[barjohn]

Seems like an open source project (funambol) has developed software that you can place on a Windows or Linux box with numerous clients including a BlackBerry client. The client will allow you to sync your contacts and calendar. It provides free push email for Windows Mobile devices too. You really need to check this one out. Here is the link: http://www.funambol.com/opensource/downloads.html

It appears that you can treat your PC as a server.

Funambol Overview


The world is mobile, but most people still don’t have email on their phones.

Over 750 million mobile phones and wireless devices were sold last year, and there will be more than a billion phones capable of wireless email this year. Yet most carriers offer mobile email only on expensive, proprietary devices. Why? Because up to now, there’s not been a standard way to get corporate email sent to low-cost phones.

Until now. The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) has created a global standard protocol for sending and receiving email messages with “push” notification, plus synchronizing calendars, contact lists, and other PIM information. Most mobile phones support this standard for PIM today, and new phones are starting to support push email.

Funambol has created the first open source server that supports the latest OMA standards, so that you can provide email and PIM synchronization on low-cost wireless computing devices. The Funambol server connects to your existing email and calendar servers, providing two-way updates of messages and PIM data. Funambol client plug-ins provide OMA protocol support to the software that’s already embedded in your phones.

Enjoy!

[corporate]

Hello hello, that's plain ol' bloody nice to see!

[kurichan]

Sounds like this might be a dream come true...

[HaTaX]

Just checked it out, looks like it could be pretty solid! I'll give it a try with my roomies blackberry as he doesn't have access to a BES server...

Now think of WHEN someone comes out with a J2ME or a MIDP version of this for moto phoens that can interact with the datebook and addressbook on the phones?? I'd have to believe that can't be too far off.

[Slammed]

This sounds cool and I just read that this may be the work around that RIM was talking about

[ScottE22]

Anyone gotten this up and running yet? For me, without a BES (or the desire to pay $20+ per month for access to one) the ability to sync wirelessly is the one missing piece that would make the BB perfect.

[dozment]

Search here for sync4j. http://www.blackberryforums.com/show...ghlight=sync4j

That's what this is. I think it has promise, but is not quiet ready for prime time.

[johnfromphilly]

Originally Posted by dozment

Search here for sync4j. http://www.blackberryforums.com/show...ghlight=sync4j

That's what this is. I think it has promise, but is not quiet ready for prime time.

Actually, that is not correct. They just released a new version.

That is what Barjohn is referring to.

I am hoping this is a good solution for a small business (just me).
I am checking it out but I am not a computer pro, I am going to take it slow.

[dozment]

Originally Posted by johnfromphilly

Actually, that is not correct. They just released a new version.

That is what Barjohn is referring to.

Then, I stand corrected, and that is very good news! Is the new release 2.3 or is it the 3.0? I will definently give it a try.

[johnfromphilly]

Originally Posted by dozment

Then, I stand corrected, and that is very good news! Is the new release 2.3 or is it the 3.0? I will definently give it a try.

name change info

press release

[KonTiki]

I hope this one works, I have tried this in the past about four different times when the news gets around of a new and improved version and it has never worked.

[dozment]

I played around with a couple of versions syncing with scheduleworld.com. For some reason calendar sync was removed from the blackberry client some time back, and it appears that it is still missing. Last time I tried a sync with scheduleworld even the address book failed. I just tried with the new 3.0 blackberry client and the address sync was successful.

Now, I wish we could have calendar sync added back in!

[alakon]

It's hard to get SyncML working for the BB - the documentation is terrible. I'm thinking about creating a tutorial. Is there any demand?

[tru2life]

I would be very interested in a tutorial.

[Camarones]

I got funambol free / sync4j working yesterday in a test environment.
I'm using Scalix (very nice!) as my mailserver right now but BB desktop sync does not work with its Outlook connector, so I've been unable to sync PIM with my BB.

So I installed the Funambol free 2.3 windows bundle (my Linux servers are all busy doing other stuff on its default port 8080). I installed the Sync4j 1.1.5 client on my OS 4.1 8700g, and the 2.3 Outlook client on the desktop. After setting up my firewall and DNS to make the funambol free server available on the LAN and in the internet by DNS name, I was able to configure it and get it to sync calendar and contacts between my BB and Outlook, by way of the sync4j server.

[titetanium]

what about syncing email? Did that work or not?

[ncflashman]

We are on Scalix as well and I've had issues with Funambol and the calendar. Do you do anything special to get the calendar working?

[Liv]

Hmmm, this seems really cool! I am hoping that I can get it working, it looks very promising.

[eightwire]

A tutorial would be great...

[Camarones]

Originally Posted by ncflashman

We are on Scalix as well and I've had issues with Funambol and the calendar. Do you do anything special to get the calendar working?

I did nothing special. But remember, I installed the "stable" version which is just the sync4j server project, so the funambol beta enhancements (such as email) are not included.

Every chance I get I put in a request to Scalix to work on a Scalix server to funambol connector, so I don't have to mess around at the (desktop) client side. For me, the problems have been on the BB client. Sometimes it times out, and it takes FOREVER to sync, even over EDGE. It seems like I get one successful sync a day, no more.

I decided to run the stable version to increase my chances of success on my first try. Now that it was successful, I might try the Funambol betas.