Software to manage, via USB cable, the Address Book on a BlackBerry device without need of an email client software (Outlook, LotusNotes, etc.).

Available from BlackBerryItalia.it for free upon registration.

Click here to know more about Address Book Manager

English translation
A lot of our forum subscribers asked about the possibility to manage the address book on BlackBerry from their PC without need of third party email clients such as MS Outlook, Lotus Notes, etc.

So, we developed a simple tool in order to edit BlackBerry address book within a backup file in IPD format generated by the BlackBerry Desktop Software.

What can I do with this tool?

1) Create address book entries from scratch without need of an email client application. Saving the address book in IPD format and import it on the BlackBerry using the BlackBerry Desktop Software. Note: you can
also add pictures to your contacts.

2) Open an existing Desktop Manager backup file *.ipd, modify contacts, save and import it back to the BlackBerry using Desktop Manager.

3) Export your address book in XML format.

This a free BETA version available in three languages: italian, english and spanish. Any bugs should be at submitted to: developer (AT) blackberryitalia (.) it
If you want to support further development with new functionalities consider to donate some money.

There's also another free one that isn't beta a lot of folks here use:

Free download ABC Amber BlackBerry Editor, edit contacts in IPD files

with abcamber you cannot edit contacts' pictures.

This program allows you to backup without the wire?

with ABM you import an IPD file. edit/modify your contacts then export again in IPD format. then you definetely need BB Desktop Manager to restore the IPD file. so export/import of data from/to the HH is performed through the BB Desktop Manager and its capabilites of doing a backup/restore with either a USB cable or via Bluetooth. The latter i sincerely don't know if it works. in any case data transfer from/to the HH it is definetely not a capability of ABM.

Anyone have any feedback for any of these programs? Anyone using these with the 8830?

I prefer IPD address Book :
1. Lastname and Surname are seperate fields (Amber has only one field "name")
2. Edit pictures
3. Saving file without asking new file name

I can't seem to get registered on the site properly to be able to download... since I can't read the webpage nor the confirmation email to know what the problem is.

Try this translationpage.

in case of registration problems contact me in pvt.

That is an awesome translation page there, Jannock! I've bookmarked it now, thanks again.

The translated message I get when pasting in my verification link, is "Error!! The demanded page esite or has not been moved!". Initially I thought it was a password error but now it looks more like an invalid link to a page.

In any event, I will send a pm.

Thanks all.

Thanks to b@sher, my login was validated manually and I was able to download the application.

Although I've only spent a few minutes on it so far, I got it working (with help from the translation page linked above, plus the screenshots on the web page).

It took me a few moments to figure out that I had to modify a full backup IPD file so that it only contained Contacts (which was easy to do), and then I was up and running.

I made some small address book changes, added a contact, saved and imported it back into the BB (I am using an 8800), and then checked the phone's address book. It worked flawlessly.

While personally, I am running Outlook 2003 which serves my needs, this nice program should work for those users that don't want to shell out for Outlook just to have contact management and want the ability to enter/edit contacts on the desktop.

Well done b@asher, and thanks!

Can't seem to be able to register. You might consider creating a direct download link.

I love the picture capability, but I can't find any .IPD files that the app will open. I don't have any trouble w/ ABC editor, can u help? TIA

lowrider, you have to create a backup IPD file with Desktop Manager that contains only address book contacts. Let me know if it works. Otherwise give me some more details on version of Desktop Manager you are using

new version 1.1 of Address Book Manager has been released.
to download BlackBerry Italia

Works Great! thx

Hello - I was trying to download version 1.1 - can you assist? Many thanks in advance.

You might offer some suggestion of what it is you need help with.

Hi b@sher, I just got my first blackberry & this thread leads me to attempt to try your Address Book Manager. However, my system doesn't currently uncompress .rar format, and reviews I read of .rar say this format (while lossless) is propriety & that it's losing support...in fact some of these review recommend not using .rar format, including the unrar utilities.

The web site for Address Book Manager seems only to offer .rar format...I am using babelfish to translate, maybe I've missed a .zip download link...anyway, I want to ask, is this available in ZIP or TAR or any of the more common formats?

Thanks, I look forward to trying the program.

I just registered. I hope I didn't just sign up for another tour in the military though. My Italian is non-existent.

Edit: Ok, I downloaded the program and installed it, but when I click on the icon it says that the program has encountered a problem and needs to close.
Am I missing something here?

Among other programs, just go get WinRar and uncompress the application.

*sigh* Went ahead and got unrar, uncompressed and installed...I do like the vers 1.1 Desktop Manager real well...with one big fatal (for me) problem.

I use Categories, extensively. This is way to useful a function for me to give up. IPD Address Manager doesn't allow entry/edit of this field, and in fact wipes out the contents of the field if you edit a Contact that has categories defined.

I could use IPD strictly for entry of new records, and add category after they're in the BB, but it'd be too easy to inadvertantly wipe out some of my current records' cats...

B@sher, any chance of adding this in v1.2? Or at least, making IPD non-destructive of data fields it does not recognize?

I can't seem to get registered on the site properly to be able to download... since I can't read the webpage nor the confirmation email to know what the problem is. Please help. Thanks.

Minglam, try babelfish for translation; that got me through the site registration and download just fine. If you don't yet know babelfish, then just google for it.

hi, i recently downoladed this beta software but i'm not sure how find an especific contact, in my case is necesary cause i have more than 900..please help me or recommend me shareware,
tnks

All I get is a lot of Italian. What the hell is that all about. Been here for 30 minuites tryimng to find some english. Give me a break!

There is some English explanation on the site now.

However, they want your Blackberry PIN to register on the site and get the download.

Somehow I don't see their need for that information...

It amazes me that RIM has not made this kind of software available. Most of us would rather type out our contacts on a full-size keyboard, if we could.

If you want to encourage people to move from other devices to a BB, why not make it easy for them to move their contacts over?

I thought they paid people $80K a year to think of these things?

Rogers Pass:

Ah, the motel from The Shinning - well, it is remote enough and odd enough to qualify - great skiing in the area!

Downloaded ABC Amber and it seems very good. One problem though: when trying to load only the edited address book to my BB, under the Advanced tab, the files selected are "greyed out" and cannot be moved across to the other window. Rather a "pane"!