Filed under: iTunes, Open Source, iPhone
iPhone iSync: the beginnings of WiFi syncing
iPhone iSync is potentially a very interesting application with great promise. It's a GUI implementation of an rsync-based folder synchronization tool that works with WiFi. This means it will sync a folder on your Mac to your iPhone/iPod touch over the wireless network. In the future, this suggests the possibility of iTunes syncing over WiFi... unfortunately, it's not quite there yet.
The author, francisois, says that he has "reached a breakthrough that has allowed me to synchronize my own iPod Touch over wi-fi with an older version of iTunes," and he is working on getting iTunes 7.5 support but a few obstacles remain. Nonetheless, he eventually plans for syncing music, photos, contacts, and bookmarks over WiFi.
Obviously you'll need a jailbroken iPhone to use this. If you have any experience with "shell scripts and ssh and especially iTunes library access," francisois is looking for help. iPhone iSync is a free download from its Google Code page.
[via Appletell]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JGO said 4:31PM on 12-04-2007
awesome!! i can't wait until the final version is released!!
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Rener said 4:52PM on 12-04-2007
If Apple TV can sync wirelessly with iTunes, there should be some underlying technological framework for other devices to wirelessly sync with iTunes as well?
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h8rain said 5:21PM on 12-04-2007
Believe it or not I was thinking the same thing last night when I was using my AppleTV (did not think about it before, because mine is hard wired).
It should be an extremely easy thing for APPLE to implement.
punkassjim said 6:47PM on 12-04-2007
My biggest problem with the whole thing is trying to wrap my brain around why Apple WOULDN'T want to wirelessly sync the iPhone. Seriously, just because Microsoft allows it on the Zune doesn't mean it's something that should be entered into willy-nilly. I mean hell, Microsoft's numerous ports of entry into the Windows OS would be a great thing if indeed they weren't also security holes.
I agree with the fact that Apple could implement this quite easily since they've already got the code from the AppleTV, but the rules change drastically when you're carrying the device around in your pocket. I'd really like to see a security expert post his/her two cents on the ramifications.
That said, I'd also like to see someone hack apart some AppleTV software and get that sh*t running on the iPhone. I mean, whaddaya need, right? Bonjour, check. Password, no problem. WTH else is needed? Maybe a failsafe for cancelling sync if a call comes in, or if the device drifts outside the wifi cloud.
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Mur said 8:38PM on 12-04-2007
Man, I would love to see this nicely implemented by Apple. That would be all that it would take to get my to pickup a touch. It would completely change the iPod. Storage space wouldn't really even matter anymore. You would only need a few GB to store whatever movie or album you happened have synced at the time, and whenever you are ready for something new just hop on to any of the numerous WiFi hotspots in your home, work, school, coffee shop, and get some new stuff. Hell, they could even enable streaming from your home computer. Apple absolutely needs to do this sometime soon to compensate for the lack of storage space on their most usable iPod.
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Carl said 9:58PM on 12-04-2007
Wifi sync doesn't necessarily mean remote sync. I think even the Zune still needs to be on the local network to sync wirelessly.
It also doesn't mean you can browse your remote network and download songs/content. Syncing just means bringing your device content in line with what's on the main computer. So what changes to your content happen when you're not actually at your computer? Other than podcasts, I can't think of much at all.
What advantage does wifi sync bring? Not being a cynic, I'd genuinely like to know.
Russell said 3:10AM on 12-05-2007
Syncing via rsync should work whether or not its local. I use rsync to backup my home folder from my dorm room to my desktop at home over 2,000 miles away.
It might mean tweaking his GUI, but its certainly not a technically difficult change.
PA said 3:31AM on 12-05-2007
"What advantage does wifi sync bring? Not being a cynic, I'd genuinely like to know."
I for one use a laptop and rarely find the energy to attach it to external devices which makes syncing the iPod an extra burden. As a result I often find that I have no fresh podcasts in the device while on the go. What is more, I do not have a dock for the iPod but a speaker set that I use for charging but that doesn't have a USB connection.
It would be truly awesome if I could just let the iPod stay in its speaker dock and let the content flow in without paying attention.
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francisois said 3:40AM on 12-05-2007
Ok, first off, I'll tell you exactly why Apple never included wi-fi sync for the itunes library. Although i used rsync with the ssh -c blowfish modifier, which is the fastest possible option, I still had to wait 5+ hours for my 12GB itouch playlist to get synced from scratch, this depleted my battery life like there was no tomorrow...
Thats not to say that its not feasible doing limited song sync (
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mojo said 2:03PM on 12-05-2007
i have been doing this on my ubuntu/gtkpod from day 1 since i got the iphone. VERY OLD NEWS.
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mathmonkey said 5:53PM on 12-05-2007
So when are we getting an ipod touch workalike for the Nintendo DS? With WiFi syncing it would be an awesome application.
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