OT: Blackberry on a Mac? Is it possible??!! I think so...

[Parker]

Well i just traded in my Treo 650 handheld for a Blackberry 8700c (cingular)
and i just wanted to let all of those treo owners who are sick and tired of it
to not be afraid to make the switch to Blackberry.

1) PocketMac BlackBerry is now Free!
2) PocketMac BlackBerry syncs better than Palm HotSync, meaning it'll sync all of your calendars if you are currently having problems with calendar syncs on the Treo
3) You can set MP3's as ringtones
4) It just works, like a mac. No resetting by itself.

So BlackBerry's aren't only for PC's anymore.
Oh... and does your Palm sync your Stickies?

Cheers,
Parker

[MamaMoose]

Gailwin,

See my post of today, Sep. 7, 2006 at 11:20 PM. Just saw your post after I posted mine. Can you help me. The Cingular people don't seem to know anything! From your post it seems that the Blackberry is my best bet. What do you think and how do I get the packages (PocketMac, etc.). From a Cingular store or should I go on line.

Thanks,

MamaMoose

[Parker]

The people at cingular don't know jack when it comes to Macs...
PocketMac is FREE. Just go to http://www.pocketmac.com and download it.
I have the BlackBerry 8700c as i mentioned earlier. In the past i have used both a Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC (Cingular 8125 and the HP iPAQ) and both were really too complicated for a phone. The Trëo 650 is unreliable because it crashes in the middle of a phone call and sometimes at the most random moments (usually when checking your e-mail.)

Once you download PocketMac and get the BlackBerry, there's really nothing to it.
In the PocketMac options, set it to sync with any application you choose (you can either use say for example Entourage for contacts and iCal for your calendar) and you're all set.

If you want to install an application, BlackBerry's install applications "over the air," meaning that you go to the applications website on your handheld and download it from there. Pictures and Music you must also download from the internet, so if you have some pictures on your computer that you want on your blackberry, you need to upload onto some photo site like .mac (something where you can get the full picture... say like http://www.parker.tc/dogs.jpg)

Hope this helps some... i'll get some screenshots when i get home (i'm setting up audio for tomorrow's football game right now.)

-Parker

[Parker]

P/S: in regards to tethering; say like a hotel charges for WiFi and you want to use your blackberry to get on the internet on your computer, give up already because cingular said it won't work and i tested it as well.

and in regards to free data,
you need to buy a data plan.

Treo:
cheapest is MediaNet - $19.99 a month unlimited
it will work... i had it for a year even though they say to get PDA Connect for like $40 a month... They're just trying to rip you off another 20 bucks a month.

In regards to the BlackBerry data, it's $44.99 a month unlimited, which includes the Famous BlackBerry E-mail Push Technology (set it up at http://www.cingular.com/blackberrystart once you get your device) and internet browsing.

If you want to connect to WiFi, you need to buy the Windows Mobile phone they were talking about; Cingular 8125. That should work if you buy MissingSync, however i have not tested it.

Hope this also helps.
-Parker

[sandbox]

Thanks for the info Parker, I've been sort of waiting for T-Mobile to offer the Blackberry Pearl which has a few more options in a smaller frame. I'm guessing the same instructions that you've presented will also apply to it.
I looked at the 8700g a while back and thought it was a bit large for my application.
http://www.blackberry.com/compare/compare....p;x=70&y=14

headset http://www.shopblackberry.com/_blackberrya...2SSJ5MJ5FCPC7J3

[Parker]

The same instructions should apply to that too.
I used the 7100g once, which is just like the 8100.
I didn't really care for the shared keys, and the BlackBerry's vocabulary isn't that great either.

