The Forgotten: Mac Users
 

As a Mac user in a PC world, BBs present plenty of challenges for Mac users that Windoze users take for granted. I start this thread as a place for Mac diehards to huddle together as the minority, commiserating in their RIM-wooed but not-really-supported status, to share tips and tricks that afford some measure of power and convenience between their BB and their computing platform of choice...

The lack of an OSX version of RIM's desktop software is numero-uno on my list of BB shortcomings, and I find it disingenuous for RIM to draw parallels between itself and Apple as providers of innovative software housed in stylish hardware and then fail to genuinely support users of the very company on whose coattails RIM seeks to ride along...

Stepping down from my soapbox, if you are a Mac user and not using PocketMac for Blackberry, visit www.pocketmac.net and buy it now. It's relatively inexpensive and affords "most" of the sync functionality that RIM's PC-only desktop software offers. It's a USB cable-only program (no Bluetooth sync - another complaint) but it allows you to sync between Address Book, iCal and Stickies, which should cover 75% of your needs.

PocketMac is not perfect. Address fields do not map correctly in some cases (PM can only handle one address, either Work or Home), but it sure beats entering your contacts twice and having to correct 'em in two places. Task reminders in iCal don't always sync right, so you need to check 'em to make sure your BB doesn't remind you of a meeting in the middle of the night; and PM still can't handle the character "&" properly, substituting a "+" instead...

That said, PM does NOT allow Mac users to upload/download BB software (RIM or third party), meaning we need to find a friend with a PC or an OTA (over the air) download source. If you know sources for the latter, please post 'em in this thread!

Soooo, if you're a Mac user and have any tips, tricks or info others would find useful, please post it here!

I agree PocketMac is not perfect, but thankfully we have something to that allows us to interface with the BlackBerry. If it were not for PocketMac I would likely not be a BlackBerry user. I have very rarely had to using a PC to load any programs since most are available OTA. The only time I do use a PC is to upgrade the BlackBerry OS.

Thanks for the first post, Brad! I hope this thread proves useful to us...

I've usually had a hard time finding OTA sources for BB programs. Maybe I've just missed that as an option, but if you have any sites you like for OTAs, please list 'em here. And thanks!

double post: see below

Agreed.

I know RIM's biggest competition is Palm, and to me there's no comparison (I once owned a Treo 650). However, at least Palm provided all the necessary software to use their device with a Macintosh. That's more than I can say for RIM.

I still love my 8700c, even though it's Mac unfriendly. PocketMac is a good (not great) app and I've found OTA installs for all my apps so far. But I do think it's time RIM got off their asses and started supporting OS X.

After all, as anyone will tell you, once you win over the Mac community, they will never stop evangelizing for your product. But as it stands now, there seem to be a lot more Palm users in the Mac camp and I can't help but think that it's only due to lack of BlackBerry/OS X support.

tfaz1: You just hit on the number-one reason why RIM should get off the dime: "evangelizing"! PC "beige-box" users can't relate, but there is something "different" about a Mac. I've purchased nearly a dozen Macs since 1990 for my own use, and I still have 'em lying around my house cuz I can't bear to part with 'em... (Yes, I know I need help and am a total Mac-geek dweeb. Someday, I'll open a museum...)

Let's face it: Mac lovers are abnormal, but I don't see Apple crying over its 82% marketshare of the MP3 biz or trying to downplay the status-symbol nature if an iPod or iMac... If RIM put its money where its mouth is and took advantage of its present quirky, cool-but-offbeat perception (We all take "crap" about using a BB versus anything normal, don't we?), the company could likewise develop a small, deeply disturbed following, ala Apple, which would help ensure hardware sales for a long time...

I used Palm PDAs for many years before jumping ship to BB two years ago when Palm got "funny" about its commitment to Mac users. (Hell, even Palm's founders had quit to launch a rival PDA company...) But Mac lovers using RIM's BB definitely compromise and, if RIM would but emulate Palm's former Mac support - starting with an OSX-native desktop interface – it too could endear itself to a minority-but-important market segment...

Thanks for the post, and if you know of any good OTA sites, please list 'em!

I have the BB 7230 and a 12" PowerBook G4 running OS X 10.3.9. When the computer goes to sleep after I run PocketMac and sync my BB to Entourage it won't wake up. I have to hold down the power key to force it to shutdown and then turn the computer back on. Has anyone else encoutnered this problem? Any fixes for it?

Is anywhere you haven't posted this? Try and keep the thread on topic...

WHOA, Finch, let's not flame a fellow minority member and drive 'em away! There's too few of us as it is... :smile:

Yeah, the answer might await a search away, but I specifically started this thread so those of us "enlightened" computer users can help each other! Moreover, I'd love for this thread to ultimately become the repository of all things Mac for BB users...

