You'll learn about syncing managed data on a Mac running Snow Leopard with:

• Another Mac
• Microsoft Exchange
• The cloud (i.e. MobileMe or Google)
• An iPhone, iPod, or Apple TV
• A non-Apple mobile phone
• A PDA (i.e. a Palm or Blackberry, specifics are brief)

Types of sync data covered include:

• Calendar items stored in iCal, Entourage, Google, and Yahoo
• Contacts stored in Address Book, Entourage, Google, and Yahoo
• Data on Exchange servers
• Data on MobileMe
• Dock items and Dashboard widgets
• Apple Mail account settings, Safari bookmarks, and application preferences
• Apple Mail and Entourage notes
• Keychains (user names and passwords)
• Items from software that uses Mac OS X's Sync Services, such as Yojimbo
• Audio, video, photos, apps, and associated metadata from iTunes

Types of devices covered include:

• Macs, with details on MobileMe and overviews of popular third-party options
• The iPhone and iPod touch, via Microsoft Exchange, MobileMe, or iTunes
• Old and new iPods via iTunes, with details on USB and FireWire connections
• The Apple TV via iTunes
• Mobile phones, smartphones, BlackBerries, and Palm OS PDAs via iSync and/or third-party utilities

Connection technologies and software examined include:

• Bluetooth, USB, FireWire, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet
• MobileMe, iTunes, iSync, IMAP (IMAP discussion is limited to Apple Mail), Exchange
• Third-party products from BusyMac, Feisar, Mark/Space, Nova Media, PocketMac, and Spanning Sync

Sampler of special questions you'll find answers to:

• What is the truth database? And what should I do if I think it's lying?
• When a sync occurs, what's going on behind the scenes?
• What is push syncing and how does it work?
• What is the difference between syncing and a backup?
• What does Bluetooth "discovery" mean, and what should I do about it?
• Can I control exactly which audio and video files sync to my iPod?
• How do I override automatic syncing when I connect my iPod to iTunes?
• How does iTunes decide if a video file is a movie, TV show, or music video?
• How does the Apple TV figure out what to sync if it fills up?
• How do I sync everything possible to my iPhone—calendars, contacts, Safari bookmarks, the works?
• How do I sync a mobile phone that Apple doesn't support?
• Argh! Snow Leopard's iSync doesn't support the Palm! What third-party software can I use instead?
• I want to sync directly with an Exchange server... what do I need to know?
• What's the smartest way to sync keychains between Macs?
• I have a syncing feeling about my data—what should I do?