Need help getting music on a Blackberry -- mission accomplished!

[Moesha]

I work for a lady in her 60s who is severely challenged when it comes to technology. She wanted to be able to check her e-mail on her cell phone, so Verizon had her get a Blackberry instead of showing her how it could have been done on her EnV. Anyway, she recently had foot surgery and is stuck in bed for several weeks. She has been playing with the menus on the Blackberry and sees where it lists music options. She wants me to show her how she can get music on her Blackberry. I am not familiar with Blackberrys nor am I familiar with playing music on my cell phone. I don't even listen to music on my Sansa. I only use it for Audiobooks that I transfer from my computer manually into the Audiobook folder on the Sansa. She has no music currently on her computer. She wants to know if she can transfer any of her CDs to the computer and then to the Blackberry. I've tried doing some searches online and have found where I could download Blackberry MediaSync to transfer music using her iTunes playlist. She doesn't have an iTunes playlist and honestly I haven't used iTunes either. Can I rip one of her CDs and create a playlist and then transfer it to the Blackberry? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

ETA: I don't know if it matters which Blackberry phone she has or not. I'm not sure of the model. I know it isn't the Pearl and it isn't the touch screen one, the Storm I think. It may be the Curve, but I'm not positive.

Edit #2: Ok I've learned that there is software called Blackberry Desktop Manager that uses Roxio Media. Amazon says that you can rip a CD with it and then transfer it to the Blackberry. The problem is at the download page this is the message:


Software Download for BlackBerry Support

Note:

If you did not purchase BlackBerry directly from Research In Motion (RIM), please contact your service provider to determine if this software has been authorized for use with your handheld.

While BlackBerry Software and associated documentation may be available for download in languages other than English, BlackBerry Technical Support will continue to offer support in English only at this time.

If you are looking for BlackBerry Enterprise Server software, please click here.


I know she got it at Verizon. So does this mean she can't use that software? Verizon will only talk to her about the phone on her account and I know she would be clueless as to what to ask them. Why me?!? LOL

[Laura's Babies]

My guess is she will need a program to convert her Cds to MP3 format. My Sansa has a program that converts them for me.. Check online and see if the blackberry has a conversion program online, Sansa's was a free download.

[smokey the elder]

My Blackberry Storm (same model she has) came with a disk to do all the applications, but I got it through Verizon. It works with the music service Rhapsody, but I'm sure you can copy .mp3 files to it.

[Moesha]

Thanks. I'll definitely look at the software that she got. I figured Verizon would use Rhapsody but wasn't sure if you could use it to transfer your own music or if you could only use it to download from Rhapsody.

[Laura's Babies]

You may have to go online to get a converter, I would start at the blackberry's web sight... If you have no luck, do a search online typing in something like blackberry converting music to mp3/forums or whatever way you can think to word it. (blackberry conversion tool for mp3) Try it many ways. I got plenty of hits on just typing in "converting music to mp3 for blackberry"..

Whenever I need to find something I start by typing in my search engine whatever it is I am wanting.. Ask Jeeves, "ask a question" idea works in any search engine.

Many burning programs offer the choice to burn them in mps format. Save them on your computer, burn them to mp3 format, put them back on (after deleting the orginal) and there ya go!

Also, MP3fiesta.com has all theirs in mp3 format. The songs are 20 cents a piece and they give you the first $20, after that you have to pay for them but they are still 20 cents.... Do you know how many songs you can download for $20 @ 20 cents a piece?

[Cataholic]

I have the Pearl, and verizon. Their customer support is awesome. I would suggest you take the lady, and her BB, to the local verizon place and see what they say. The RIM software came with my BB, it wasn't an extra purchase.

I would be interested to see how this is done. I am not into music at all...I have an iPod that I have used less than 10 times in 2 years. But, it would be cool....

[Moesha]

It was very easy, once I found her software and installed it. She had a CD with the desktop manager software. Once that was installed, I just clicked on the media option I think it is and then clicked on the music note. The Roxie software opened. As soon as I put the music CD in, it asked if I wanted to import the CD. I said yes and it took a few minutes to transfer that. Then I plugged the Blackberry in. It immediately recognized it. It told me I needed to insert a media card though. So then I had to go to town and buy one for her. Trying to find where that went was the hardest part! I had to search and search online until I found a site that gave step by step instructions for it. Although I probably could have figured it out if only I could have found it! She has the Curve 8330. To get to the media card slot you have to slide the back off, remove the battery and then slide the metal latch to unlock to get it to pop up. I would never have found it under the battery, even if I had taken the battery off. Anyway, once I had that installed and plugged it back in to the computer, the transfer was so easy. I picked the music folder under the media card folder, not the music folder on the phone itself, then just highlighted the album and clicked the button to "move down". It asked me if I wanted to convert it for optimal listening or something. So I said sure. LOL Thank you for the suggestions. Believe it or not, they really did help.