I decided to jump on the bandwagon and swich my business email to Google Apps, and I am pleased that I did. I was able to do the swich with little issue and used IMAP to backup all my emails from Apple Mail to GMail first before deleting the account from Apple Mail.

WARNING: Be sure to set up your Google IMAP or POP on Apple Mail and drag and drop your Apple Mail emails to the Google IMAP Server or to the new GMail Pop account folders first, then you can delete the old pop accounts in Apple Mail. Otherwise you will lose everything FOREVER!

Some key links for setting up Apple Mail with your new GMail or Google Apps Account (opens up new windows)

Apple Mail 3.0 (Leopard) IMAP Setup

Apple Mail 2.0 IMAP Setup

Now you can either add the Gmail or Google Apps email to your Blackberry Messenger or do what I do which is much less tasking on your phone and more browser based so the phone does not get bogged down.

USE GMail Mobile! or go to m.google.com/mail on your Blackberry

GMail Mobile is incredibly fast, notifies you with a blinking light on your blackberry, but when you open the application it has the friendly GMail interface we come to love. Great thing is you can add multiple accounts too!

Now the best part is working with Google Calendar and it being totally compatible with iCal and your Blackberry Curve. Google Calendar has now upgraded their program to include tasks so take advantage of that. I personally use the following add-on to sync my Blackberry Curve’s contacts. calendars, and email.

Google Sync for Blackberry

or you can go to http://m.google.com/sync on your Blackberry browser to download it right to your phone. Once you download, install, and open it. It will ask for your account info so you would put in your email address and password and go from there.

ATTENTION: Your contacts will sync perfectly, but you may have a problem syncing your blackberry calendar and this is why I write this post. Below I explain the method for getting your calendar sync to succeed.

Having a problem syncing your google calendars to the blackberry from a fresh install of google sync. All you Blackberry users would get frustrated without this info so here we go with the solution!

1. Quickly add your Gmail or Google Apps Mail to your Blackberry Messenger through your providers outlet. If you are not going to use Messenger to retreive your emails, no worries just simply select in the settings to not download emails from this account just add it as a dummy account of sorts.
2. Once your phone gets the acknowledgement that your Blackberry is now setup with yourname@gmail.com, you can take out the battery, wait 30 seconds then reinsert battery.
3. Once the Blackberry loads up, go to Options
4. Go to Advanced Options
5. Go to Default Services
6. Click under Calendar (CICAL): and slect your GMail address
7. Keep messaging the same
8. Get out of there completely!
9. Open Google Sync on your Blackberry
10. Click the menu button
11. Set Sync to Automatic or whatever option you prefer
12. Scroll to Sync these Calendars and Click
13. Here you will select which Google Calendars you would like to sync
14. Back out twice and save
15. Click yes on Sync Now and Voila!

I personally used Apple Mail to backup my old emails then I stopped using it and downloaded Google Notifier for Mac which puts two small icons at the top bar giving you nice lightbox notifications of your new emails and events coming up.

Download Google Notifier for Mac

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Tags: Apple, Bandwagon, Blackberry Curve, Business Email, Calendar, Calendars, Email Address, Email Password, Folders, Gmail, GMail IMAP, Google, Google Apps, Google Notifier, Google Sync, Interface, Macbook, Mail Drop, Messenger, Nbsp, Pop Account, Pop Accounts, Sync