[Rob D]

Just got myself a BlackBerry Pearl 8120 and I'm really disappointed with the software. The thing doesn't even work! Keeps 'skipping' You get more use from the software if you own a PC.

But I'm very impressing with the INSTANT email.

Shame it doesn't have GPS

[spblat]

Seconded. Wouldn't stop crashing while trying to configure sync settings. And no program should *ever* be that hard to uninstall. I have high hopes for The Missing Sync. I don't see how it could possibly be worse.

[BiggJayBK]

I feel the same way. What a waste.

[ntegrt]

So are you going to go to MissingSync? Is that the only other option?

[bigjay8510]

yea i agree with you. i have a mac at home, which is my main computer and a pc at work, im forced to sync only at work.

also why hasn't rimm done anything about this, like create software for macs? i thought this was there entire plan, reach a prosumer market. well thats me and i use a mac, which a lot of young people are doing.

i dunno anyone have any answers?

[finch]

Missing is a better alternative, you could also use Parallels and Desktop Manager and sync that way.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Originally Posted by bigjay8510

yea i agree with you. i have a mac at home, which is my main computer and a pc at work, im forced to sync only at work.

also why hasn't rimm done anything about this, like create software for macs? i thought this was there entire plan, reach a prosumer market. well thats me and i use a mac, which a lot of young people are doing.

i dunno anyone have any answers?

they didnt have to really develop much for pocketmac. and with the newer mac's being able to run windows effectively there wouldnt be a real rush IMO. all companies market to the masses, top -> down. They go for the largest chunk of the market first to establish themselves, then move outward.

[TeritaM]

Missing Sync is just as bad, if not worse than PocketMac. If you're a person wants/needs to back up your phone, you're better off using bootcamp/parallels and running Windows so you can use DM

[danielv174]

I agree, Missing Sync is just as bad, if not worse. I could not get Missing Sync to work AT ALL with my 8100. A colleague of mine has the 8120, I believe you need to contact PocketMac for a fix.

[Sparkomatic]

I had Missing Sync working great but it doesn't load apps. So, then I re-installed PocketMac. Now, PocketMac works but Missing Sync gives me an error! Arrrgh!!!

[FyreFiend]

You can only have one installed at a time. They both load their own drivers and will break the other when installed.

I had nothing but issues with PocketMac while MissingSync has worked well. I just wish they'd get handset installation working

[roofus]

I am a mac/blackberry user.

I use MailStreet BES/MES to sync wirelessly with Entourage. It syncs contacts, calendar and email perfectly and wirelessly. It will not sync notes or tasks. I don't know why, it just won't. If you want, you can use Missing Sync or Pocket Mac to sync these items "wired," but I don't bother. I haven't tried these programs for a year or so . . . perhaps they have improved . .

I install most software ota, but when I need to install software via the desktop manager, I use VMWare Fusion to run a Vista virtual machine on the Mac. It is far superior to Parallels Desktop which I threw in the bin (literally) last October.

It costs about $25-30 per month for MailStreet service but it is worth every penny! It's excellent for those unfortunate PC users too!

[roofus]

Further to my previous post, I tried to sync my tasks and notes between Entourage and PocketMac and I must concur that PocketMac still sucks! Couldn't make it sync with Entourage Notes or Tasks!

[bsingle]

I completely agree with the above: PocketMac rates a 2.5 out of 10 in my estimation. It kind of works to sync contacts. Most of the time it louses up my calendar (taking all-day event items like a holiday and then repeating it multiple times on a completely different day). It doesn't do tasks (which frankly would be more useful for me than my calendar). I haven't even checked whether it does notes.

On top of that, it's also very slow and buggy. And syncing sent mail with Mail.app is just about completely useless, as it opens up dozens of mail windows in the background while I'm trying to do work.

I honestly can't think of anything that PocketMac actually does well, although its handling of contacts generally works all right, although not great by any means.

Does anyone know why so many people have difficulty and for some it works pretty well? Different setups? Poor programming?

ETA: It's a completely half-finished product that hasn't been updated in a while. Does anyone know if they're even continuing development?! I can't even imagine that Apple would try to get iSync to work with BB's because of competition with the iPhone, but we can always hope. I'm not interested (all that much) in the iPhone, but I want my Pearl to work with my Mac.

[arcurlyq]

Iused Pocketmac for 6-7 months with no problem to sync my Blackberry Curve with my Mac (Entourage). I was so happy to have a solution. However, Pocketmac has now stopped working. Every time to try to sync, I get an error message saying that Pocketmac has encountered an "unexpected error." Anyway, I contacted customer support and they were not terribly helpful. They told me to delete some files, but it didn't work. So, I am without a syncing solution for now.

Does anyone have any other ways that they back up their blackberries? I don't really care if the solution involves a computer or not. I just want a way to periodically back up my calendar and contacts just in case I lose my device.

Thanks!

[zGuy]

I deleted both PocketMac and MissingSync. I now only use Windows for syncing. Too bad but that's the way it is. Mac users deserve better than this though!

[redhandeddenial]

i run pocket mac and sync my ical with few errors. if i really need to doa back up/ whatever i run vmware fusion with xp pro

[zGuy]

Originally Posted by redhandeddenial

i run pocket mac and sync my ical with few errors. if i really need to doa back up/ whatever i run vmware fusion with xp pro

I can't for my life add apps or update Blackberry OS by using vmware fusion with xp... I still need to use a PC. What's the catch?

[ricpac]

I am not really sure about VMWare Fusion but my only solution is to run up to my old XP desktop to do all my BlackBerry-ing needs. That's why I can't totally let go of Windows.

[onlyonelucy]

So, is there anyone out there who can tell me if and how they got music on their BB Pearl with a mac? I have a PowerBook and an imac. I don't really care about syncing calendars, contacts and all that. I only want to get MUSIC ON MY BB.