[rlctnt]

Hello,

I would like to import my contacts into a Curve 8530 but have not figured-out a way to do this.

On my Blackberry Q10 (which I have just started using, having purchased used from ebay), I was able to import my contacts from a CSV file (that I had exported from my Fastmail account) on MicroSD card. But the only files from MicroSD media that my 8530 even seems to recognize at all are those in MP3 or JPEG and other image formats.

In an attempt to import the contacts from my Q10 to my 8530, I did manage to pair the two devices via Bluetooth. But all I managed to then do was to export contacts from the 8530 to the Q10-- the reverse of what I was attempting and needed to do.

Importing my contacts directly from my Fastmail account to my 8530 does not seem like an option either, as logging-in to said account from the 8530 does not appear to be possible*. And even if it were, how secure could it be to do so, given the highly antiquated, deprecated state of the 8530 software?

Any ideas or suggestions? Web searches have yielded no helpful results.

What about Blackberry Link? I neither have any experience with said software nor run either Windows or Mac but only (GNU+)Linux. If, however, it would be possible, reasonably practical and not too costly to import my contacts into the 8530 by using Blackberry Link, then, should no simpler option be found, I would consider trying to arrange the requisite access to a supported Windows or Mac system.

I would be grateful for any help. Thanks for reading.

*NOTE:
I am able to connect the 8530 to my home WiFi network without trouble.

I have not used this 8530 as a phone for some time now (but rather, mainly, as an MP3 player) but would like to again activate it with Page Plus (a Verizon MVNO) and go back to using, at least temporarily, for voice and SMS text, as I had in the past. To the best of my knowledge, the 8530 as well as all 3G Blackberry phones will only work with Page Plus for voice and text. (See this page, which corroborates what a dealer had told me a few years ago already.)

[Bla1ze]

What about Blackberry Link? I neither have any experience with said software nor run either Windows or Mac but only (GNU+)Linux. If, however, it would be possible, reasonably practical and not too costly to import my contacts into the 8530 by using Blackberry Link, then, should no simpler option be found, I would consider trying to arrange the requisite access to a supported Windows or Mac system.

BlackBerry Link was never really designed to go back in time. It was to support those moving from BBOS to BB10. In order to really do anything on that 8530, you're going to be looking at the even older and less supported BlackBerry Desktop Software and I'm not even sure that will support what it is you're trying to do in the manner in which you're trying to do it.

This post might be of some help - https://crackberry.com/dear-berry-ho...bb10-back-bbos

[rlctnt]

My apologies for not acknowledging this reply of yours sooner. I appreciate your trying to help.

In order to really do anything on that 8530, you're going to be looking at the even older and less supported BlackBerry Desktop Software

Yes, thank you for pointing this out. I had actually realized my error, i.e. conflating BlackBerry Link with BlackBerry Desktop, shortly after posting.

and I'm not even sure that will support what it is you're trying to do in the manner in which you're trying to do it.

All I was trying to do was to simply import my contacts into a Curve 8530.

On a Q10, I had no problem importing my contacts from a CSV or VCF file (that I had exported directly from my Fastmail account) on a microSD card. I would have thought that the same would have been possible on the 8530. Alas, it would seem that it is not.

In my initial post I had written,

But the only files from MicroSD media that my 8530 even seems to recognize at all are those in MP3 or JPEG and other image formats.

I subsequently realized that by navigating to Applications > Files > File Folders > Media Card , I am able to at least see what may very well be /all/ of the files I have on the inserted microSD card (in their respective folders, no less). Opening and making any use of said files, however, was another story.

Of the various file formats that I had my contacts saved in (VCF, CSV, ADR and LDIF), VCF was the only one I could open at all in my 8530. (The files in other formats displayed a question mark icon in the list view and the message "Unable to display file" when attempting to open them. The same, incidentally, was the case for all of the PDF files I attempted to open.) But doing so resulted in the following odd behavior. The only thing displayed was the name of one of my contacts, along with the option to import said single contact. I note that it was just the name and none of the other data (such as telephone number, email address , etc.) that was visible. (Additionally, even after "importing" said individual contact and opening it in my contacts within the 8530, nothing more than the name would display.)

This post might be of some help - https://crackberry.com/dear-berry-ho...bb10-back-bbos

Thanks. I had a look but I'm afraid that it did not appear as if a solution for my case could be found there.

What I actually resorted-to doing was to manually type-in my most essential contacts. (Phone numbers only; no email on this 8530 for me; no BIS.) While I would still /like/ to be able to import all of my contacts into the 8530, doing so is no longer a high priority for me at this point. For the reality is that this phone is now not only pretty badly worn but I now find the sound quality, for whatever reason, to be just atrocious; much worse than I ever recall it being before. I am therefore determined to replace this 8530 as soon as possible.

From researching the matter, it appears to me that the Bold Touch 9930 would adequately satisfy my present needs and would, on balance, likely be the best choice for me at this point. (I can get a used 9930 advertised as in good-to-excellent condition, Verizon/GSM-unlocked, for no more than $25.00 on ebay.) My major hesitation, however, is, as you likely guessed by now, concern over the same question: Will I be able to import my contacts easily into the 9930, as I did for the Q10? Or will I encounter the same (or similar) exasperating and ultimately futile experience in this regard with the 9930 that I did with the 8530 ? I plan to make this inquiry in the 99xx forum.

[Bla1ze]

Or will I encounter the same (or similar) exasperating and ultimately futile experience in this regard with the 9930 that I did with the 8530 ? I plan to make this inquiry in the 99xx forum.

You'll have the same issue. However, the work you did on the 8530 with contacts already will transfer to a 9930. Just create a backup of the 8530, and load that onto the 9930.

[rlctnt]

You'll have the same issue.

Would you, or anyone else, perhaps be able to tell me why that is?

Is it because the the 9930's OS 7, while considerably newer than the 8530's software[1], is still too antiquated[2] to handle current files of the types-in-question (in this case, VCF or CSV)?[3]

Would that also be the explanation for the Bluetooth limitations I had encountered, where despite being able to pair the 8530 with the Q10 via Bluetooth, I was only able to transfer contacts one-way-- the wrong way for me: from the 8530 to the Q10?

However, the work you did on the 8530 with contacts already will transfer to a 9930. Just create a backup of the 8530, and load that onto the 9930.

How would I do that? Did you mean to use Blackberry Desktop? Or is there some other way?

Thanks again. Your time and readiness to help and all the work that you obviously put into these highly useful forums, are all much appreciated.

NOTES:
[1] According to "About" in my 8530, it is running,

v. 5.0.0.973 (Bundle 1596, Platform 4.2.0.422)

[2] According to
All BlackBerry phones - page 2
the 8530 was released in December 2009 and the 9930 in August 2011.

[3]And what about PDFs (which, as I noted in my previous post, I was also unable to open)? Did the 8530 not come with a native PDF reader? Would there be any way to add one now, without BIS?