[joy5]

Sorry if I am duplicationg - but could not find resonable information.

I have a few queries with the BlackBerry smartphone integration.

My Car: July built 520d with Pro Nav, No USB in the Centre Console (only in the Glove box)
My Phone: BlackBerry Curve 8900, soon to be BlackBerry Torch 9800

I can connect the phone via Bluetooth, make/receive calls. But I don't see the Caller ID when I receive calls, unless I have the contact details added to the car.
I can make the calls from the phone's phonebook while it is connected via BT using Voice Commands or manually.

Q1: How can I permanently download my phone's Phonebook (Addressbook/Contacts) to the Car's HD? Is this possible?

Q2: Having said I do not have the USB in the centre console, can I use a Cradle for a BlackBerry?

I would get my new BlackBerry Torch when it is available in the UK, within few months - so I would like to wait a little more to have the phone first and then order a cradle for the new phone.

Q3: Does anyone got a BB Torch and managed to connect to your car with/without a cradle?

[rpmoore]

I have just upgraded my BB Bold 9700 to the Torch 9800 on my 530D and both work perfectly, phone books sync, and CLID work as expected.

I have the cradle for the 9700 and this simply charges the phone, all connections are still BT.

Waiting for the cradle for the 9800 to become available (having said that, I am still waiting to qualify whether or not I actually prefer the Torch to the Bold......)

[listerone]

Originally Posted by joy5

Q1: How can I permanently download my phone's Phonebook (Addressbook/Contacts) to the Car's HD? Is this possible?

Q2: Having said I do not have the USB in the centre console, can I use a Cradle for a BlackBerry?

Things could be different with European models vs US models but I have two observations:

1)I always thought that the phone's phonebook was automatically downloaded each time there's a bluetooth coupling.In fact,I'm almost certain that that's the case with my Blackberry Curve.

2)I don't know the answer to your second question.My "d" came with the center console USB (iPod capability) but didn't come with a cradle setup (I had the dealer install one).But even if the answer to #2 is "yes",you must also hope you find a cradle made for your specific phone.From what I can tell there's a *very* limited number of phone-specific cradles available...here in the States,at least.When I was having my setup installed I chose a phone for which I had already established that a cradle was actually available

[joy5]

Originally Posted by rpmoore

I have just upgraded my BB Bold 9700 to the Torch 9800 on my 530D and both work perfectly, phone books sync, and CLID work as expected.

I have the cradle for the 9700 and this simply charges the phone, all connections are still BT.

Waiting for the cradle for the 9800 to become available (having said that, I am still waiting to qualify whether or not I actually prefer the Torch to the Bold......)

Thanks for the info.
Re: CLID - whenever I get a call I can see only "**** CALL"

My phone's contacts sync well with the car. I can search A-Z contacts and voice commands works well too.

Want to hear your opinion on Torch, mind sending me a Private Message? Can't see the PM link for your profile.

[joy5]

Originally Posted by listerone

Things could be different with European models vs US models but I have two observations:

1)I always thought that the phone's phonebook was automatically downloaded each time there's a bluetooth coupling.In fact,I'm almost certain that that's the case with my Blackberry Curve.

2)I don't know the answer to your second question.My "d" came with the center console USB (iPod capability) but didn't come with a cradle setup (I had the dealer install one).But even if the answer to #2 is "yes",you must also hope you find a cradle made for your specific phone.From what I can tell there's a *very* limited number of phone-specific cradles available...here in the States,at least.When I was having my setup installed I chose a phone for which I had already established that a cradle was actually available

Thanks.

1) My BB Curve 8900 does sync with the car everytime, but doesn't copy/save the contacts in the car. Also CLID not working right. I am going to try my wife's Samsung phone tomorrow to see how that works with BT coupling. I will post the outcome.

2) You are right, not wanting to have a phone without a cradle - I would like to have one having considered increased reception and continuous juice for the phone.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by rpmoore

having said that, I am still waiting to qualify whether or not I actually prefer the Torch to the Bold......

Off topic I know, but it sounds like a few of us are considering moving form the Bold to the Torch. What are you thinking about it?

[alex_c]

Originally Posted by hinckley

Off topic I know, but it sounds like a few of us are considering moving form the Bold to the Torch. What are you thinking about it?

Having had all the Bberry's ever made -part of my job...-, I can honestly say that the Torch is the absolutely best Bberry ever. No comparison. Super fast, great browser (based on WebKit, like the iPhone and Android), very nice camera, smart context-aware menus, contact-centric (select a contact and see previous calls, email threads, etc.), the best keyboard, etc.

The only things I miss from the Bold-2 (9700) is the super-long battery life and lighter weight. The Torch's battery is not bad, but the 9700 is better.

The touchscreen is miles ahead of the horrible Storm/Storm-2.

