Comment 11 for bug 38574

The USB device for the Treo doesn't get turned on until the sync button is pressed. I think there's a USB trick where you can make /dev/pilot a link (hard link, maybe?) /dev/ttyUSB1 and leave it dangling when the device disconnects.

I'm having this same problem, and I've found it incredibly frustrating. My understanding is that the pilot protocol changed with the new devices, and pilot-link 0.12.x is needed to make the conversation work.

I've tried building the 0.12.x libs myself (fighting the crappy dpatch-based package... blech!) and never got them quite right. I'm resigned to waiting for this to get sorted out, but I'm guessing it won't be done in the Dapper timeframe.