So, I finally bit the bullet and got a 7100T, even after reading of all the issues surrounding it. I needed a phone that does email, and this seemed the best bet. Time will tell and I hope any issues arise before the 14 day trial with TMO ends.

Now, to my issue:
In trying to synch with Outlook 2003 (SR1), when I go to configure the applications to by synch'd (tasks, calendar and address book), I select Outlook from the list of possibilities, I get a small MSFT hourglass, then the whole Synch program closes. I've tried rebooting the computer 2x, and this hasn't done anything.

Ideas?

Oh...how do I find my PIN number and, a real noob question, what is it for?

Thanks in advance,

PIN is a unique identifier for each BlackBerry. It's like an address. It allows all the wireless towers to find it and send it messages and know where the messages you send are actually coming from.

To find it...

Settings > Options > Status > PIN: ########

Sometimes (OK, frequently), Intellisync has difficulty reading the Outlook profile. I'd suggest noting all of your profile settings, then deleting and adding a new Outlook profile. That should do it.

I have 5 email accounts set up in Outlook...just which one do I need to delete? I can't believe that I have to delete and recreate an account because lunkheads at Intellistink can't make the product work correctly...unless I misunderstood you...which has been known to happen.

This could be messy. NJBlackBerry is suggesting that you delete your Outlook profile. Depending on how Outlook is set up, you may have one or more profiles. Within each profile you can have one or more email accounts set up (email accounts and profiles are two separate things). Assuming that all five of your email accounts are set up under a single profile you'll need to take note of all five account settings, delete your Outlook profile, create a new Outlook profile, and then set up all five email accounts. Also be sure to note any PST's that you have attached to your profile as you will need to add them after creating the new profile. Please note that this is a rough overview of the process. You really have to make sure that you're very thorough about jotting down details before deleting the profile.

Generally the easiest way to view your Outlook profiles is to go to the Control Panel and open up the Mail applet. There should be a Show Profiles button.

I wouldn't blame Intellisync right off the bat. I'm not sure why the profile-related issues are not uncommon but it could just as easily be an Outlook issue (I'm not sure where the blame actually lies in this case, but my money would be on Microsoft).

I spoke to a friend, who thought that perhaps the presence of ActiveSync (I am switching from a phone + PPC to the BB) might be causing an issue. So I disabled ActiveSync. No dice.

That I have to go through this whole set of contortions to make my BB work is ridiculous. There's really no easy alternative to Outlook for a home user that does all that Outlook does....a Contact Manager like Act does some things, but not email, etc.

I have one profile, 5 email accounts. That I have to delete this profile and recreate it to get it to work is asinine (yes, I am ranting).

Will I lose all the email I have in my folders, etc., by deleting and recreating the profile? Since this is for my personal business, I CAN NOT afford to lose it. If this becomes more of a contortion than it already seems to becoming, then this WILL be a deal-breaker, no matter how much I like the BB, I'll dump it. I decided to go with a BB thinking, foolishly, that I wouldn't have to deal with this stuff like I did w/my PPC. Perhaps a Palm Treo 650 will be easier...hehehehe

Yeah...it could just as easily be an MSFT issue, but if this issue is COMMON, one would think that Intellisyn would figure a way around it.

This is insane.

</rant>

UPDATE July 6, 2005

My lovely wife, who is a computer network admin, did the whole profile thing in Outlook for me. Worked. So, now I can keep this thing.

Thanks for all the help and the suggestion it was the profile.