BlackBerry Community Post

[#1]

If you use one of Apple's Mac® computers you may be very happy to hear that BlackBerry® Desktop Manager for Mac® users is here.  This software will allow to back-up, restore, and synhcronize data between their Mac and their BlackBerry smartphone. You can check out Inside BlackBerry for a detailed run down of the fantastic features and fabulous functions of BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac.

I got a sneak peek at it so I could write a few quick how-to posts for you!

Setting Up BlackBerry Desktop Manager

1. Download the Desktop Manager disk image (.dmg file)

2. Click to open the file

3. To install click BlackBerry Desktop Manager.mpkg. It will ask you if you are sure you want to continue - you decide - if you intend to sync your BlackBerry smartphone with your Mac.

4.  You will then be guided through the steps to install - simple as that! ( Read and accept the license agreement, select your region, choose where you wish to install the file)

5. After installation you will need to restart your computer.

Voila! Now just plug in your BlackBerry smartphone via USB. The first time you connect your smartphone you will need to identify it by giving it a new name. I changed mine to the very original "Michelle's BlackBerry" - but it will help me differentiate my BlackBerry smartphone from my husbands.

Now that you are all set-up you can back-up and synhcronize your files from you Mac! Watch for the next post on how to back up using BlackBerry Desktop Software.

**Mac and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

[#2]

My 8900 connected once with the Mac Desktop manager. I tried to sync contacts, that failed. some error came up.

After than my device wont connect with the manager. even after i uninstalled and reinstalled it.

tried restarting the phone too.. no luck. 

[#3]

my computer went bananas after i isntalled the new desk manager, help?

[#4]

This message goes out to all the frustrated Mac/Blackberry owners and to the short sighted software developers at RIM...

I own a Blackberry Storm.  I also own two Mac computers (iMac and MacBook).  

I was overjoyed today when I learned RIM finally released Blackberry Desktop Manager for Mac.  "Finally," I thought, "I no longer have to be penalized for being a Mac owner that wants to sync my contacts with my Blackberry."  

Unfortunately, this is not the case.

The GENIUS software developers at RIM have not fixed the problems that other and myself have been having with syncing contacts and other data between a Mac and Blackberry.

My main problem is this:  The sync process, for whatever reason, makes the contacts on my PHONE permanent and the contacts taken from my MAC temporary.  In other words, I can not delete or edit the contacts on the BB, but I can do so with the contacts taken from my computer. 

Thanks so much to the HACKS at RIM, or should I say DIM... 

[#5]

Custom fields in contacts will not sync. to my Storm!

[#6]

I tried to sync with Curve but the calender sync just locked up!  I have tried several times but it just locks up.  Back to my IPhone.  This is nuts.  

I have tried everything 

[#7]

Hi all - can I suggest you visit the Support Forums and post a very detailed post on the issues you are having. Include what BlackBerry smartphone you are using, your OS and exact details on the errors you are seeing.

Thanks

[#8]

Here is the link directly to the board

http://supportforums.blackberry.com/rim/board?board.id=blackberryformac

[#9]

I downloaded the software and installed it, and upon reboot it froze the Mac.  After a hard restart, it would boot to blue screen and then 20 seconds later, shut down...

Had to boot of DiskWarrior and repair a bunch of files before my Mac was back to the way it was BEFORE the install... I didn't even get the chace to try to hookup my 8330.

Lesson so far, pay the money for Missing Sync and stop worring.  Sorry RIM, but for this Mac customer you lost my faith.  Maybe you should have just paid Missing Sync folks to brand one for you and sell it... would have been better than this public relations mess.

[#10]

I do not recommend this new software at all.  I spent all day yesterday and already two hours today trying to fix the chaos caused by downloading this software onto my curve from my MAC OS_ disaster!!!!  I no longer can sync to my computer at all - it keeps telling me that it cant find the blackberry.  When I was able to the it was a one way sync -even tho it says two way - it only syncs from the computer ical to the bberry!!  The help site suggests you make your entries on the computer - WHAT???  That is useless - i make entries on my handheld all day long.  I uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times - but now i can't even go back to pocketmac once I upgraded my phone and downloaded BBDTM - UUUGGGHHHHHH!!!!   Now my media card is corrupted and i lost all of my songs,ringtones, pictures and videos.  I am so upset.  

I think i am giving in and putting the software on my husband's pc and ditching the whole idea of being able to use my mac with the bberry.   

