UPDATE: I finally discovered that USB syncing worked fine if instead of trying to use the /dev/pilot device I used usb: eg:

pilot-xfer -p usb: -l

I am running on openSUSE 10.2 with Kernel 2.6.18.2-34-default #1 SMP

I am trying to use pilot-xfer do back up the device with this command:

pilot-xfer -p /dev/pilot -b /home/leah/sync/700p2007-03-04/

It appears to hang waiting for the connection.

If I run with strace, it basically starts scrolling these messages after the hotsync button on the device is pressed:

select(4, [3], NULL, NULL, NULL)        = 1 (in [3])
read(3, "", 10)                         = 0
select(4, [3], NULL, NULL, NULL)        = 1 (in [3])
read(3, "", 10)                         = 0
select(4, [3], NULL, NULL, NULL)        = 1 (in [3])
read(3, "", 10)                         = 0
select(4, [3], NULL, NULL, NULL)        = 1 (in [3])
read(3, "", 10)                         = 0
select(4, [3], NULL, NULL, NULL)        = 1 (in [3])
read(3, "", 10)                         = 0

I built an RPM for the latest version of pilot-link tools (0.12.2) but saw no improvement in the behavior with that update.

Any ideas for what to try next?