Are you a Linux user frustrated by the lack of support for
BlackBerry Desktop Manager for your computer? You're definitely not alone. It's a long standing complaint that while Research In Motion has provided desktop clients for Windows and Mac users, they haven't made one available for Linux users. Not surprisingly, this leaves a lot of people struggling to find an alternative for backing up their BlackBerry, whether that means using a different computer or adding a Windows partition to their Linux set-up.
One developer decided to try solving this problem and has come up with LinBerry Desktop Manager. Though still in beta, you can download it to your computer and perform many of the tasks that you would normally do with BlackBerry Desktop Manager on your Windows or Mac computer. With LinBerry you can perform backups, manage contacts, manage applications, and use your BlackBerry as a modem for connecting to the internet.
What is expected in future versions?
- Upgrade the OS of the device.
- Make Wipe (memory reset) device.
- Sync with Evolution and / or Thuntherbird Ligthning.
- Multilingual support beginning with the English language.
- And much more!
LinBerry was first released as an Alpha build back in 2010, but has since moved into Beta. While it is expected to work with all BlackBerry devices, it has only been tested on the Curve 8310, Curve 8520, Curve 8900, Bold 9000, and Bold 9650. If you're a Linux user and looking for an alternative to the nonexistent BlackBerry Desktop Manager for your OS, you may want to look into LinBerry as a solution. Let us know in the comments how it works for you!
More information/download LinBerry
Reader comments
No BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Linux? Check out LinBerry!
Can I use by BB as modem with it?
Does the software still exist? I ask because I get directed to a page that tells me that it doesn't and to go get barry. I've got barry, and am not impressed. All barry does is bckup. Linberry sounds fantastic!
I might get time to try this later today
I just ordered my Z10 green when it comes to blackberry, is it possible to sync with evolution on BB10?
Linberry is no longer available. You can now download the MAnager : Barry from the Ubuntu Software Center now but need Open Sync for it to work.
sudo apt-get install opensync-plugin-evolution opensync-plugin-file opensync-plugin-syncml opensyncutils multisync-tools multisync0.90
Download link doesn't work for me :(
Can't get it to work with a 8130 on a debian based system.
Sorry Linberry. You need lots of work.
I'll just stick to my Windows XP VM, or work computer to do this stuff... too many headache's already on Linux. I don't need to bother with this one too.
BUT... kudos to you LinBerry developer! I'm glad to see this stuff happening as we Linux users get shafted way too many times. 3.5 years on Linux now and still find weekly WTF's and FML's. Perhaps time to change distro's...
Not working for me on the Ubuntu 11.10 and BB PlayBook. Just showing 'Connect your device with USB cable' or somethings like this. Maybe next time :-)
Envoyé de ma tablette BlackBerry® PlayBook™.
Used this a while ago and it worked well. Just want Evolution sync so I can use all the time :)
now seriously, how many people are using Linux with Blackberry? Please reply, I am curious...
Apparently more than you and me anticipated. Gonna give LinBerry a shot on my ArchLinux.
@ borisporosin If you tried Linux you'd use it a lot. No viruses, spyware, malware, etc.
I was using Linux from Redhat 4.2, so I know... but anyway I doubt that there are plenty people with Blackberry phones and Linux...
It takes time, the developer is awesome to make a linux port.
I'll give that a shot soon, I'll wait until the next beta is out before then.
Until then, options are:
-Use a virtual machine or windows partition (windows xp sp3 preferred, as long as USB ports and network connectivity work, you're good to go, it doesn't matter if there's no hardware support for windows XP by the manufacturer either)
-use a seperate older computer (winXP SP3)
Program installs on LinuxMint 12 x64 (with some fiddling around). Upon opening, it detects my phone model but then seems to hang for a minute or so, afterwhich, it's laggy but responds.
Bold 9900 works, with a few bugs.
The phone picture that pops up is correct, however the image on the screen looks like a rainbow barfed on the matrix (will post pic)
Backups do not work (it SAYS it completed without errors, but there is no created backup file in the state directory. just a config file that says what is included in the backup). using phone as a modem does not work (or I did it wrong, I dont speaka spani!)
Contact manager DOES work, add/remove apps DOES work.
Could not test the restore function, and the backup function doesn't do anything.
IMAGE:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/59236667/linberry.jpg
Could need some help installing LinBerry on Fedora16. Quite a lot of unsolved dependencies...
It is great that someone adresses the blackberry-linux compatibility again. Still hoping that Rim is not ignoring the linux community with BB10 again.
what package manager does that use? do you have yum? apt?
using yum
Well, they're definitely not ignoring Linux on the developer side. All the PlayBook tools released thus far do work quite well under Linux, and I'm pretty sure the QNX folks doing a lot of the heavy-lifting now are more *nix-friendly than Windows-friendly.
From the developer side of things, the actual Windows dependencies were minimal. But they were "just enough" to make you want to scream. All the tools were Java, except for the USB debugging library and a few bits of framework code in the device simulators. (RIM never managed to port the latter, which is why the MacOSX attempt at BBOS developer tools were never all that useful.)
yes, I just hope there will be some kind of dm for linux with full os-update capabilities when bb10 is coming out. Bet it would by a buying argument for quite a lot of people.
AWESOME! I love you Linberry dev!!
Even though what I need most is being able to update my device through here. Or even reload OS if possible.
But this is definitely something I need regardless!
And if anything, they can just make it available for Ubuntu. Or what cbvinh said.
i thought this is for Jeremy Lin...
oh BlackBerry Storm...when will you ever die and rid yourself of all promotional material...
The developer forgot to remove it, or it's still their daily driver. It won't "die" out.
Thanks for sharing this Michelle! I've replied to the forum post about google sync support ending and asking for information on Linux support for backing up my calendar to Mozilla Lightning. Looking forwards to future updates to set me free from Micro$oft. Big thanks for the LinBerry developers as well!
If you need help with a PT_BR release, just let me know.
This is great news.
Barry made easy - I like it.
The problem with coming up with anything for Linux is, what flavor of Linux are you going to cater too. With the different variations of Linux out there,. How many sub api's are you going to write, bound to rile the feathers of some Linux users if you exclude them. It. Is so varied that you will be pulling your hair out just to cater to all flavors of Linux.
You could always build a statically linked version. The binary is bigger, but you won't have to worry about libs.
Well a developer could have two choices
1) Open Source it and allow everyone to compile it themselves
or
2) Program it for Debian and RPM based distros, that knocks out 3/4ths of the distros out there
Hmmm.... I'm gonna have to try this. My blackberry is one of only a few things that's keeping me from going all linux.
+1 for that!
I'm in the same boat. It's about the only thing I keep Windows around for. Otherwise it's nearly useless for me. An avid Ubuntu user myself. :)
Boldly sent from my 9930
Hmm...
Linteresting...
(I'm sorry. I had to.)
Anyways.. Shane(SCrid2000) Will be Delighted. :p