BlackBerry Bold Tips

2008-11-04 got my ~BlackBerry Bold (AKA 9000)! Now to get it optimally setup.

The Basics

online docs

• http://att.com/WirelessTutorials
  • select Manufacturer: BlackBerry and Model: Bold 9000 from the drop down menus

install 3rd party apps

• BlackBerry GoogleTalk
• TwitterBerry
• Google Maps
• ...

preferences

• Profile - set to Vibrate
• edit profile
  • Google Talk Alert - Out of Holster: None (instead of Vibrate)
  • Google Talk New Message - Out of Holster: None (instead of Vibrate)
  • Messages - Out of Holster: None (instead of Vibrate)
  • ...

figuring out

tethering

BlackBerry support recommendations

The following BlackBerry KB articles were recommended by BlackBerry support. They specify much simpler setup than the "Configuration to re-use the 8800 script" below.

• KB article number KB18127: How to configure the BlackBerry smartphone as a tethered modem using Bluetooth on an Apple Macintosh computer

• KB article number KB19641: Configuring a BlackBerry smartphone as a tethered modem on a Macintosh computer

As of 2010-057: I have gotten both of these to "work" up until the last step (Connect), upon which it attempts to connect, fails authentication, disconnects, and displays an error alert with the text:

Internet Connect

Could not negotiate a connection with the remote

PPP server. Please verify your settings and try again.  (( OK ))

If you get the above instructions to work for internet tethering with your BlackBerry, please contact me and let me know details (your OS version, what hardware, which service provider).

Configuration to reuse 8800 script

Preliminary testing appears to show this works

• OS support: this has been tested on OSX 10.4 (Tiger) on a PowerBookG4 and OSX 10.5 (Leopard) on a MacBook
  • worked until 2009-12 for Tantek - and then stopped working - on both OSX versions / computers.
  • Ariel says this setup still works for her.
• modem scripts for BlackBerry 8100, 8700, 8800
  • direct download link for scripts
  • Unzip that file and copy scripts into /Library/Modem Scripts
• use the BlackBerry 8800 script from the above download for now
• Bluetooth Setup Assistant
  • Phone Vendor: Research in Motion
  • Phone Model: BlackBerry 8800
  • Username: WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
  • Password: CINGULAR1
  • Phone Number: wap.cingular
• "Internet Connect" application / "Network" Bluetooth preferences configuration info for AT&T (formerly Cingular)
  • GPRS CID String / Telephone Number: wap.cingular
  • Username / Account Name: WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
  • Password: CINGULAR1
• BlackBerry Bold 9000 configuration info:
  1. home
  2. Manage Connections
  3. be sure that [x] Bluetooth is checked
  4. home
  5. Options (the white wrench icon)
  6. Advanced Options
  7. TCP
  8. APN: wap.cingular
  9. Username for APN: wap@cingulargprs.com
  10. Password for APN: CINGULAR1

Additional research:

• evidence that blackberry 8800 modem script for MacOS X may work with the 9000 as well
• Need BlackBerry 9000 modem script (would like a script specific to the 9000)

syncing

save old data

PocketMac Sync works reasonably well with the BlackBerry 8700.

• Address Book: seems to sync all data fields from BlackBerry to Apple Address Book except for: custom User 1-4 fields, Address2 subfield of Home Address
• MemoPad:
  • syncs very poorly with Stickies (due to the fact that Stickies notes do not have names/titles, whereas BlackBerry MemoPad notes do).
  • syncs quite well *to* Microsoft Entourage (version "X" 10.1.1(2148) and later).

syncing to the Bold

It appears that PocketMac does not work with the BlackBerry Bold.

May need to try (and buy) Missing Sync.

According to Artur, you have to "remove" your previous BlackBerry from PocketMac before you can add your new BlackBerry as a device. Currently investigating this...

transfer from previous BlackBerry 8700

Even beyond syncing problems, in transferring/updating from my BlackBerry 8700 to a new BlackBerry 9000 (Bold), I've noticed a number of challenges and am developing tips to help with other aspects of data/account transfer.

• BlackBerryBoldChallenges - documentation of specific challenges/problems

Advantages

Several folks have asked me why I chose the BlackBerry Bold over the iPhone and I've Twittered a bunch about this in the past. Now collected into a page:

• BlackBerryAdvantages

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