Hi all. I know – long time, no article. Business has picked up around here so I have less time for web articles. However, I wanted to follow up on something and thought a web article would be a good result from my research.
I was recently asked if I knew about applications on Mandriva Linux to synchronize one’s Blackberry with PIM contacts and calendar. While I do not have a Blackberry myself I knew I had read about this somewhere. After a short time of searching I ran across the article Syncing your BlackBerry on Linux By Joe Barr on December 21, 2007. This was the article I remember reading. Joe’s article does not get distribution specific so I did a bit of checking with my Mandriva 2008.1 system and my wife’s Mandriva 2009.0 system. Here are the applications one might want to check out:
For Mandriva with Gnome based PIM under Evolution install multisync-gui “MultiSync is a program to synchronize calendars, addressbooks and other PIM data between programs on your computer and other computers, mobile devices, PDAs or cell phones. It relies on the OpenSync framework to do the actual synchronisation.”.
For Mandriva with KDE based PIM under Kontact install kdepim-kitchensync “kitchensync is a multiple backend sync program”.
For backing up data from one’s Blackberry install barry-gui “This package contains a graphical applications to backup and restore data from a BlackBerry device.”.
Also take a look at barry-opensync “Barry is a desktop toolset for managing your BlackBerry(tm) device. (BlackBerry is a registered trademark of Research in Motion Limited.) This package contains the opensync plugin to synchronize a BlackBerry with other devices and applications.”.
While this is not a step-by-step article it should point one in the direction one needs to begin getting one’s Blackberry synchronized with one’s desktop personal information manager. Please, if you try any of these out based on reading this article share your experience with others by coming back and commenting here.
This article has been accessed this many times:
| executive mba |
Sync is completely documented at:
http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/2009.0_Synchronization#Blackberry_devices_using_a_USB_cable
I didn’t get around to writing down how to do tethering yet, but you just need to install barry-ppp, plug in the Blackberry, and do for e.g.:
pppd call barry-sprint
(if you’re on Sprint) and it should work. All available providers are barry-o2ireland, barry-rogers, barry-sprint, barry-tmobileus, barry-verizon. Sprint or Verizon (I forget which) also works for Telus in Canada.
If it doesn’t work, usb-storage may be interfering. I’ve seen that happen on my system once but didn’t yet investigate why.
Adam,
Thank you very much for that comment. I believe that URL should be able to get one to the point where one can easily synchronize PIM devices.
Gene
[...] Mandriva Linux and your Blackberry [...]
I just wrote up a detailed article on tethering (covering MDV and other distros):
http://www.happyassassin.net/blackberry-tethering-and-more-on-linux/