iPad frustration

All my high hopes for ipad is going to fade on the first day.
I don't have iPhone. I have Android phone which with the help of "SyncMate" I have no problem syncing my iCal (on my Mac 10.6.8). I am trying to sync my iCal on my Mac with iPad. These are the process I have gone through, please let me know what I am doing wrong:
Process #1: Syncing my iCal (Mac) with my iCal (iPad) via iCloud.
Failed: iCloud needs OS 10.7+ and I am not willing to pay one more penny to make the iPad works with everything else that are perfectly in Sync. and perhaps messing up something else.

Process#2: download SyncMate for iPad.
Failed #1: Safari doesn't let me download any file, therefore I downloaded "CloudSurfer" app which allows me to download the dmg.file but I don't know how to make it to work and execute it. So I gave up.
AND: there is a chance that SyncMate doesn't work on OS6 (iPad)....

Result: I gave up after 4 hours of waste time.

I assume that you mean Safari would not allow you to download SyncMate onto your Mac. I was able to download it from this link It should put the dmg file into your Downloads folder (or wherever you've asked it to place downloaded files). when the download is complete double click the file.

After about a minute or so to decompress the file a window should open with the SynchMate app on the left and an alias to your Applications folder on the right. Drag SynchMate into the Applications folder. When copying has finished go to the Applications folder at the root level of the hard drive and launch the program.

If you're not going to keep your Mac's software up to date, I would suggest you return the iPad. Of course, no other tablet is going to work for you either with that attitude, so I guess that's it for tablets. Too bad.

Slydude said:

I assume that you mean Safari would not allow you to download SyncMate onto your Mac.

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I have no problem with Mac download. I was trying to download it to my iPad. I assume you have to have the software installed on both Mac and iPad to do the sync. At least that is what I have on my phone and Mac and they work fine together.

chas_m said:

If you're not going to keep your Mac's software up to date, I would suggest you return the iPad. Of course, no other tablet is going to work for you either with that attitude, so I guess that's it for tablets. Too bad.

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I don't think there is anything wrong having the attitude that recognizes the need vs. want. It would be great if we all have unlimited budget to put into updating everything but it is not the case most of the times. Syncing iCal for me on the iPad is just a want. I have what I need. Question was: can I do it without spending anymore money.I don't think you are suggesting that I should return a tablet that can do a lot more than just being a calendar just because I don;t want to spend anymore money.

QueenMe said:

I have no problem with Mac download. I was trying to download it to my iPad. I assume you have to have the software installed on both Mac and iPad to do the sync. At least that is what I have on my phone and Mac and they work fine together.

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I'll do a bit off checking tomorrow and see what I can find out about setup. The program installs on the Mac not on the phone itself. Many similar programs have companion iPhone / iPad apps in the app store but this one does not as far as I can tell.

I did find the User Guide on their site but have not had time to go through it. SyncMate | Documentation

$20 would fix the problem. That's the cost to upgrade to Mountain Lion. ML also comes with lots of other benefits of course, but that's a different issue and we'll leave it for the moment.

I don't know how much your time is worth, but to me it wouldn't take much time to decide that the $20 was worth it. There might well be some solution that avoids upgrading to ML, but it could not possibly work better than iCloud syncing, which is seamless once it is set up.

If you dont have iCloud on your Mac then im really wondering WHY you need it on your iPad unless you NEED data to stored in the cloud ??
If you don't, dont use iCloud on your iPad, or better off goto iCloud settings on your iPad and turn off iCloud>Calendar and then when you sync with iTunes on your Mac then you shouldnt have to option of the Syncing via iCloud.
Would try this myself, but i have to much in the cloud to have it deleted off my phone to help out. Sorry, but yea thats my suggestion to you.

Cheers

Without iCloud, syncing to your iPad is going to be done via iTunes.

To sync your calendars from 10.6.8 with your iPad, physically connect the iPad to your Mac and on the Info tab, check off the calendars you wish to sync.

You cannot download apps from Safari on your iPad. Even if you could, a dmg is not going to run and install in your iPad as it uses a different operating system. Only apps from the iOS App Store can be installed on your iPad.

Slydude said:

I'll do a bit off checking tomorrow and see what I can find out about setup. The program installs on the Mac not on the phone itself. Many similar programs have companion iPhone / iPad apps in the app store but this one does not as far as I can tell.

I did find the User Guide on their site but have not had time to go through it. SyncMate | Documentation

Click to expand...

Agreed. Syncmate installs on your Mac. No app required on the app.

The docs linked to give step-by-step configuration for ipad.

Just for future info: ALL apps that you can install to the ipad come from the AppStore. You cannot install Apps from anywhere else.

chas_m said:

$20 would fix the problem. That's the cost to upgrade to Mountain Lion. ML also comes with lots of other benefits of course,

Click to expand...

