automatically start to
synchronize with your Pocket PC.
Conclusion
USB offers easy synchronization for your
Pocket PC. Connecting with Ethernet is the fastest method of
synchronization available today, but using USB is faster than using
the serial port.
Clearly, this is a great option for owners of
newer PCs with USB capabilities. I'd definitely choose USB over using
the serial port for synchronization.