Ok I have for over 1 week tried to solve this issue and to date the only resolution to the RMS data is not recognized by desktop is detailed below.

I have been informed by Blackberry and Bell Mobility that there is a bug in the desktop software that does not permit you to backup your "contact list" if there are missing feilds such as "FIRST NAME" or "LAST NAME".

For example I have over 500 entries in my contact list like this....

Title:
First:
Last:
Email:
Company: Bell Mobility Tech Support
Job Title:
Work: 4166742233
etc (so on and so on)
etc (so on and so on)

I did not continue as the rest of the feilds are empty.

So because I do not have a first and last name in this feild it will cause the RMS error "Data is not recognied by the destop" when trying to backup my info.

I do not use Outlook or any other programs. Just my Blackberry and the Desktop software.

Now here is the best part of the story. I spent 5 hours on the phone with Bell Mobility and Blackberry (even after not having the magical code to talk with them) and the only answer they both had for me was..... ready for this....

In all of your contacts in the FIRST and LAST name just put a character in place of the empty feild".

HAHAHAHA!

Two multi-billion dollar corps. giving me this pathetic, laim, uneducated, unprofesional, sad, lost excuse for a simple bug in Blackberry's software.

When I demanded a reason for not having fixed it I was informed that it was not on Blackberry's priority list. They are concentrating on filtering out SPAM emails from getting to BB devices.

Hey I got an answer about as good as their's... DELETE your blackberry address after upgrading to v4.1 and use yahoo email adress or another more professional email set up that has worked out these basic problems.

If anyone has a way to backup a contact list without unprofessional answers such as adding bogus character entries in my contacts please reply.

Regards and good luck to these companies as I have been considering switching my unit to another brand name and another provider who does thier homework before getting into bed with such a company.

Cheers!~

What desktop software are you referring to? Palm Desktop?

I am usng Blackberry Desktop Software v4.1 with my Blackberry 7130e.

Any other info needed?

There's other 'basic' stuff broken too (see thread about repeating appointments).

The desktop *sync* software is actually OEM'd from Intellisync, I think. I don't know if RIM actually maintain this, or get Nokia (who now own Intellisync) to do it. So it may also be a case of what the Nokia/RIM contract can deliver and when, in terms of bug fixes.

As the features increase on RIM hardware and software, I personally think we'll see less stable software and a few more bugs in released software.

This reminds me of Palm in their earlier days. Early devices had a crudish UI, but what they did worked VERY well, was stable as a rock, and battery life on their devices was ground breaking. Then with "creeping featurism" and market pressures we got colour screens, wobbly stability, a more flashy UI, and more average battery life. Sound a familiar path?

Were making it seem like its a rocket scientist fix. I mean it should not be there to begin with but you would think after the complaints they would quickly avoid the embarrasment.

I guess not. Shame on Blackberry / RIM!

Last BB I purchase. I know I am only one but it only take a few of me for them to loose market shares.

I am sorry for anyone else in my shoes.

Well, I can't think of any alternative that's actually any better. Just different. No product is perfect. I think, overall, the BB is still less imperfect that the alternatives. YMMV.