Absolutely agree with it. The fact that I am not an expert in syncing and trouble shooting when it comes to adjusting everything again, makes me wait until I absolutely have to ugrade.
For me, syncing my Android phone and iCal on my Mac took more than 3 days + frustration.
I am trying to avoid touching them when they work right now. Also.... when I called appleCare, they couldn't guaranteed that I won't be losing anything on my computer when upgrade. They said I MAY have to re-install everything, and I don't have the time or the DVD to re-install most of my vital softwares. OR know how to re-configure a lot of settings that I paid someone to do them for me.

TattooedMac said:

If you dont have iCloud on your Mac then im really wondering WHY you need it on your iPad...

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That is the point: Can I sync my iCal on iPad and Mac without iCloud?
So far seems like it is not possible.

QueenMe said:

Also.... when I called appleCare, they couldn't guaranteed that I won't be losing anything on my computer when upgrade. They said I MAY have to re-install everything, and I don't have the time or the DVD to re-install most of my vital softwares. OR know how to re-configure a lot of settings that I paid someone to do them for me.

Click to expand...

I think that the Apple person scared you without warrant. Yes its possible that you could loose some things, BUT in all the OS installs of the Mac OS i have done, when its been completed i have had EVERYTHING on my Mac the way it was before. Maybe a System setting had changed because its a completly different OS but i have never lost anything. Im sure the other long standing members can back me up here too and confirm, that rarely if ever would you loose anything. When you upgrade you are basically doing a Archive and Install, have a read of it here, which keeps all your setting, Apps and anything else you have in a Archive, it installs the OS and puts back all your Apps, System settings, Doc's, Photo's and so on. It would be as if you didnt even touch your Mac at all. but you will have a new OS on it. Dont be scared by what the Apple Rep said. It was wrong of him IMHO to do it in a way as to worry you.
On this though, if you do a Backup before hand and something does go wrong, them its just a matter of using Migration Assistant to put your Mac back to the way it was.
As i said, very rarely if ever will you loose something in a install of a new/upgrade of a Mac OS.

Hope that makes you feel a bit better.
And FYI the article i linked you too isnt updated ny Apple anymore because going back a few OS's, Apple made the Archive and Install of the OS a Default for when you upgrade, so there was no need to update it, but back in 10.5 you had the OPTION to do a clean install or a Archive and Install. Apple gave us the option when upgrading because they knew a lot of people like to have a clean System when they put a new OS on their Mac, but now Apple having refined the OS upgrades or a new OS they see no reason why someone would need to do a Clean Install as long as they Repair Permissions before they did.
Anyways . . . . Hope that helps a bit

QueenMe said:

That is the point: Can I sync my iCal on iPad and Mac without iCloud?
So far seems like it is not possible.

Click to expand...

Im not sure as i havnt tried it, but if you turn off iCloud on your iPad, then hook it via USB to iTunes then you should now have the Option to sync calendar via iTunes now.
Try it and see what comes up then get back too us.

Cheers

QueenMe said:

That is the point: Can I sync my iCal on iPad and Mac without iCloud?

Click to expand...

Yes. You just use iTunes syncing instead of iCloud syncing as botomay indicated.

TattooedMac said:

if you do a Backup before hand and something does go wrong, them its just a matter of using Migration Assistant to put your Mac back to the way it was.....

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Sounds good but regarding back up....When I backup my Applications folders, does it mean that I can simply recover the folder from my external drive and BOOOM I have all my softwares back? No need for dmg file or the DVD to re-install?

TattooedMac said:

turn off iCloud on your iPad, then hook it via USB.....

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I am sure this will work but the way I sync my calendars is automatically every 5 minutes. As soon as I turn on my Mac, my phone syncs the calendar with my iCal on the Mac. I always can count on my Mac and phone to be current at all times. ( I am on my mac long hours daily), I was looking for the same syncing in the background with out adding one more task to my daily tasks. Thank you all. I think I will let this one go till I upgrade and get iCloud.
You guys Rock!!!!

QueenMe said:

Sounds good but regarding back up....When I backup my Applications folders, does it mean that I can simply recover the folder from my external drive and BOOOM I have all my softwares back? No need for dmg file or the DVD to re-install?
You guys Rock!!!!

Click to expand...

Yes that is the way it works. Just might have to add registration keys or the sorts, but in the bigger picture you will have ALL the software as it was already installed .......

TattooedMac said:

Yes that is the way it works. Just might have to add registration keys or the sorts, but in the bigger picture you will have ALL the software as it was already installed .......

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I guess your comment means that I should not touch anything unless I can find the registration keys for my softwares from various sources. Wish me luck....I will lose whatever was installed on this hand-me-down Mac...( about 2/3rd of everything)...I'm going to be in the mercy of the previous owner.