How To Sync The BlackBerry with Linux

Many thanks to rivviepop @ BlackBerry Forums!
You can use SyncML and a free online service. It’ll cost your $30 USD for the SyncML plug-in for your BB from one of two vendors: Nexthaus or MobileCreek.
Nexthaus client:

Nexthaus Corporation

MobileCreek client:

MobileCreek Software Inc
NOTE: I own both, and at this time would recommend Nexthaus for the Pearl, SyncBerry 4.1 from MobileCreek is a little weird UI-wise. They’ve sent me a beta of 4.2 with proper Pearl support, but I haven’t tried it yet. Personal opinion, I also like the UI layout of the Nexthaus client better.

• To get this all working without spending one penny, do this:

1) On the PC/Mac, go to Mobical Website and create yourself a login account. This is a free online SyncML service (based in Sweden) that has an *awesome* webUI for managing your contacts, calendar and tasks. You can also import/export data freely with their UI, it’s very well done. They get an A+ in my book.

PS: don’t send any settings to your device during setup, just make some random choices to get your account created. We’ll do the actual setup from the Nexthause client.

2) Install the trial/demo Nexthaus client via OTA, you get 15 days to play with it before deciding if you want to purchase it. The company even called me when I had a problem and got me sorted out (had to do with purchasing online and Firefox support) right away.

3) Start the Nexthaus client (“SyncJe Client” on your BB menu). Pull up the menu and choose Settings. Put in [b]http : // www . mobical . net/sync/server[/b] as the Server, and your login/pass from #1 above. (this forum keeps parsing that URL as a link, adding spaces to try and get it showing up here)

Here’s where it gets slick and why I love this client — click the menu button again, and choose “Get Folders” — it should query Mobical and then fill in all the blanks with the rest of the settings (SyncBerry can’t do this). In case this fails for you, here’s the settings:

Contacts: con

Calendar: cal

ToDo: task

Click menu -> Save then to get back to the main screen.

4) Click menu -> Start Sync, and sit back! The first time you do this is takes forever and a day, it’s reconciling and in your case uploading all your contacts/calendar to the server.

The rest is common sense, you can set it to autosync, whatever — push the buttons and play around. Log back into Mobical webUI and you’ll see all your info to work with; you can download vCards, upload iCals, whatever!