[DarthTreo]

I'm thinking about going to a Mac. Will the BB and DM work on the Mac platform? Will I be able to sync the handheld or will I have to get parallels in order to run the desktop manager on the Mac?

[NJBlackBerry]

** Moving to the Mac Users Corner **

Desktop Manager will not run on Mac OSX. It will only run on Windows.
Parallels or VMware are both good virtualization software which would allow you to run Windows on OSX, and DM would be fine in either environment.

If you want to sync the handheld natively within OSX, you can use Pocketmac or Missing Sync.

[jfkeith]

Originally Posted by DarthTreo

I'm thinking about going to a Mac. Will the BB and DM work on the Mac platform? Will I be able to sync the handheld or will I have to get parallels in order to run the desktop manager on the Mac?

I've had a mac for the last year, and before that I was a BB and PC user for about 4 years. I would 100% say to get a mac, it's a great machine and I will always have one as my personal computer. Missing Sync and Pocket Mac are both great (great as far as mac syncing goes).

Basically all I'm suggesting is don't let BB compatibility be your deciding factor, get the mac anyway and your device will work fine.

Cheers

[sammy_cda]

You can use either Missing Sync or Pocket Mac. I would try Pocket Mac first as it is free and can be downloaded from BlackBerry - Desktop Software - BlackBerry Desktop Software at BlackBerry.com

Either of these programs sync to Mail, Address Book and iCal on the Mac. The problem with using Parallels to run DM is that you won't be able to sync with your native Mac programs. I use Parallels when I want to upgrade the firmware on the BB. You can't do that from a Mac.

[jfkeith]

Originally Posted by sammy_cda

You can use either Missing Sync or Pocket Mac. I would try Pocket Mac first as it is free and can be downloaded from BlackBerry - Desktop Software - BlackBerry Desktop Software at BlackBerry.com

Either of these programs sync to Mail, Address Book and iCal on the Mac. The problem with using Parallels to run DM is that you won't be able to sync with your native Mac programs. I use Parallels when I want to upgrade the firmware on the BB. You can't do that from a Mac.

I'd agree with this, Pocket Mac is the best thing to try first because it's free. I have been playing around with both of the programs for the last few weeks, and I would say that Missing Sync is certainly a better program, but if you're looking for the cheap alternative then take up Pocket Mac and try and deal with the problems that arise. It's not really that bad of a process, and it really depends if you're syncing with Entourage or iCall and the other Apple applications.

[buster]

mac's are sooo overated... every few years I buy the latest and greatest and then, after the glow wears off, I'm left with this good looking machine that is slow and really dumb...no right click and slow as slow can be.. we even had a custom G-something built for our studio in concert with Digidesign (ProTools).... the machine was an endless mess..finally shipped it off to a guy in Southern california who reworked the motherboard and all was well...in the meantime we used a simple dell laptop that ran circles around this $6000. super apple... sure was nice looking. use an xps dell 13" laptop and now have a custom desktop with quality components end to end...BB and iPhone (which is classic apple (battery life is awful and apps sometimes work).. but the Phone is ok and it is an iPod (which is the Only thing apple has ever really done right)... Pocket Mac works ok but it is not the app Desktop manager is...

[jfkeith]

Originally Posted by buster

mac's are sooo overated... every few years I buy the latest and greatest and then, after the glow wears off, I'm left with this good looking machine that is slow and really dumb...no right click and slow as slow can be.. we even had a custom G-something built for our studio in concert with Digidesign (ProTools).... the machine was an endless mess..finally shipped it off to a guy in Southern california who reworked the motherboard and all was well...in the meantime we used a simple dell laptop that ran circles around this $6000. super apple... sure was nice looking. use an xps dell 13" laptop and now have a custom desktop with quality components end to end...BB and iPhone (which is classic apple (battery life is awful and apps sometimes work).. but the Phone is ok and it is an iPod (which is the Only thing apple has ever really done right)... Pocket Mac works ok but it is not the app Desktop manager is...

Desktop Manager is definitely the way to go, and I can understand that Mac's are hyped up a lot, but I've had the same MacBook for over a year now and it still runs as smooth as it did the first day. And mac's do have a right click, you just need to learn how to use them a little....

[DarthTreo]

Originally Posted by jfkeith

I've had a mac for the last year, and before that I was a BB and PC user for about 4 years. I would 100% say to get a mac, it's a great machine and I will always have one as my personal computer. Missing Sync and Pocket Mac are both great (great as far as mac syncing goes).

Basically all I'm suggesting is don't let BB compatibility be your deciding factor, get the mac anyway and your device will work fine.

Cheers

Thanks for the feedback!

The only problem with Macs is that you seem to always have to find a work around. First, my database for work will not run on a Mac so I'd have to run parallels to get it to work. Now I find out the blackberry won't sync without a workaround or new program. Hmmmm....

[jfkeith]

Originally Posted by DarthTreo

Thanks for the feedback!

The only problem with Macs is that you seem to always have to find a work around. First, my database for work will not run on a Mac so I'd have to run parallels to get it to work. Now I find out the blackberry won't sync without a workaround or new program. Hmmmm....

