# Which Palm Pilot does my IBM WorkPad equal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221 "2001-08-14T17:26:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/1 "2001-08-14T17:26:34Z")
This should be a quick one. I have an IBM WorkPad 8602-20X which my employer gave me. I have a serial-port cradle for my Win95 box at work; I want to buy a USB cradle (and necessary software) for my Mac clone at home. I go to [Palm Gear](http://www.palmgear.com) to look, but everything’s Palm Pilot this or Handspring that. Nothing about the IBM WorkPad. Now, I know the WorkPad is _really_ just a Palm Pilot (IBM made a deal with 3Com for whatever reason), but I don’t know which model it’s based on, so I’m not sure which cradle and software to buy. I know the PalmOS I’m running is 3.0, but does that mean it’s a Palm Pilot 3.0 as well? Any help and advice would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/2 "2001-08-14T17:34:00Z")
It’s the same as a Palm III, but with a black case. The case design is the same as the Palm III series, and the 2 Mb of memory makes it the earliest one (4 Mb would make it a IIIx, 8 Mb would make it a IIIxe). Specs: [Workpad 8602-20X](http://www.palmblvd.com/hardware/IBM-Workpad-8602-20X-2000-08-10-palm-pc.html) vs. [Palm III](http://www.palmblvd.com/hardware/Palm-Palm-III-2000-08-10-palm-pc.html) ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/3 "2001-08-14T18:20:06Z")
Wow, that was fast. Thanks, **SmackFu**! Do you know if I can upgrade the memory to a larger size? ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/4 "2001-08-14T22:49:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > **I want to buy a USB cradle (and necessary software) for my Mac clone at home.** Go to Best Buy. They have Belkin USB to RS-232 serial adapters for about $17, half what 3Com wants for theirs. The CD I got with my Belkin PDA adapter had Mac drivers on it. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/5 "2001-08-15T01:36:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > \*\*Do you know if I can upgrade the memory to a larger size? \*\* Probably. If so, I think you need something like this: [SuperPilot Memory Board II XL](http://www.handera.com/products/cat-spiixl.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/6 "2001-09-05T14:42:02Z")
**sewalk** : > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \*I want to buy a USB cradle (and necessary software) for my Mac clone at home. > > Go to Best Buy. They have Belkin USB to RS-232 serial adapters for about $17, half what 3Com wants for theirs. The CD I got with my Belkin PDA adapter had Mac drivers on it. But would I still need a cradle to go with the adapter? I checked out the nearest Best Buy but didn’t see what you described (maybe they were out; they were out of many of the PDA hardware accessories). Is there a place online where I could buy it? ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/7 "2001-09-10T13:55:39Z")
New information: I now have a second (serial) cradle I can use at home (my friend Ryan had a spare). So now all I need is synching software for my Mac, and whatever sort of plug I need to connect the cradle to the Mac. So what exactly do I need now? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-palm-pilot-does-my-ibm-workpad-equal/76221/8 "2001-09-10T14:38:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > \*\*New information: I now have a second (serial) cradle I can use at home (my friend Ryan had a spare). So now all I need is synching software for my Mac, and whatever sort of plug I need to connect the cradle to the Mac. > > So what exactly do I need now? \*\* If the MAC has no serial input you need to get a USB cradle if one is available for your unit (it may not be) or an adapter to go USB to serial for the MAC. IIRC based on a similar search I did for a III style Palm attaching to a new non-serial port Compaq notebook I don’t think there is a PALM USB cradle for this unit and I don’t remember finding an aftermarket unit either. The $ 50.00 USB to serial port adapter I got from Circuit City did not work. Your luck may be different. [http://www.palm.com](http://www.palm.com) should have free DL’s afor the latest Palm desktop software . THe MAC desktop and sync software is available here- [http://www.palm.com/support/macintosh/palmmacsupp.html](http://www.palm.com/support/macintosh/palmmacsupp.html)