Mobile WorkHorse

By Al Sacco
About this Blog:

Al Sacco writes about (and drools over) anything and everything mobile or wireless as it applies to the global workforce--with a focus on BlackBerry smartphones

| See Al's Posts
Al Sacco

More Good News for Mac BlackBerry Users: Media Sync for iTunes Coming Soon

Posted October 03, 2008 to Applications |

In what may be another sign of good things to come for Apple Mac users with BlackBerry smartphones, Research In Motion (RIM) is planning to release a Macintosh version of its BlackBerry Media Sync application for use with the upcoming Pearl 8220 flip phone.

BlackBerry Media Sync version 1.0.0.18 will enable BlackBerry users with iTunes to sync all of their non-digital-rights-management (DRM)-protected iTunes music files with BlackBerry smartphones.

RIM BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac
BlackBerry Media Sync

Though the as-of-yet unreleased software appears to be specifically for the BlackBerry Pearl 8220, it's likely that Media Sync for Mac will also work with additional RIM devices running the same or slightly different version of the BlackBerry handheld operating system. The Pearl 8220 currently runs BlackBerry OS v4.6—the same OS as the popular Bold 9000 device.

Late last month, I broke the news that RIM plans on releasing BlackBerry for Mac utilities in the first half 2009 to address a number of long-standing complaints from Mac users. Those complaints include the current inability to upgrade the BlackBerry handheld OS via Mac; a lack of tools to manage BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) e-mail settings on a Macintosh; and the fact that BlackBerrys can't currently be used as tethered modems along with Macs. (Some of these functions are available to Mac users running Parallels.)

The BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, which lets users perform all of the above mentioned tasks and much more, is only available to PC users.

Though the new Media Sync software doesn't address most of the complaints from Mac users, it does suggest that RIM is indeed renewing its focus on Apple computers and their owners.

For more on the BlackBerry software tools available to Mac users, check out our breakdowns of both PocketMac and Missing Sync.

AS

Via BlackBerry News

FREE CIO BlackBerry Newsletter
Get better use out of your BlackBerry and keep up-to-date on the latest developments. Sign-up »
Print

Browse CIO Blogs

See all CIO Blogs »

White Papers »
IT Management in the Cloud
Cloud computing has emerged as one of the most significant game changers to hit the technology landscape in the past 20 years. With this massive expansion of the cloud, the perception of the IT organization is shifting from a utility player to a change agent. This eBook breaks down five ways progressive organizations are using cloud-based IT Management solutions to help drive innovation and become more strategic, including: adding visibility and analytics, speeding up time-to-value, lowering costs, improving prioritization, and providing a blueprint for future cloud deployments.
Citigroup Transforms Application Development with an IBM Cloud Solution
Read the white paper to see how IBM helped Citigroup deliver new services and enhancements to their 200 million customers faster.
Extending the Value of Legacy Applications
There are 3 ways to modernize legacy applications: rewrite completely, acquire packaged solutions or migrate existing code. This paper explains why it's best to migrate and how IBM® Rational® software can help.
The Hybrid Computing Proposition
Accommodating specific lines of business can result in a hybrid ecosystem of applications and servers. The resulting complexity of this architecture makes for an environment that is costly to maintain and difficult to change when addressing new challenges.
Picking a Sensible Mobile Password Policy
This whitepaper will help you to define a mobile device passcode policy. Security managers must attempt to reconcile two opposing goals. They must: 1) create a passcode policy that is strong enough to protect the device if it is lost or stolen, while: 2) not annoying users with needless length or complexity.
Why You Should Consider Cloud-Based Email Archiving
This whitepaper, authored by The Radicati Group, looks at the key reasons organizations should consider moving to a cloud-based archiving solution. Email archiving solutions enable organizations to store, monitor, and collect electronic data exchanged by their users to comply with internal policies and regulations.
Webcasts »
Does Your IT Initiative Require Real End User Experience Monitoring?
ATERNITY will showcase a 30-minute demo on how Fortune 500 companies are leveraging its award-winning FPI Platform to deliver a user-centric approach to Proactive IT Management.
IPv6 is Coming...Are you Ready?
For businesses to move forward and tap into the ever-expanding universe of Internet users and network-enabled devices, it's critical to learn how to make the transition to IPv6. Learn the critical steps your organization must take to make a seamless transition-and keep your business world connected.
Spear Phishing and the Modern Cyber Attack
Learn how IT teams can protect against spear phishing tactics. Harry Sverdlove, chief technology officer of Bit9 offers a frank discussion about spear phishing - the most common technique used in today's advanced attacks.
The Business Case for Migrating to Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Learn how to build a solid business case for your migration to Red Hat Enterprise Linux so you can run leaner, innovate faster, be more flexible and own the New Now.
Social Media: The Impact on the Multichannel Contact Center and Your Customers
Social media isn't about you; it's about everything around you. As you consider how your customers want to communicate with you, social media is something that can't be ignored. But what should your strategy be? Is social media "just another channel?" What kind of a plan makes sense for your contact center and for your customers? Join our experts as they share their insight and research results.
Advanced Authentication Methods: Software vs Hardware
Hardware tokens were a popular method of strong authentication in past years but the cumbersome provisioning and distribution tasks, high support requirements and replacement costs have limited their growth. The additional log-in steps that hardware tokens require and the resulting user frustrations have limited adoption and make them impractical for larger scale partner and customer applications.

Newsletter Sign-Up »

Receive the latest news test, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics

Choose a newsletter
  11. View all Newsletters | Privacy Policy