[#11]

I have been waiting for this software for months. I bought a Mac in July and checked specifically whether it would have desktop support for my lovely Bold. Everyone told me that RIM would release this in Sept. So I was happy. I have not been as productive as I wanted to be over that last few months without being able to sync all my contacts and calender appnts etc but hey I let that go.

MY ISSUE is - I cannot sync at all - I have downloaded the software and it just hangs, hangs hangs when I try and sync - I have spent all day trying to sort it out. I wonder if RIM will refund me my days consulting rate?? I am fed up with just seeing a half blue line hanging.

ANyway please someone out there help me!!

W

[#12]

I need Blackberry Desktop Manager for Mac version 10.4.11.

What I need most is to be able to receive/read e-mail messages in Japanese fonts.

I have Blackberry Curve 8520. 

Does anyone know where and how I can find the solution?

Thanks in advance.

mimi 

[#13]

This software is a JOKE. I installed the program and attempted a simple sync with ical and addressbook and NOTHING worked. Now my calendar and contacts on my 8900 are empty. Thanks for nothing RIM. I'm reinstalling MissingSync, I just wish I could charge RIM for the hours this it taking me.

[#14]

I have a 8530i, I synced and lost all the Nextel direct connect numbers.

I was successful restoring back to former address book.

Can anyone tell me how to sync and keep the Direct Connect numbers.

This sync is much faster than the PocketMac option.

D 

[#15]

Another unhappy user here.  Bought the blackberry with the promise that RIM was releasing software to sync with my mac.  I set the phone up using PocketMac.  That sort of worked after hours of frustration.  Then a week later, I downloaded RIM's software, now I can't sync AT ALL...Just errors...and PocketMac no longer functions, even after uninstalling RIM's software.  Did anyone at RIM try to use their product before releasing it????? 

[#16]

tried to sync my contacts on my tour and it erased everything and put on one contact "Apple Computer Inc." and i cant even delete it. Wanted to sync my contacts so i wouldnt lose them, and sure enough-lost them. any ideas how i can get my contacts back?

[#17]

I, too, have so looked forward to this software and have been sorely disappointed but I have Snow Leopard and PocketMac can no longer sync my Tour.  So I'm kinda stuck.  My music doesn't sync, my contact lists have been trashed and I can't see the whole contact on the Blackberry nor can I edit it.  I just hate it.  Maybe they'll listen to all these failures and get out a new version shortly????????

[#18]

I have a Storm and Mac OS 10.5.8. I only use Entourage for contacts and calendar. The Sync between it and iCal didn't work well. Apparently this software only syncs to the iCal? First sync wiped out my calendar on the Storm. I can't do anything to restore it now.

[#19]

I was very excited when Blackberry finally introduced software to sync my contacts and calendar from my Mac computer. I downloaded it a few days ago and ever since then, and still going on right now, the problems started.
First it erased all my settings and accounts on my Blackberry. I was pretty upset and thought I had installed it wrong. Then after I re-added all my friends on my Messenger and other Apps on my Blackberry, which took a lot of time, I tried to sync my contacts with my Address Book on my Mac. Now the program does a two-way sync, which sounds great in theory, but I do not have the choice to keep certain contacts as they were on my computer, and certain contacts as they were on my blackberry. It's all or nothing. When I replaced all my contacts on my Blackberry, it created duplicates on my phone, which I COULD NOT DELETE. No matter what I tried I could not get rid of these duplicates. Then, after multiple resets, uninstalls and re-installs, I thought I got it to work, by manually deleting the contacts from my computer, and replacing them onto my Blackberry. (Then I had to paste them back on my computer, and re-sync again...this sounds as confusing as it was for me to figure out) But this in turn deleted more contacts from my Blackberry. And then when I tried to sync them back up, it DELETED SOME CONTACTS OFF MY COMPUTER!!  This made me furious as I do not have a back up of the contacts on my computer (which WAS my backup for my phone).
So now I'm afraid to add new contacts on my computer AND my phone, because who knows which ones will be deleted if I dare try to sync them again.
I am very very disappointed in this software, and am regretting my purchase of a Blackberry since I'm an avid Mac user and I feel my interests would have been much better served had I bought an iPhone instead.

Also another problem I noticed was that my Facebook app is supposed to link with my contact list and provide the users on my contact list who also have Facebook with their profile pictures. I liked this feature but ever since the syncing problems started I've lost all ability to have Facebook profile pictures linked to my contacts. I've lost my custom ringtones repeatedly too as I've tried to sync and re-sync my contacts.

