BlackBerry has built its reputation on being an easy-to-use smartphone that handles e-mail extremely well. Not one to rest on its laurels, RIM has teamed up with Roxio to provide a media manager solution in its Desktop Manager software that makes getting music on your BlackBerry seamless and easy. In just a few simple steps, you can get the music stored on your computer onto your smartphone. You will need a MicroSD card to store all that music on your BlackBerry. Once you have music on your BlackBerry, you can even save it as a ringtone. That's a pretty cool feature. What's the best part about the Roxio software? It won't transfer any media file from your computer that the BlackBerry can't play back.
1. Load the BlackBerry Desktop Manager on your PC
You?ll need to first load the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, which is available on the CD that came with your smartphone. If you don't have the CD, you?ll need to download the software from BlackBerry.com. You?ll want to select BlackBerry Desktop Software version 4.3 with Media Manager.
2. Launch Media Manager and connect your BlackBerry
Once the application is installed, you?ll want to launch the program; if it doesn't self-start, click on the Desktop Manager icon. Next, you?ll want to insert your MicroSD card in the BlackBerry so that you?ll have a place to store music. Once the BlackBerry has a MicroSD card installed, connect the BlackBerry to your computer via the included USB-to-mini-USB synching cable. Once the cable is connected, launch the Media Manager by clicking on the application from the main menu.
3. Use the Media Manager software to locate your music on your desktop
When the software application opens on the screen, you?ll see that the view is split in half. The top half of the display is dedicated to managing files on your desktop, and the bottom window pane is to help manage media files on the BlackBerry. In the top pane, select the folder and locate the music on your desktop. (Note: You can also import new media such as music found on a CD inserted in your computer. Simply select Import Digital Media from the navigation bar, then choose Import Audio.) Once the music is located, the files will appear in the right-hand pane on the screen. Music files with a Play icon will be able to be played back on your BlackBerry, while those with a picture of a lock can't be played back over the BlackBerry -- this is typically the case with music files that have Digital Rights Management (DRM) encoded on them.
4. Move music from the desktop window pane to the BlackBerry window pane
In the lower half of the screen, you?ll see tabs that let you select where the music should be moved. Select the tab with the picture of a phone on it. The BlackBerry should appear. Click the plus (+) sign to see all the folders available in the BlackBerry. Next, choose the BlackBerry Media Card option and highlight the folder where you want the music moved ? most likely, it will be the music folder. Once you've done that, highlight all the music you want moved from the computer to the BlackBerry by holding down Control and clicking the files you want. Then choose Copy Down (this is located between the top and bottom window panes). A screen will appear that asks you how you want to compress the files you are moving. If you choose the top option, Convert for Optimal Playback, you will be able to save more songs to the media card. Choose the next option, Copy with No Conversion, if you don't want to change file compression and, thereby, leave the music file in its original form.
5. Let the Roxio Media Manager software take the guesswork out of compatibility
One of the great features about this software is that it takes the guesswork out of the compatibility equation for you, thereby allowing you to make the most of the space on your MicroSD card. For example, you can choose to move playlists to the BlackBerry much in the same manner in which you choose to move individual music files. If there's a song selected or song found in the playlist that can not be played back over the BlackBerry, you?ll be alerted that the file will not be transferred. This ensures that there will be no surprises when it doesn't appear on your BlackBerry once the transfer is complete.
6. Disconnect the BlackBerry and start listening to tunes on your smartphone
Once the transfer of music from the computer to the BlackBerry is complete, you can disconnect your BlackBerry either by choosing Disconnect from the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software or via your computer's device-eject menu. This is an important step -- if you disconnect the BlackBerry before the transfer is complete (you?ll be alerted when the music is on the MicroSD card, and all the music will appear in the bottom pane of the window screen), the files may not be on the smartphone. After the BlackBerry has been properly disconnected, choose Media from the main menu on the phone, then Music and find the song you want to hear. Select it and press play.
Note: To see music stored on a BlackBerry streaming over a home stereo, check out our video.