What i do like about that though (and what i miss) is the Media Player and the Digital Camera.
It looks like a cute phone though =]
FYI It doesn't come with a holster/case

It's a great phone just to keep contacts and calendars in, and of course to make phone calls (duh... )
Just not that great for typing long e-mails or instant messaging

Enjoy it =]
-Parker

[sandbox]

There are + & -- for each, depends where your priorities are. I use the phone and camera regularly.  

http://reviews.cnet.com/RIM_BlackBerry_870...7-31581537.html

the 8100 pearl hasn’t been reviewed.
http://reviews.cnet.com/RIM_BlackBerry_713...7-31934283.html


the Sidekick 3 is a popular unit for typing. (see video)  
http://reviews.cnet.com/T_Mobile_Sidekick_...7-31920316.html

[MamaMoose]

gailwin,

Thanks for your help. I guess I will not be able to connect to the internet via the mobile device without paying an additional fee above that which I pay for me internet service now. Is that right? Further, if I want Wi-Fi I will need to buy a PC mobile phone. I also do not know if I can synce with my Palm address book. Right now I am using Palm Desktop to link to my T3. However, I plan to switch over to Missing Sync if it does not kill my current Palm data base.

Since I am not in a huge hurry I will wait for Jobs' announcement next week - perhaps he will announce an iPhone! Recent Apple patents certainly indicate something is in the works vis-a-vis a phone+PDA+iTunes+camerera device. I sure hope so.

Again thanks your info has been very helpful,

MamaMoose

[krissel]

Most reports I've seen predict the iPhone won't be ready til early next year. Seems there has to be some sort of regulatory approval by the FCC before they can offer the product if it has WiFi and no one has discovered that yet.

But ideas abound:

http://www.thestreet.com/_iwon/newsanalysi...mp;alias=/ht/nw

http://www.thestreet.com/newsanalysis/tech...m/10307206.html

[sandbox]

The additional GPS would be a nice touch!

[kps]

Hey, I'm all for y'all to get Blackberries since it's a Canadian company, but I thought I'd post this link for any Palm users.

http://theappleblog.com/2005/09/22/treo-650-and-tiger/

Currently I have a company cell phone, but I've been looking around for something of my own with the features not available in the issued phone.

The one thing I really want is Filemaker Mobile support and I don't know if it's supported on the Blackberry. I don't think so. So if anyone knows a workaround, let me in on it.

[Parker]

QUOTE

Hey, I'm all for y'all to get Blackberries since it's a Canadian company

which is another reason i bought the blackberry, eh?

[RHPConsult]

This is really an interesting thread, Parker. . . . even though I don't own a Treo.  Thanks for the education, everyone.

I have a client who "is possessed" by her Treo . . . she swears at it, daily.

Much of this chatter, esp. on TheAppleBlog that Karl posted, is unintelligible to a non-Wf-Fi/Treo/Mac user, except to reconfirm that Tech Support at Palm (and Cingular) is generically appalling for others, too. Mujibor,apparently, is  in carge of both "stores".

I love my Palm because I can use it reliably for "the basics" only and not for all its purported (advertised) bells and whistles. The sole exception has been the TomTom Bluetooth GPS which works almost faultlessly and is the best (most useful) "toy" I've bought since my first PowerBook 170!. More fun than you can (almost) imagine.

[MamaMoose]

Parker,

Though I would bring you up-to-date on my mobile phone dilemma:

After much thought, I decided to switch mobile services from Cingular to Verizon. Verizon offers both the Treo and the Blackberry ( I was surprised because the Blackberry web page does not list Verizon as a supplier of Balckberrys). The Verizon folks  seem to prefer the  Treo and I am leaning towards it. Besides they are much more knowledgeable about Mac issues and even suggested Missing Sync!  I think many of the Treo syncing issues could be solved by using Missing Sync (from Mind Spring) rather than the Palm OS.

So if I go with the Treo, my cost would be $80 per month with 1000 any time minutes and internet service. Since, my DSL internet service is supported by Verizon, it makes sense to me to switch to them as well as avoid Cingular's inability to understand any of my questions. In addition, since I would be using Verizon for all my services, I would get a single bill and a 6% discount for all my mobile/inetrnet services.

Thank you very much for your advice and counsel on these matters,

MamaMoose

[Parker]

QUOTE

After much thought, I decided to switch mobile services from Cingular to Verizon. Verizon offers both the Treo and the Blackberry

after using both
i totally disagree.

no, i'm not being bias
but i haven't sworn at my blackberry yet

QUOTE

Since, my DSL internet service is supported by Verizon, it makes sense to me to switch to them as well as avoid Cingular's inability to understand any of my questions.

what do you mean "supported by verizon"?
internet on phone and in home has nothing to do with each other.