I would really like to know what I'm doing wrong and I wish that this would be an easier task. I think it would be great if the user had more control of what exactly is being "sync"ed before losing all their data. I think the option to replace specific data, not all or nothing, is a must.

Thank you for your time.

PS I tried to send this email to tech support at Blackberry but the emails keep bouncing back. Blackberry needs to have a support helpline. I hope posting on this forum will get me the help I need!

[#20]

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for all your comments, we are aware that some of you are having issues with the Mac version of Blackberry Desktop Manager and we would like to try and help.

Unfortunately the Community Post area is not the best avenue to get support.  If I could ask those of you who do not have Support Forum accounts to sign up and make a post on our BlackBerry for Mac board we will try our best to get to your issue and provide a solution. 

If you would like you can make a post back here in the Community Post with your Support Forums username and we can go have a look at your post and hopefully provide some guidance.

Creating an account is easy just click here

To post on the BlackBerry for Mac board click here

Thanks 

[#21]

I need a version for my Mac OS 10.4.11 please help!!!

[#22]

Hello  vivapuff,

Were duplicates also created on your computer?  If we are seeing this exclusively on your BlackBerry then we should be able to use BlackBerry Desktop Manager to back up the device (click Device > Back Up Data…) and after the backup completes clear just the contacts database (click Device > Clear Data… > choose Selected Data > put a check in *only* the Address Book box).  

Also, what program do you use to store your contacts on the computer (ex. Address Book, Entourage…)? Before choosing to synchronize again you should back up your computer's information too.

With the Facebook application, do you have the option selected for this feature?  To do this, in the Facebook application press the menu button > Options > put a check in “BlackBerry Contact Application” then press the back button and select "Save Changes"

hope this helps  

[#23]

I had problems with it.  I backed it up.  Then I deleted everything on the BB (Options: Security: General Setttings: Click BB Key: Wipe Handheld: type "Blackberry").  The sync went well.  I installed the other items from "Restore" adding back all the other things. 

It now syncs great every time EXCEPT the categories for  addresses/contacts does not work.

[#24]

Hi 

I have been using the 8900 javelin for a while now and wanted to sync it with my laptop (MAC OS X version 10.4.11). I can't use the new software for MAC provided on the bb website as this requires version 10.5 onwards.

Can anybody help me with this problem as i have looked through loads of websites/forums for a solution and can't seem to find one?

Your assistance in this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Rajiv 

[#25]

it downloaded great! i followed all the suggestions recommended to just sync info from my computer to my curve to avoid dups and it was great except for the address book; it not only duped many of the names it also transformed many to phone number first (with name following) as well as leaving a copy w/the name first as it should be.  hopefully there is a fix for this.  the address book on my computer is fine except for the duplicates it s in tact. 

All in all I am very pleased to have it again; i  switched to a mac 2 years ago and did not like the sync programs available.. 

[#26]

My media card (pictures, ringtones etc) was wiped out on my phone also but the data lost is on my computer in a folder labeled Media... i found it while my phone was plugged in to the computer

[#27]

I downloaded the new desktop manager for my Mac and I was able to sync with Entourage beautifully.  I was then prompted to update my software which then caused my Blackberry Curve 8310 to display a JVM Error 513.

1 new blackberry later, syncing beautifully - prompted to update software and another JVM 513 error.

I am now on my 3rd Blackberry (the mobile repair people are sick of the sight of me) and I have disabled all updates.

Has anyone else had this problem, and is it going to be corrected? 

[#28]

Install the desktop, synched once, will not synch or even recognise the BB8800 anymore, cannot synch the calendar on my BB properly at all, keep getting exception error problems

[#29]

Just spent two hours on phone w/ a great tech rep but to no avail. Installed DM two days ago. They did not tell me uninstall pocketmac first. Is on their "known issue" list. I have a macbook pro, 10.5.8, was using pocketmac, google mobile syn to a google calendar and spanning sync to my mac. Disabled all the google and spanning sync stuff, trying to do the pure thing. For calendar and contacts just get 'won't sync error message' because first time aorund they advise replacing all data on the device. Scary but we have restored. Nothing works. Unistalled pocketmac, uninstalled DM and reinstalled DM. Nada. Now I cannot sync at all and will be running around with a paper calendar. Also since I upgraded software, pocketmac won't work anymore either. I REALLY don't want to just get an IPhone but this is why I never go first. They should call in 24 to 48 hours. They believe it is the DM not my data since it is more than one application.

