RIM prepping BlackBerry Media Sync for iTunes transfers

Everyone knows that nobody buys a BlackBerry for its musical prowess, right? Au contraire, dearest email addict. RIM is currently working up a new application for BlackBerry smartphones that will "transfer your desktop iTunes music files" to your BB for those rare moments when you can actually kick back and enjoy the soothing sounds of Rogue Wave. Interestingly, we're not told whether BlackBerry Media Sync is being crafted specifically for the upcoming Bold, and we're also left to wonder when it'll actually be released. Patience is a virtue -- at least that's the word heard through the grapevine.

[Via CNET]

[psxp @ May 15th 2008 9:56AM]

so they are licencing something from apple to get the protected DRM files? or only non DRM music?

[Cirian75 @ May 15th 2008 10:00AM]

Ohhhhh :-)


I had already decided to get this BB when my contract is up in Jan09


Now even more reasons to get it :-)

[simon @ May 15th 2008 10:03AM]

Can we get a sizemodo with the iPhone, BB Bold and BB Curve. I currently use a curve and swear by Blackberry but that thing looks pretty big compared to my Curve. It might be time to jump ship when the 3G iPhone is released.

[Chad @ May 15th 2008 10:42AM]

Already done. Take a look at side by side with the 8800 and the Curve

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-9000-smartphone-hands-review

[Ysleiro @ May 15th 2008 10:46AM]

Here you go bud. A size comparison of some current phones and up and commers.

I was working on this recently and thought it might help.

Every single measurement was aquired from official sites. Blackberry.com T-mobile.com Apple.com Etc...

The only phone I was not able to get official numbers for is the BB 9000 :o(

But the numbers I found should be right.

http://www.sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/12932-Sidekick-LX-vs-Blackberry-9000-vs-Apple-iPhone-vs-X
peria-vs-Blackberry-Pearl

[Ysleiro @ May 15th 2008 10:48AM]

http://www.sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/12932-Sidekick-LX-vs-Blackberry-9000-vs-Apple-iPhone-vs-Xperia-vs-Blackberry-Pearl

[Ysleiro @ May 15th 2008 10:51AM]

Make sure to refresh the page once you get there. It's acting up.

[Flashpoint @ May 15th 2008 10:02AM]

The only way I ever use Itunes is to sync my iPhone's contacts with Yahoo's Addressbook.

I will NEVER buy anything from iTunes.

Its LIMEWIRE ALL THE WAY. Feds can't touch me because I wijack with a laptop and a portable USB hard drive,

[Chad @ May 15th 2008 10:04AM]

Please remain where you are. Your IP address has been logged and law enforcement dispatched to your location.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[Eastman @ May 15th 2008 10:16AM]

yeah .. keep telling yourself that buddy .. !!
And being proud of stealing music us labels ( we are a Indie label ) put out there ain't something to shout out there ..

In fact i call it SAD, stealing music is one thing but shouting about it this way .. ts .. doushbag.

[GenBanks @ May 15th 2008 2:08PM]

Same here, I will NEVER buy anything. I always illegally download everything or steal stuff from shops. They're ripping me off anyway. I'm just sticking it to the man. Because I'm a Rebel.

[Gorillamonk @ May 15th 2008 4:51PM]

they're onto you now buddy. And, you may want to double check your info on anonymity and wifi.

[Gorillamonk @ May 15th 2008 4:52PM]

@Eastman. No one steals Indy music!! Most of the time it's free to begin with

[tom @ May 15th 2008 10:03AM]

Why would Apple let them do it? That is probably one of the most prominent thing about iPhone, is the ability to sync with iTunes (and of course the touch screen and things)

It would make sense if it sync off WMP. Looks like BB is getting best of both world, windows mail and iTunes, isn't it so?

[Chad @ May 15th 2008 10:15AM]

They make a ton of money off of iTunes and this opens the possibility of making 2 tons. The BB does not compete with the iPod line directly just the iPhone which most corps won't touch due to the investment they already have in BES equipment. Apple probably believes they aren't going to sway many current BB users to the iPhone but they might pick up some revenue from iTunes sales from those BB users if they had that option. I know I have re-encoded all my music to m4a for my BB and I use it more than my iPod Touch to listen to my music. Now that I have found BerryTunes I don't even need my iPod to listen to internet radio.

[JJV @ May 15th 2008 10:11AM]

I figure that this isn't syncing from iTunes, nor does it garner Apple's approval. What BB is probably doing is just using your iTunes library file to gather the music that you have so you can sync it. It stays in your library but you won't be using itunes

Well thats my two cents at least.

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 15th 2008 10:46AM]

Apple will either wave it's magic wand and give RIM approval of tapping into iTunes or they'll just sue the pants off of RIM for tapping into iTunes. I'm for whatever way Apple makes the most money from RIM.

[chriswaco @ May 15th 2008 10:14AM]

Missing Sync has been doing this for more than a year.

[Steve @ May 15th 2008 10:15AM]

As long as you have de-DRMed the AAC files in your iTunes library, the software that comes with the 8830 makes the process pretty simple anyway.

When my iPod broke, I replaced it with an Anycom A2DP adapter and an 8830. Using it with wireless headphones makes all of those silhouette iPod ads with the dangling cords look so early-2000s.

[Joel @ May 15th 2008 10:28AM]

media monkey has good sync features for any connected mp3 player. it is the itunes killer.

[Scott @ May 15th 2008 2:39PM]

Media Monkey fails the girlfriend test horrendously. That pretty much sums up it's chances of ever taking market share from iTunes.

[bobgorila @ May 15th 2008 10:30AM]

Rogue Wave eh? Classy~

[CraigJ @ May 15th 2008 10:46AM]

iTunes uses an XML data file, and it (iTunes) has a nice API. I have written code to manipulate iTunes and interact with it's database. It's not at all hard.

http://developer.apple.com/sdk/itunescomsdk.html

Anyone can do this AFAIK

[susan @ May 15th 2008 11:22AM]

You can already transfer your iTunes music to your Blackberry, just not protected files. Is that what you're referring to?

[fanman @ May 15th 2008 12:09PM]

Google iTunessync.

[Glyn @ May 15th 2008 12:36PM]

@Flashpoint

Don't be smug about stealing music. If you're unhappy with the progress that music companies are making in distributing DRM-Free music online, then just go buy the CD and rip it. It's because of you file-sharers that we have all this DRM nonsense. If I could buy all my music online, DRM free then I would. Unfortunately, I can't so I buy CDs and rip them. I don't steal.

[Gorillamonk @ May 15th 2008 4:56PM]

actually, we have all that because of the RIAA.

[Xuli @ May 16th 2008 10:27AM]

The software will be available standalone or as part of the upcoming version of the BB desktop software.

Compatibility will not be limited to the BB Bold, but will work with all devices that include media player functionality.

DRMed files will NOT be visible to the software and, therefore, will NOT transfer to the RIM device.

Availability is 2H08 (probably late summer)

All information courtesy of RIM from the recent WES event.

[Jay @ Jul 8th 2008 9:51AM]

Before I started using a sync utility I would just copy and paste the music files directly from iTunes onto the memory card for my Blackberry. I think that might actually be faster than using software to do it.

DRM protection? Bah, I get rid of it. Whenever I buy music off of the iTunes store I clear the DRM protection with a little utility I picked up a while back. That way I can transfer the music to my BB without worry, or do whatever I want with it. After all, I did buy it right?