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

RIM Releases BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac (Preview); More Mac Tools for BlackBerry Due in ‘09

Posted December 20, 2008 to Applications |

Macintosh users with BlackBerry smartphones just got one step closer to being able to use theirs Mac to fully manage Research In Motion (RIM) devices. That’s because RIM has quietly released a “preview” version of its BlackBerry Media Sync software for Mac, which lets BlackBerry owners sync their non-DRM protected iTunes music files to their smartphones.

screen shot of BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac
BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac

Though Mac users can already sync music, contacts and calendar information through third-party Mac applications like PocketMac and Missing Sync, there’s currently no way for Mac owners to perform advanced BlackBerry managements functions, like updating an operating system or backing up and restoring data—at least without running some sort of Windows virtualization app.

RIM’s BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, the default program for performing BlackBerry OS upgrades and backups, etc., is currently only available to PC users. However, I broke the news earlier this year that the company will finally release a variety of Mac-specific BlackBerry tools in 2009, and it looks like RIM’s getting a bit of a head start.

BlackBerry Media Sync for Windows has been available since June, and it has been a quick and easy way for PC users to get iTunes music onto their BlackBerrys. But the software isn’t perfect, as some functions don’t work exactly as they should. For example, BlackBerry Media Sync has had issues carrying artwork retrieved by iTunes over to RIM devices. An update to the PC version of BlackBerry Media Sync was recently released, but I’ve heard from a few readers that they’re still having issues with album artwork.

iTunes Music Playing on BlackBerry
iTunes Music Playing on BlackBerry

BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac appears to have the same issue—though it is a “preview” edition, and you can bet that’s RIM’s explanation for the artwork issue. I transferred roughly 7 GBs of music from my MacBook to my BlackBerry Bold last night—it took between 10 and 15 minutes--and only a very small percentage of my album artwork was carried over. And the artwork that did make it came from a source other than iTunes—in other words, any album artwork that I found using iTunes never showed up on my BlackBerry.

Regardless, it’s nice to see RIM finally spreading some Mac love. Let’s hope this is only the start of trend.

(Note: After installing the Preview Version of BlackBerry Media Sync, other software previously used to synchronize data with your Mac, such as PocketMac for BlackBerry devices or Missing Sync, will no longer be able to connect to your device and will not work until BlackBerry Media Sync is uninstalled.)

AS

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