PalmOS was the first mobile OS to do that around 1996.
I don't think you understand what I was getting to there... PalmOS support was hardly built in to any desktop computer like Apple has for its devices. They require little else than plugging in the USB to start syncing. Things are a couple clicks away in stead of having to read manuals with large warning signs not to plug your device before installing and running the driver cd etc.

Or having to choose communication ports during setup (a task that's nothing short of disaster for any layman).[/quote]
No, you had to install the PalmOS utility into Windows. And how is that a bad thing? I was not aware Apple installed every application made for thier computer. That explains the higher price.
UNIX V7 had this in the early 1980's. You just had to turn it on.
Hmm, Unix detected your networked backup device automatically and offered you the option to schedule backups? I think a little more 'turning on' was required

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Yes, it did. Obviously you never worked with that particular OS.
The cool thing about OSX is that it makes things so easy that you can do stuff with no previous experience on it. A far cry of any *nix or even latest windows.
Tell that to the Apple software engineers who had to sit with me for a month as I continually locked up thier computer. All they would say, is, "You are not suppose to do that.", as they power cycled the computer. Never mind my 30+ years of computer experience. I can hard lock an Apple computer in less than 10 seconds.
There is nothing intuitive about any computer. The fact I find a UNIX CLI easier to use than anything (and faster for most things; yes, I won a $100.00 bet with an Apple engineer over that one), says a lot about how poorly designed most UI's are. UI's restrict people. They are designed for users who do not want to do anything but what the designer will allow. They are cumbersome for anyone who can actually think for themselves and like exploring the potential in what a computer can do for you.