If you're a Mac user new to BlackBerry, or a PC user coming over to the Other Side, one of the first things you'll notice is that the BlackBerry Desktop Software on your CD is Windows-only. And while our pal Al Sacco dropped word a couple weeks back that new BlackBerry Tools for Mac users are on the way (you can hopefully expect to see them in the first half of 2009), until then you'll have to rely on 3rd party software. PocketMac and Missing Sync are the two common choices.

Rather than port their desktop manager over to Mac OS X from the get go, RIM instead opted to license PocketMac and offer it to Mac users for free. In most ways it's a solid, intuitive program, but there are some important limitations and some gotchas to look out for, and some things that might trip up the new user, so today I'm going to walk you through the basics of using it.

Bluetooth is a relatively new technology used to wirelessy transfer small amounts of data over short distances. So far, it's been used mostly for wireless keyboards and mice, but more and more phones are taking advantage of the quick and easy setup to sync data or to transfer files (and of course for use with BT headsets!). While I won't be going into syncing today (that's a whole other kettle of fish), I would like to show you how to shuffle files back and forth if you're lucky enough to own a Bluetooth-capable BlackBerry and Mac. I'll be using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, but the process in previous versions is very similar.

The folks over at BlackBerry Made Simple have a long history of producing training videos for the BlackBerry, covering everything from turning the thing on to using it as a modem to troubleshooting tips. Now they've let us know that their videos have been reworked to be usable directly on the BlackBerry, rather than from your PC. A starter pack of 25 videos covering the basic features is available for $19.99, while the full library of 65 videos can be had for $49.99. You'll need a minimum of a 1GB microSD card to store the videos, although they promise that they'll soon be offering a preloaded card from one of their partners. Head on over to their website to learn more.

AdMob served just under four billion ads in the month of July, and they've released some interesting statistics on who and what they were serving them to.

Nokia led the pack with a whopping 34% browser market share while BlackBerry tailed with 3%, slightly beating out Apple's Safari at 2%. In terms of handsets, Nokia unsurprisingly led at 32.8% of requests, with RIM at 2.8%, followed by Kyocera, Palm, HTC, and finally Apple. Motorola's RAZR V3 was first in the top 20 specific models, followed mostly by Nokia and other Motorola models. The Pearl 8100 snagged the #9 spot with 1.4%.

When speaking specifically of smartphone traffic, however, RIM came in second in worldwide requests, with 11%, and topped the charts in the US with 32%. It's also worth noting that plenty of smartphone users these days are browsing with full-featured HTML browsers rather than mobile browsers, so some of the  numbers (although not a huge percentage) might be on the low side for smartphones as people viewing the full web on mobile phones could be getting served full html websites with standard ads vs. wap sites featuring the mobile ads AdMob focuses on.

[ via BBCool ]

"I play offense. There's no glory in defense," said hockey fan and RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie in an interview with Bloomberg published today.

The company is currently trying to overcome the momentum that Apple's iPhone 3G gained after selling over a million units in its first three days on sale. Their plan is to accelerate product introductions, starting with the Bold and the Thunder, and increase advertisement spending to grab some of the consumer market. "Our job is to fully capitalize on the opportunity before us," said Balsillie. The other CEO, Mike Lazaridis, said, "We're trying to get people to say, 'What is that?' and 'I want one of those.'"

Experts say that RIM's stock could rise to more than $170 in the coming year, and more than two-thirds recommend buying the stock. Others are less than enthusiastic, though: Roger Etner of Nielsen said, "BlackBerry still has the lead when it comes to the very narrowly defined segment of business e-mail. With everything else, the iPhone has a huge lead." Competition is nothing but good for the consumer, so we should see a lot of innovation from both companies in the near future.

Fairmont Hotel and Resorts has recently announced that they have signed on with a company that offers "electronic rehab getaways."

Four of their hotels will now feature the program, which locks a strung-out infophile's BlackBerry into a safe and has him or her sign a waiver saying they won't get online for the duration of their stay.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise offers a $459 two day "digital detox" complete with herbal teas, a guided hike and a paddle-boat lake trip, while the $499 package at The Fairmont Banff Springs offers a meditation book and access to fitness clubs and mineral pools. Resorts in Jasper and Whistler have similar deals.

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A new bill recently introduced into the US Senate could freeze state and local taxes on wireless services. Currently, the 260 million or so wireless users in the country are are frittering away 15.9% of their average bill on taxes alone. A Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) spokesperson said that no other industry is discriminated against, taxwise, like the wireless industry, and the number back him up: wireless taxes rose four times faster than other services between 2003 and 2007. Research indicates that mobile phones are being used more and more -- no real surprise to anyone -- so a five year freeze on taxes likely be a welcome relief to many.

California's CNET says the touchscreen BlackBerry isn't even close to touching the iPhone, while New York's InformationWeek takes little notice of the "baby steps" the much-touted 3G iPhone has taken in usurping the King of email. Is the nation split? Will roving bands of turtleneck-wearing, jean-clad hipsters storm out of San Francisco to take the New York business district in force, or will a bunch of suits embark to distant California and force them to shave and maybe get a decent haircut? Either way, emailed trash talk is sure to swamp the airwaves, although some might get them later than others...

