[BrianGL1800]

Hi there folks...

I'm new to the Blackberry world, but I've been prowling through a few of these forums, picking up useful information..., and I'm hoping someone will be able to point me in the right direction in a couple of areas.

First of all, I'm a long-time Palm user, and always really liked the slick and simple process (both on the Palm device and Palm Desktop) of keeping track of calander events, to-do list, and personal contacts. I also use Quicken to keep track of all my finances, so Pocket Quicken was something I used several times a day. Up until last April, I usually carried a Palm (Zire 72) as my PDA, and a basic cell phone for a mobile telephone. In April I decided to combine the cell phone and Palm into a single device and got a nice new Samsung Omnia with Mobile Windows. I was able to convert all my Palm data over to MS Outlook to sync into my Omnia. After several month of beating my head against the wall trying to come to grips with the Omnia/Mobile Windows/Outlook combination, I finally gave up and went back to my trusty Palm, and relegated the Omnia to phone use (and even that was a headache).

At the end of November I was able to cancel my mobile contract (with no penalty) and decided to try and find something more to my likeing. I looked at the iPhone, the new Palm Pre, Blackberry, and some of the new Android platform phones, and finally decided on the Blackberry..., even although I dont use it for business (I'm retired), just personal use.

I ordered (through Bell) a Blackberry Bold 9700, and although I haven't actually received it in the mail yet, I have downloaded and browsed through the owners' manual and a few other on-line docs on the Bold. I dont plan on (at this point) using the Blackberry for web surfing or e-mail..., just as a phone, PDA and a bit of texting.

Having said all this, there are two things that I haven't been able to sort out completely, and I'm hopefull that someone here might be able to offer some guidance..., neither of which are deal-breakers, but positive solutions to one or both would be a lovely Christmas present to myself:

1: Is there a Blackberry version of Pocket Quicken, or a simple app that will let me send "finance" entries directly to my desktop Quicken. If you've used Pocket Quicken you'll know what I mean.

2: Here's the biggy..., is there a desktop app (other than Outlook) that I can use similarly to Palm Desktop to sync calander/appointment, contact and/or to-do task entries between the desktop and the Blackberry. I find Outlook to be way too much of a drain on the computer and far too complex for my needs.

Any insight anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated.

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[Dubdub]

1. Can't help you with that one. Don't consider wireless devices secure enough, even if it is a BB.

2. Not really anything else out there other than using Google Calendar and contacts and then syncing that with the BB. I use Thunderbird and Lighting on my PCs and Macs and sync calendar data to Google Calender and that keeps everything in sync, including my BB and iPhone.

[BrianGL1800]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

2. Not really anything else out there other than using Google Calendar and contacts and then syncing that with the BB.

I guess I'll have to take another look at Google...

Thanks

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[djm2]

As for your first question, I doubt that you'll find anything that links as cleanly to Quicken. Ascendo Money might be the closest, but that is not as clean.

[Dubdub]

Originally Posted by BrianGL1800

Hi there folks...

I'm new to the Blackberry world, but I've been prowling through a few of these forums, picking up useful information..., and I'm hoping someone will be able to point me in the right direction in a couple of areas.

First of all, I'm a long-time Palm user, and always really liked the slick and simple process (both on the Palm device and Palm Desktop) of keeping track of calander events, to-do list, and personal contacts. I also use Quicken to keep track of all my finances, so Pocket Quicken was something I used several times a day. Up until last April, I usually carried a Palm (Zire 72) as my PDA, and a basic cell phone for a mobile telephone. In April I decided to combine the cell phone and Palm into a single device and got a nice new Samsung Omnia with Mobile Windows. I was able to convert all my Palm data over to MS Outlook to sync into my Omnia. After several month of beating my head against the wall trying to come to grips with the Omnia/Mobile Windows/Outlook combination, I finally gave up and went back to my trusty Palm, and relegated the Omnia to phone use (and even that was a headache).

At the end of November I was able to cancel my mobile contract (with no penalty) and decided to try and find something more to my likeing. I looked at the iPhone, the new Palm Pre, Blackberry, and some of the new Android platform phones, and finally decided on the Blackberry..., even although I dont use it for business (I'm retired), just personal use.

I ordered (through Bell) a Blackberry Bold 9700, and although I haven't actually received it in the mail yet, I have downloaded and browsed through the owners' manual and a few other on-line docs on the Bold. I dont plan on (at this point) using the Blackberry for web surfing or e-mail..., just as a phone, PDA and a bit of texting.

Having said all this, there are two things that I haven't been able to sort out completely, and I'm hopefull that someone here might be able to offer some guidance..., neither of which are deal-breakers, but positive solutions to one or both would be a lovely Christmas present to myself:

1: Is there a Blackberry version of Pocket Quicken, or a simple app that will let me send "finance" entries directly to my desktop Quicken. If you've used Pocket Quicken you'll know what I mean.

2: Here's the biggy..., is there a desktop app (other than Outlook) that I can use similarly to Palm Desktop to sync calander/appointment, contact and/or to-do task entries between the desktop and the Blackberry. I find Outlook to be way too much of a drain on the computer and far too complex for my needs.

Any insight anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated.

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Please do not double post. This thread closed.