While, like Finch, I encourage posters in this thread to "stay on topic" and not hijack it to some pointless, unrelated minutiae drivel, remember that each of us have varying levels of BB knowledge. I've posted new questions elsewhere on this forum about stuff others probably consider "duh" questions, but (so far) smarter users haven't made me feel too dumb... :smile: To my way of thinking, anything perplexing a fellow Mac user is fair game on this thread.

As far as lany's post, I too own a PB 12-inch Mac laptop, but confess I haven't tried to sync to Entourage. (I only use that at the office, and don't sync there, and still prefer Apple's Mail at home.) Totally off the cuff, have you ensured that you're current on the Evil Empire's latest Entourage/Office updates, lany? (See microsoft.com/mac for the latest updates.)

Otherwise, PocketMac is NOT the ultimate BB program; it's merely a stop-gap for Mac users. The latest version of PM is 3.12; if you're not using it, get the latest here: www.pocketmac.net/versionxml/BlackBerry.html

If you're using 3.12, don't despair cuz you're just like the rest of us - looking for REAL Mac usability! Just check PM's support forums and, if they don't address your specific need, HAMMER on 'em via e-mail! Information Appliance Associates is slow to respond, and (in my opinion) a pretty cheesy outfit, but they'll never respond upgrade-wise if the Minority doesn't communicate its needs!

Peznut's question is so basic, I wish someone would help.
I too would just like a list of OTA downloads available. A few prorams I've seen have it, and Ive downloaded them:
PocketDay, PocketExpress, MiniSafe
But I'd sure love more.

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry 7520: BlackBerry7520/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

And its easier to program for os x anyways. I'm very close to just writing a program myself anyone want to help?

SFO: What software have you loaded OTA? Anything you think "indespensible" for the rest of us Mac-handicapped users? Please share (with links) cuz I want this thread to prove useful to those of us in the Mac minority... Thanks!

AGREED that OSX's UNIX underpinnings are far more mainstream and easier to write for than in the past! (Kudos to Apple for that smart move when moving from OS9 to OSX...)

What do you foresee as the result of your efforts, FiftiesDean I'm too dumb to help you with code; all I can offer is functionality suggestions, but if you deliver, I promise to champion your effort to every Mac user on the planet :smile:

Fair, but the same post 4 times two of which were unrelated threads and a one a double post! I will say since the release of Tiger PocketMac has gotten better with the 3.12 release, I found as did clients that PocketMac and Pather was rather hit and miss...

Hey, Finch: What e-mail program do you use primarily? I assume you're one of the Minority, i.e a Mac user struggling to interface your BB? What Mac-type do you primarily use? What do you think of "settling" for RIM's failure to support us? Should I create a poll on this forum "demanding" equal support for Mac users?

I'm totally in agreement with you about hijacking a thread because someone doesn't first search this forum; I just remember what it's like to to feel overwhelmed by BB "issues" and feeling "silly" for posting an obvious question or something posted elsewhere...

I've toyed with getting sync4j working on my powerbook to get some sort of syncing. I've given up doing that. Now I just use my wife's PC to occasionally sync things, just as a backup, and install a program here or there. I've found that the very low risk of losing data (as compared to PPC or Palm) makes syncing much less of a necessity, so it's not such a hassle. I know that PM is our only "solution" to bridging the gap, but my previous experiences with PM (for PPC) leaves me VERY hesitant to use anything they put out. I'd rather have the minor inconvenience of not having my BB synced than the potentially major one that can be caused by their software.

I use Mail.app I gave M$ Entourage a go but with a mail box of my size it was painfully slow and come 2-2.5GB data file you end up doing DB rebuilds, another bad, bloated M$ product. I have a Mini in my home office, PowerMac G4 connected to a 20" Cinema in my studio and a PM G3 which acts as a file server. I just sold my 17" PB (to big and clunky)

PocketDay: good, as long as your eyes can ready tiny print
PocketExpress: indispensible..best software for any PDA
MiniSafe: a good password holder
Handango InHand: contains a list of OTA download shareware

And consistently looking for more.

bbWeather....

Mozilla's Thunderbird is a great mail client on both Windows and OS X. I gave up on Mail.app with 10.2 and I haven't looked back. I was forced to use Entourage in grad school but since I finished I've also left that in the dust. I haven't made any effort to Sync my Mini with my 8700c, and I doubt I will until I hear more good than bad about PocketMac.

At any rate, give Thunderbird a try. It's a great mail client and handles IMAP mail better than any of the clients I used on OS X thus far.