[jasbart]

Believe me, I have searched for an answer to this. What is the best way to sync a Blackberry with a Mac?

Since Outlook 2011 shows no progress towards sync serves (allowing it to sync Calendar, Tasks, Memos) I'm thinking there must be a way to use the standard Apple Calendar/email/address book. But the address book is so useless (can't sort by Company/last name, only first name or last name). And so far I've had no luck at all syncing the Blackberry calendar with Apple iCal.

Everything I read about Entourage 2008 indicates I should just STAY AWAY.

I've been using Parallels on my Macbook since 2006, and Outlook 2003 is absolutely perfect for my needs. Except for the fact that I have to run Windows. Is this really the best solution? I welcome any and all suggestions.

Thanks, Jim

[Dubdub]

Entourage in Office 2008 works. But since I use Thunderbird on my MacBook, I sync the calendar to Google calendar. You can also sync contacts to Google. Works well for me and it is wireless.

[rambo47]

You can sync both your Mac and BlackBerry to Google.

[dulcamara]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

Entourage in Office 2008 works. But since I use Thunderbird on my MacBook, I sync the calendar to Google calendar. You can also sync contacts to Google. Works well for me and it is wireless.

I sync my calendar to Google. I'd heard that there were problems with duplicate entries when you tried to sync contacts. Has that been fixed?

[Dubdub]

I haven't had problems. If you have the same entries in Outlook/Google/BB with just a minor difference, you can have problems.

[dulcamara]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

I haven't had problems. If you have the same entries in Outlook/Google/BB with just a minor difference, you can have problems.

OK. This could get me to cut the chord with my BES provider and save me some money. Any reason to use a hosted BES if calendar/contacts get synced with Google wirelessly and you don't have/need an exchange environment at work?

[mrandery]

See this

http://www.blackberryforums.com/mac-...pdate-sp1.html

[Jagga]

Originally Posted by mrandery

See this

http://www.blackberryforums.com/mac-...pdate-sp1.html

See that the recently update BBDM for Mac STILL only has Entourage listed - which never worked in pre-SP1 Outlook 2011. I don't want to have to play with Apple Sync to get this working instead of this done out the box install from RIM.

Also RIM's documentation has not been updated to reflect this as of yet.

UPDATE: Woo HOOOO!
Document updated as of April 14th (just after the SP1 update).

Article ID: KB19148 - KB19148-How to synchronize organizer data in Microsoft Office for Mac between the BlackBerry smartphone and a Mac computer using BlackBerry Desktop Software

[dulcamara]

I just canceled my BES with no great loss. Google sync does calendar and contacts perfectly and my new workplace google apps account makes email about the same on BIS as it was on BES before.

Net savings = $20/month. I'll take it.