Nearly everyone is aware of the dreaded and painful BlackBerry Thumb, but new research now suggests that the hunched posture of BB users and abusers could lead to BlackBerry Neck, BlackBerry Back, and even BlackBerry Belly. Richard Wells, a kinesiology (human movement) professor, and scientific director Ben Amick are surveying thousands of Canadian workers to determine just how widespread the problem is. Anecdotal evidence is no good, says Wells, but does give them an idea where to look. "We're asking, what is the distribution of muscular-skeletal problems in people who use hand-held devices?" he said, adding that they'll know more in a year. And if you're already experiencing aches and pains, physiotherapist Angela Growse recommends that you simply sit and stand up straight.

In yet another example of the recent furor about BlackBerry overtime, legal experts are now warning employers that lawsuits are just around the corner. Attorneys are advising corporations to re-think who they give a BlackBerry to, and suggest that non-exempt employees -- in other words, those eligible for overtime -- shouldn't receive a phone.

Experts say that a disgruntled former employee is the most likely instigator of a lawsuit. Some lawyers are starting to make noise that BlackBerry overtime is grounds for litigation, and they would seek out these ex-workers. Paul Lopez, head of the labor and employment department at Tripp Scott, said that companies who don't ask employees to record their after hours use would be in an especially bad position to defend against a claim. There's a lot of after hours work, too -- 25% of respondents to a recent survey said they plan to use their BlackBerry for work even while on vacation, and a further 9% said their bosses expected them to at least keep up with email and voicemail, if not actively work, while on their vacation time. While most would agree that the latter is a bit extreme, the rest of it is up for debate: do you think after hours BlackBerry use should be compensated?

Despite the hoopla over the pricey plans at Rogers, and increasing pressure from the public in Canada, Bell and Telus both plan to start charging $0.15 for each incoming text message. Bell will start the new pricing on August 8th, with Telus to follow on the 24th. Though both companies already charge for outgoing text messages, this new attempt to squeeze money out of people for something completely out of their control is likely to cause a great deal of resentment to a customer base that is already upset at high prices for phone services.

Update: It seems Rogers is finally going to listen to customers and offer up some decent (still not great) data rates. Is this a roll reversal in the making... Rogers becomes the less evil good guy and Telus and Bell become the bad guys?! If you're a texter, be sure to subscribe to a plan!

Researchers at Rutgers-Camden University and the University of Northampton found that about a third of BlackBerry users show signs that are similar in many way to alcoholism. Psychologist Glenn Wilson pointed out that the compulsive need to answer emails led to changing direction often, making people tired and distracted. He even said that the constant flow of emails and text messages was more of a threat to IQ and concentration than pot! Others have said that BlackBerry addiction is putting more and more strain on relationships, especially when both partners are wearing out their thumbs. The problem has gotten so bad that one professor, in a paper titled "Employer Liability for Addiction to Information and Communication Technology," suggested that employers provide programs to help with BlackBerry addiction in the same way that many offer support for chemical or substances abuses.

Has your BlackBerry addiction ever gotten bad enough that you'd join one of those programs (and I'm talking for real here...not the CrackBerry Rehab forum)?

The team over at Google have updated their Google Maps app with voice recognition for Pearl users in the US. To use, just center the map on your location, then hold down the left side convenience key and speak a name or location.

Google cautions that the service is still experimental and accuracy will improve over time, but they're using the same software that powers GOOG-411, so they've got a solid base to work on. Hopefully this feature will quickly make its way onto other BlackBerry device models.

Has anyone with a BlackBerry Pearl tried it out? Let us know in the comments!

The guys at Ten23 Software just let us know that they're making the jump from enterprise to consumer with SpotJots Mobile. SpotJots is a location-based networking app that allows you to upload photos, videos, and voice-notes to your account on the fly. It tags all the content you upload with your current location, which opens up a host of uses: a running journal of your day, reviews of spots around where you live, a way to keep in touch with your friends and see what they're doing that's better than hanging out with you, or even just a person media manager for private stuff. It even works on BlackBerrys without GPS by letting you input your current address. Best of all, it's free to download by visiting their download site or texting SPOTJOTS to 41411, so give it a whirl and let us know what you think in the comments.

Three year old Madelyn Eaves was able to get rescuers to her mother with the help of a little song and her mother's BlackBerry. Jessica Eaves taught the song "911 green" to her daughter in case of emergencies. When she collapsed from a condition called vasovogal syncope, Madelyn dialed 911 and hit the green call button, then was able to direct dispatchers to the house using descriptions of her surroundings. The year before, Madelyn had gotten help with another little song, "green green green." When Jessica collapsed, Madelyn repeated the steps, which called the last person Jessica had dialed and allowed them to get help. It's certainly nice to know BlackBerries are so easy to use, and a very ingenious idea from a dedicated mother.