It is true that workaround are somewhat common on Macs, but I've had a Mac for over a year now and I find myself somewhat lost on PCs again. Mac's take getting used to, but once you are used to them they are much easier to navigate than most PCs. Mac's allow you to set up the system exactly how you'd like it, which makes personalization of programs and the like to be easier.

I don't have BES, nor do I need a PC for work, but I would say that this would be a deciding factor. I have Parallels with Windows XP Pro running on my Macbook, and I am really impressed with how it works. I just got the whole dual boot thing going over the last two weeks, and every program I've tried on it works fine. I'm not sure how stable or secure it is, so I don't know how safe I feel viewing sensitive material on it, but I would really suggest using a Mac. Ask your company, maybe they will provide a PC for you (just a thought).

Best of luck on the decision, and let me know if you have any more questions.

[ImTheDude]

If you get a Mac, you'll wonder why Rim can't make a machine that runs as smooth and as easily as your Mac.

[DarthTreo]

Originally Posted by jfkeith

It is true that workaround are somewhat common on Macs, but I've had a Mac for over a year now and I find myself somewhat lost on PCs again. Mac's take getting used to, but once you are used to them they are much easier to navigate than most PCs. Mac's allow you to set up the system exactly how you'd like it, which makes personalization of programs and the like to be easier.

I don't have BES, nor do I need a PC for work, but I would say that this would be a deciding factor. I have Parallels with Windows XP Pro running on my Macbook, and I am really impressed with how it works. I just got the whole dual boot thing going over the last two weeks, and every program I've tried on it works fine. I'm not sure how stable or secure it is, so I don't know how safe I feel viewing sensitive material on it, but I would really suggest using a Mac. Ask your company, maybe they will provide a PC for you (just a thought).

Best of luck on the decision, and let me know if you have any more questions.

Thanks for the reply. I'm self employed so it's really just being able to access and use my database of clients. And tech support has not found a way to make that happen on Mac yet. Maybe early next year so they say. It's just hard to justify getting a new machine (even though I would be using my American Express membership rewards points to get it, so it would be free) if I have to use work arounds to use my client database and my blackberry's desktop manager. It's giving me second thoughts on using my membership rewards points to buy a Macbook, espically since the Dell is running fine.

[jfkeith]

Yea you could always just hold off, keep going with what you got, and wait another year until there are some better solutions out for mac. Apple is working very hard to get the mac compatible with all the different kinds of devices out there, and I've heard a lot of rumors about better programs for both BB and pc syncing..... just have to wait and see I guess.

[DarthTreo]

Yeah...it almost makes me wish that something was wrong with the Dell so I had to get a new laptop and could just but the Mac

[DarthTreo]

Originally Posted by jfkeith

It is true that workaround are somewhat common on Macs, but I've had a Mac for over a year now and I find myself somewhat lost on PCs again. Mac's take getting used to, but once you are used to them they are much easier to navigate than most PCs. Mac's allow you to set up the system exactly how you'd like it, which makes personalization of programs and the like to be easier.

I don't have BES, nor do I need a PC for work, but I would say that this would be a deciding factor. I have Parallels with Windows XP Pro running on my Macbook, and I am really impressed with how it works. I just got the whole dual boot thing going over the last two weeks, and every program I've tried on it works fine. I'm not sure how stable or secure it is, so I don't know how safe I feel viewing sensitive material on it, but I would really suggest using a Mac. Ask your company, maybe they will provide a PC for you (just a thought).

Best of luck on the decision, and let me know if you have any more questions.

Hi again,

You mentioned some problems with Pocket Mac? What types of problems are there?

[deathbyart]

I guess I am that 'one in a million' that has no issues with Pocket Mac. Although I still would never think about going back to Windows, I don't care how limited they are with Blackberry's...

That is me though.

[rambo47]

I'm another rare one with no PocketMac issues. I've used Missing Sync too, and that works very well. As for windows, I keep an old IBM ThinkPad lying around for OS updates, that sort of thing. The only use it gets is for phone stuff.

An interesting side note: I have the X31 ThinkPad, which is the type used back in 2004 when the ISS had computer problems. They were actually using an X31 ThinkPad to run the Space Station for a day or two when there was a massive onboard computer failure. I wish I had the actual one they used!

[plainbrad]

Originally Posted by deathbyart

I guess I am that 'one in a million' that has no issues with Pocket Mac. Although I still would never think about going back to Windows, I don't care how limited they are with Blackberry's...

That is me though.

Me too! Me too!

Life with a mac has been so much more rewarding.

[mrtune]

Macs are fantastic computers. I have a MacBook and installed Windows XP virtually via vmware fusion. Best of both worlds.

Mine is almost a year old and I don't have any slowdowns whatsoever. XP on the other hand is due for a delete and reinstall. It's gotten way too slow for my tastes over the last 6 months I had it installed on the mac.

[aslamc]

I moved over to Mac over a year ago, and have never looked back. IMO its one of the best personal computer that one can have.

It does not slowdown, in most cases you do not need to install new drivers and the best is no viruses problems and the screen is more cooling to the eyes and not a strain to the eyes.

Assi