Hello,

I'm new to smartphones, and just purchased a BB Pearl from Verizon. It's still on it's way (should be here in a few days), but I am trying to learn about the best options for syncing my data between the Pearl and my Mac so I'll be ready to dive into it when it arrives.

I plan to sync my Google calendar with the BB calendar, and my contacts will be in Google as well. I'd like to purchase a list manager program (I've seen one for BB) and add it, and also use the built-in to-do list.

I see that RIM provides a syncing utility called PocketMac, and that there is another one called Missing Sync that I could use instead (about $40). Couple of questions for the more experienced Mac-BB users:

1. Do I need to install the BB desktop software that comes with the BB to get started?

2. Can you recommend which syncing tool is the best? I'm running 10.4.11 on an Intel Mac.

Thanks! Learning all I can will help make passing the time until the package arrives on Tuesday that much easier.

The BB desktop is for Windows only. Another option is to run Windows on your mac and us the desktop software.

As far as which syncing software is the "best", there are pros and cons on both PM and MS. Seems like more people in the forum like MS. I have been using PM for a year now and have had minimal problems. The calendar syncing for PM is ok. What I have done is downloaded BusySync from BusyMac.com. This allows iCal to sync with Google. Then you install GoogleSync on your BB and now your calendar is wireless. Now you can turn off syncing for your calendar.
I stay with PM because that is what VZW and RIM support. The people that use MS say that they get support from MS. But if your problem is with your BB, and it needs to be replaced, VZW is going to tell you that you will have to sync with an approved application.
Look at it this way, download PM, it costs nothing. If it does not work for you, you can always switch to MS.

Will either MS or PM allow me to add applications to my BB? Or so I have to download them directly to the BB?

For normal applications like PocketDay, ToDoMatrix you can load them OTA (over the air). If you are loading in an OS upgrade you will have to do that in windows. I don't think PM can load applications, I am not sure about MS because I don't use it. Rule of thumb is if you can load an app OTA do that. Most software companies offer OTA

That helps. Now I just have to wait another couple of days to get it in my hands....