MobileMe/Exchange For Mac?

[evandt]

I was using my iPod touch today briefly when I noticed that a change I'd made on my desktop in the calendar app appeared instantly on my iPod touch. This was a very very alarming revelation for me. I've known for month's what MobileMe would bring to all iPhone and iPod touch users but I had no idea how powerful the concept would actually be until I accidentally noticed it first hand today.

anyway, here's the issue. I can't get an iPhone, the typing sucks, they suck, my BB is everything to me but being on BIS(verizon) kills the wireless syncing of contacts, calendars etc. I've got my e-mail(3 accounts) working fine and syncing as I'd like them to but it pains me to have to manually connect to missing sync every night just to make changes on my BB and Desktop. there's gotta be a better way for us. Seeing the instant changes of contacts and calenders on my iPod today really shocked me into the massive massive limitations of the current BlackBerry setup for most consumers.

if any of you know any solid workarounds(and specifically for mac users) please advise !!

Thanks
-Big Evil

[gdbjr]

BES. Probably not what you wanted to hear as you have to pay Verizon extra money every month and then pay for a hosted exchange, err Entourage account, but that will give you exactly what you want. Actually a little bit better as from what I have read Mobleme is only instant from the iPhone/iTouch not from the desktop apps.

[Knocka]

No question about it. BES is definitely the answer. Look into hosted exchange server providers. I use Mailstreet and have been very happy with them.

[evandt]

But will a hosted BES support full integration into the Mac OS apps such as Calendar, Address Book, and Apple Mail. I'm strongly dislike entourage.

[searly]

But will a hosted BES support full integration into the Mac OS apps such as Calendar, Address Book, and Apple Mail. I'm strongly dislike entourage.

My 2 cents... it is not real time, but really close, but here is what I do! Oh, BTW, this is for iCal OTA sync, not address book (yet)

- I myself do not like Entourage. I use it for mail purposes only as I run a small LLC right now. I love iCal and Address Book and much prefer them to Entourage Calendar and Contacts.

- Typical set up in iCal.. make all the calendars you need. Go out and get a program called Spanning Sync (just do a search for it) $25 or $30 I can't remember.

- Then, sign up (if you do not already have one) for a Google Account. Using spanning sync to sync automatically iCal with Google Cal. (very simple to set up).

- Once you have your iCal and Google Cal synced up and running as it should, download Google Sync to your Blackberry (Google Mobile - Sync (http://www.google.com/mobile/blackberry/sync/))

- Once you have Google Sync set up on the device, you will be able to sync OTA all your calendar info back and forth. The blackberry talks to Google Cal via Google Sync, then Google Cal talks to iCal via Spanning Sync. Also, this happens in all directions... meaning, if you make a change or addition on any one of the calendars (blackberry, iCal or Google Cal) the above set up updates each other!

It works perfectly for me right now. I use if for my LLC and for other calendars (family stuff) so I have updated info on my device regardless of where I am traveling. Again, this is a good and clean fix for OTA calendar syncing, but contacts do not work as of right now. Some say it will, but I have not gotten it to work as clean as I would like.

I hope this helps!

[Knocka]

But will a hosted BES support full integration into the Mac OS apps such as Calendar, Address Book, and Apple Mail. I'm strongly dislike entourage.
I dislike Entourage too, but I use it even though I have Parallels and Outlook installed on my Mac. I do not know of a way to have the Apple Apps synch with the Exchange Server.

[evandt]

You no longer need spanning Sync to fully sync your iCal and Google calenders. After Google announced CalDV support it's relatively seemless. The issue still though is the functionality, its just not the same. This is kinda like a workaround solution that is somewhat reliable but if you use a iPhone or iPod touch and see it happen so smooth and instantly, it makes you pray for Exchange like BIS in the near future.

[FunkEye]

Except that you do need leopard to use the CalDV functionality. It doesn't exist in Tiger. And I'm not willing to pay for the leopard upgrade, along with the upgrade for my software just to use a function that (from what I hear) isn't as reliable, or user friendly as SpanningSync. I've been using Spanning Sync on my mac end, and Google Sync on my BB end, and I'm very happy with the whole set up.

Add to that the open beta of Spanning Sync's ability to sync contacts, and the in development Conjola Sync's ability to do the same, and you have a complete solution. Exactly what you would get from MobileMe for $25 a year, without having to deal with Apple's mishandling of the whole thing.

[ifonline]

Address Book on Leopard apparently supports Exchange sync, although I have yet to test it. And while it is a bit off in the future, Snow Leopard will support Exchange sync out of the box for iCal, Address Book, and Mail.app.

[sprale]

I find it difficult, yet not unexpected, that Entourage and Exchange servers do not communicate fully. Just another example of Microsoft failing their customers' needs.

I still use Entourage, the tools are much better than Outlook. I use it to organize gobs of data for quick reference. If I could only get it to the Blackberry simply. Both sync solutions failed for me as well...

Tempts me toward an iPhone...

[amassere]

I cant wait for Mac OS Snow Leopard! Mail, Address Book and iCal will sync direct to exchange!

[rambo47]

I cant wait for Mac OS Snow Leopard! Mail, Address Book and iCal will sync direct to exchange!

But you'll still need a hosted BES account, right? How sweet would it be if the Blackberry synced to a Mac just like an iPhone? That's a wet dream for me. Pathetic, I know, but as they say, you can take the boy out of the geek culture but you can't take the geek culture out of the boy. :smile:

[ifonline]

Yeah... would still need Exchange/BES somewhere, either hosted or in-house.

[deathbyart]

I feel your pain...
I am debating on picking up a 'netbook' just so I can try out Unite! or at least have the use of DM.

[BryanHarig]

Is there anything similar to the MobileMe/iPhone wireless two way bookmark sync available for Blackberry?

[Casper TFG]

Woooot!

I am v excited to learn about Snow Leopard..

That and am expected BB desktop for mac (sometime in the near future allegedly..)

Things are looking up.

I wonder who will be the first to offer hosted BES for snow leopard / BB operation.. Mobile Me?

I was just contemplating moving from BIS to hosted BES and a move over from all my Mac apps to Entourage.. (but wasn't looking forward to it to be honest..)

I suppose BES / Entourage is tried and tested - but a system just for Mac's will be cooler eh?

Having just learned about Snow Leopard - I have decided to now stick it out on BIS / PocketMac USB cable syncing - (getting older by the minute... :x) until mid 2009 to see what happens..

(y)(y)(y)8-)