[#30]

I have the 1.0 (build 89) of Blackberry desktop Manager installed, and to me, its perfect...syncs my contacts, backups the device, syncs calender...its all that I had hoped for...EXCEPT...how do I get it to sync (or at least...one way import) my pictures from the blackberry as well?

[#31]

Me too! I need a firmware upgrade to 4.5 (not any higher!) in order to make my Cradlepoint router work! Is there such a thing as a Blackberry upgrade to 4.5 and then a Desktop Software program that I can download to my Mac OS 10.4.11???

Help!

[#32]

I synced my black berry last night and did the update however it crashed and now my blackberry will not turn on the led just flashes and thats it

[#33]

....trying to sync my BB storm using BB desktop manager 1.0.0 under Snow leopard:

- the sync with entourage entries works fine for contacts, notes and tasks.

- it does not work for the calendar. Well, the calendar entries are getting transfered to the BB but this BB Desktop manager always hangs up after some minutes and needs to be killed every time, which is not convenient although it does the sync.

Is there a fix to be done in some settings to avoid the hang up???

However, this RIM tool is by far better than this "Mark/Space Missing Sync" which I purchased a year ago and which actually worked miserably for some days and then died forever.

[#34]

i should have got an iphone

[#35]

I cant even open the downloade dmg file. it says, that the downloaded file is not recognised!! help please!!

[#36]

BB people the software for mac inactive the voice call commander in my device, please fixed 

[#37]

I was happy to hear the Update for my Storm was here the 5.0 Software! Been trying for the past 48hrs and no luck. The DM for Mac says my OS is not compatible, Can someone please tell me why? I am running    OS X 10.4.11 Also talked with a rep. from Verizon and the guy said buy a P.C. or get your hands on one, This is really frustrating I like my BB Storm but I'm about to go buy an Iphone, Seem like I would have no issues! Also tried the Wireless Update from my Storm which Verizons website describes on how to upgrade from your BB Smartphone, But my Storm prompts "No Upgrade Available" I am running v4.7.0.148!!! I am so frustrated! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP US ALL WITH THIS!

Thank You

Sean

[#38]

does anyone know how to get the mailboxes and bb to talk to each other in terms of deleting emails. all the settings appear to be correct on my bb. have had several bbs over the year but since pocketmac am unable to delete on mailbox and the bb automatically deletes and vice versa. any solutions please

[#39]

Yorgie,

Your best bet with your Mac is to move the picture files to and from your BlackBerry using the hard disk icon on your desktop that appears when you plug your BlackBerry in.  If you do not see this icon, you might need to try this.  The pictures can be found under the BlackBerry/pictures folder using the aforementioned icon and you should be able to drag and drop to move your pictures around.

hope this helps!

-TG

[#40]

heather bryse-harvey,

Since the BlackBerry Desktop Manager only works for Macs running OS 10.5 or higher, you will need to use a PC to load software on your BlackBerry.

Instructions using a PC:

1)  Here is how you back up your device. 

2)  Here is how you reload the software cleanly on the device (Alternatively, Here is an article on how to use the Web-Based software loader) 

3)  Here is how you restore your data to the device if it is not backed up automatically

-TG

[#41]

SST,

I suggest you talk to Verizon about your options and why the wireless update is not showing you the update.  The BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac is supported on OS 10.5 or higher so your options for using a desktop computer are to update using a PC or to use a Mac with a compatible OS.  Did you purchase your Storm from Verizon and is it running official Verizon software?

hope this helps

-TG

[#42]

Milo7000,

I think you will find this article useful, it outlines the supported features for most mail platforms as well at the bottom there is a link to check to see how your account is set up.  Also, here is an article on email deletes reconciliation.

cheers,

-TG

[#43]

Hi

I have a Mac 10.4 11, which programme I need to download to syncronice my blackberry with my Mac?

Many thanks in avance for help

J.

[#44]

Unbelievably sloppy programming/execution trying to bridge the gap between Macs and BB.  My company is paying for my BB, but I'll gladly pay my own bill to have an iPhone again. It's plug and go with that, like all Mac products, not downloading multiple drivers that can't be read, and losing info from the phone....

BB has lost my suport.

[#45]

@julialpv71 you can use Desktop Manager for Mac.

http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/desktop/desktop_mac.jsp