It is an upgrade you won't regret.

[Rudegar]

Originally Posted by rpmoore

I have just upgraded my BB Bold 9700 to the Torch 9800 on my 530D and both work perfectly, phone books sync, and CLID work as expected.

I have the cradle for the 9700 and this simply charges the phone, all connections are still BT.

Waiting for the cradle for the 9800 to become available (having said that, I am still waiting to qualify whether or not I actually prefer the Torch to the Bold......)

I assumed if it was in the cradle that the phone was using the car's antenna. I will be disappointed if that is not the case as I have a (SUPER crappy coverage) at&t wireless (emphasis on the "less") Blackberry.

BTW, I just did the same switch to the Torch. Reaction just today to a leaked update to the OS software (version 6.0.0.214) is very encouraging. The original software is apparently the source of the screen freeze and other general ailments. If this turns out to be false, I may go back to my 9700 and return the Torch.

[rpmoore]

I have pretty much decided now that whilst I love some aspects of the Torch, I am going back to my Bold 9700.

Main plus points:
- Web browsing is infinitely better on the Torch with the webkit browser and modern features such as pinch to zoom and easy scrolling.
- New OS is generally nicer and more user friendly in most areas (however that will soon be available as an upgrade for the Bold)
- Camera is almost useable - not bad for a phone.

Main downside is that the main reason I love Blackberry is that it is super quick and easy to use the phone/email/text - the main reasons for me to have a phone. With the Torch, I have given up on the onscreen keyboard, it is not a patch on the iPhone (although on par with most other touchscreen phones I have used). I also miss the ability to quickly use keyboard shortcuts, such as 'T' to scroll to the top of my message list. Finally quickly accessing numbers from my phone book is much more fiddly on the touch screen.

Therefore most of the time my phone lives with the hardward keypad slid open - effectively meaning it is like a (big) Bold with a big screen.

Finally, Battery life is significantly worse than Bold - more like an iPhone. i.e. take it off charge first thing, and with average use it is running out by the evening.

Plus.... I dont have the cradle to fit my Torch into my car

[joy5]

Thanks for the analysis and detailed opinion. Now I have second thoughts

[axuklpsyk]

Originally Posted by joy5

Sorry if I am duplicationg - but could not find resonable information.

I have a few queries with the BlackBerry smartphone integration.

My Car: July built 520d with Pro Nav, No USB in the Centre Console (only in the Glove box)
My Phone: BlackBerry Curve 8900, soon to be BlackBerry Torch 9800

I can connect the phone via Bluetooth, make/receive calls. But I don't see the Caller ID when I receive calls, unless I have the contact details added to the car.
I can make the calls from the phone's phonebook while it is connected via BT using Voice Commands or manually.

Q1: How can I permanently download my phone's Phonebook (Addressbook/Contacts) to the Car's HD? Is this possible?

Q2: Having said I do not have the USB in the centre console, can I use a Cradle for a BlackBerry?

I would get my new BlackBerry Torch when it is available in the UK, within few months - so I would like to wait a little more to have the phone first and then order a cradle for the new phone.

Q3: Does anyone got a BB Torch and managed to connect to your car with/without a cradle?

Do you have your contacts encrypted in the 'options', 'security' menu?

if your device is encrypted (even if forced by a BES policy) you should be able to set encrypt contacts to 'No'

[joy5]

Originally Posted by axuklpsyk

Do you have your contacts encrypted in the 'options', 'security' menu?

if your device is encrypted (even if forced by a BES policy) you should be able to set encrypt contacts to 'No'

I've double checked and nothing is currently Encrypted.

[joy5]

Now the CLID works fine.

I've restarted the device, Enabled and then Disabled the Encryption for the phonebook (it was not Enabled initially).

Thanks for advise.

Now it's a waiting game for the BB Torch to arrive...

[carl_d]

Check here, best to put your cars VIN number in so the cars software version also checked.

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/owners/nav...eck_intro.html

[Goodchip]

I have a 9700 Bold. My Bluetooth connection will pick up personal contacts only. No business names are displayed when I try to search a name.
EG When I search by name, say looking for Freddies Pizza (which is a contact in my Blackberry), as I enter F...R...E the screen in my car will display every person whoce name contains the letters FRE - Any Fred, Freida, Joe Frederickson etc, but will not display Freddies PIzza.


The only way I can get to a business name is via the Nav system, Points of Interst. It'll display the address for guidance, and also the phone number of the business. Which is very cool in its own right if I'm trying to find a business that's not in my Blackberry contacts, but otherwise pretty tedious.

Any ideas?

[dtiger]

Hopefully this is in the same topic, does anybody in US able to get the September built and got their blackberry connected, including emails, contact images, calendar etc? I'm expecting mine with September built and I have BB9700, and I was curious because I couldn't find any discussion with the emails, contact images and calendar; most of them only mentioned about loading the phone book list / contacts.

[Soon ExAudi Guy]

Originally Posted by Goodchip

I have a 9700 Bold. My Bluetooth connection will pick up personal contacts only. No business names are displayed when I try to search a name.
EG When I search by name, say looking for Freddies Pizza (which is a contact in my Blackberry), as I enter F...R...E the screen in my car will display every person whoce name contains the letters FRE - Any Fred, Freida, Joe Frederickson etc, but will not display Freddies PIzza.


The only way I can get to a business name is via the Nav system, Points of Interst. It'll display the address for guidance, and also the phone number of the business. Which is very cool in its own right if I'm trying to find a business that's not in my Blackberry contacts, but otherwise pretty tedious.

Any ideas?

The work around for this is for entries with business name in the business field of your Blackberry contact record is to go into each and every one (I did this over about one hour) and duplicated the business name into the Last Name field. Before I did this, what I noticed was that all my contacts were pulled, but the first 50 or so where just phone numbers. Digging in deeper, I found them to be records with just a business name in the business field. After I did the work around, everything works fine.

Not an ideal situation, but once you have done this and keep doing it in the future, it's really not that big a hassle.

[Soon ExAudi Guy]

Originally Posted by dtiger

Hopefully this is in the same topic, does anybody in US able to get the September built and got their blackberry connected, including emails, contact images, calendar etc? I'm expecting mine with September built and I have BB9700, and I was curious because I couldn't find any discussion with the emails, contact images and calendar; most of them only mentioned about loading the phone book list / contacts.

I can answer most of this.

1. E-mails and contact images will only transfer if you have OS6 (which the Bold 9700 does not). In OS6, Bluetooth includes a new function called Message Access Profile which allows the above to transfer.
2. The above is true only IF you have the 6VC combox in your car car. You probably do. My vehicle was a week 36 build that started being built August 30th
3. Blackberry OS6 or the 6VC is not allowing calendars and notes to move onto the "Office" function of iDrive. I have not investigated the root cause of it -- not sure if it is OS6 or iDrive. I read somewhere that there will be a software update for 6VC combox later in the fall and that should open up a few more features.

[dtiger]

Originally Posted by Soon ExAudi Guy

I can answer most of this.

1. E-mails and contact images will only transfer if you have OS6 (which the Bold 9700 does not). In OS6, Bluetooth includes a new function called Message Access Profile which allows the above to transfer.
2. The above is true only IF you have the 6VC combox in your car car. You probably do. My vehicle was a week 36 build that started being built August 30th
3. Blackberry OS6 or the 6VC is not allowing calendars and notes to move onto the "Office" function of iDrive. I have not investigated the root cause of it -- not sure if it is OS6 or iDrive. I read somewhere that there will be a software update for 6VC combox later in the fall and that should open up a few more features.

Thanks for the explanation, based on my contract I'm due to get a new BB in 6 months so I'll get the Torch for sure and hopefully BMW will fix all the problems by then. And yes, I'm getting the 6VC combox (I saw that in the order list).

[Soon ExAudi Guy]

Originally Posted by dtiger

Thanks for the explanation, based on my contract I'm due to get a new BB in 6 months so I'll get the Torch for sure and hopefully BMW will fix all the problems by then. And yes, I'm getting the 6VC combox (I saw that in the order list).

In 6 months, there will be other BlackBerry devices to choose from with OS6. I am not 100% sold on the Torch, but I digress into an off topic discussion. I also want to reiterate that it might not be BMW that has problems to fix. I don't know where the issue with missing functionality lies. I recall a You Tube review of all the functions of the new iDrive features (from the New Jersey speedway release of the new 5 series earlier this year) that also showed things like the news being read to you, searches for gas stations that showed the vest prices, etc. So it maybe that we in Canada don't get the full extent of functionality. In Europe, you can tether your smartphone to the iDrive to allow web surfing when stopped. There's no inclusion of these functions in North America. Too bad!

[Goodchip]

I have to think its a BMW problem. My 9700 Bold worked fine in my '08 E60. Displayed all contacts just as they are in by BB.

[Goodchip]

Originally Posted by Soon ExAudi Guy

The work around for this is for entries with business name in the business field of your Blackberry contact record is to go into each and every one (I did this over about one hour) and duplicated the business name into the Last Name field. Before I did this, what I noticed was that all my contacts were pulled, but the first 50 or so where just phone numbers. Digging in deeper, I found them to be records with just a business name in the business field. After I did the work around, everything works fine.

Not an ideal situation, but once you have done this and keep doing it in the future, it's really not that big a hassle.

I'd thought of this, but I hate "work arounds". May have to suck it up...