[kingbernie06511]

So I heard a DM7 version leaked a while back (Im on Mac so not for me) but the issues multiple users are facing is baffling.... Was there a public Beta? Or a closed Beta? Is a small number of users experiencing issues, or is it like 10-25%?

Funny, Steve Jobs a year ago said that RIM would have issues transitioning into a 'software' company.... was he right?

Was DM7 marketed to create buzz? Are there new features?

If a new version of iTunes was made available today, Apple would swing for the fences and create buzz on anything you can imagine. Is it just me but DM7 release was 'silent'?

[JDukeOSBB]

DM7 was available in beta zone for several several months prior to release.

[lonedog]

Really sf18443? If there was a beta for DM 7 in Beta Zone it must have been a closed beta or else they pulled it because I belong to Beta Zone and I've never seen it.

There are new features in DM 7. While this isn't an exhaustive list of what was updated, RIM added the ability to sync certificates, and I believe the Bluetooth syncing was also updated. While I haven't tried connecting my PlayBook to DM, it's likely that there is also some kind of update in there for the PlayBook.

[JDukeOSBB]

Really sf18443? If there was a beta for DM 7 in Beta Zone it must have been a closed beta or else they pulled it because I belong to Beta Zone and I've never seen it.

There are new features in DM 7. While this isn't an exhaustive list of what was updated, RIM added the ability to sync certificates, and I believe the Bluetooth syncing was also updated. While I haven't tried connecting my PlayBook to DM, it's likely that there is also some kind of update in there for the PlayBook.

I am not sure if it was a closed beta, it may have been. There was not a whole lot of activity (not many updates) but I have been running DM7 since August 2011 and I think there were 3 during that time.

[grumpyaeroguy]

I am afraid we are the beta test right now, and, it ain't working......

[eds817]

The problem with the beta program is they never get enough people testing and participating in the discussions.

I was invited to the beta for OS7.1.0.205 for T-Mobile on 1/20 and the person running the beta started a Tell Us What You Think thread on 12/15. The first post to that thread was on 1/18 and it had the most activity, 59 posts. T-Mobile prematurely releases 7.1 after minimal testing but end users (unless they did their own customer testing).

As far as DM I don't know how long the beta went on or how many people were in it before they closed it but there should have been thousands. And if they paid any attention to the testers I'm sure the problems we are reading here were brought to their attention.

It seems that for every step forward RIM takes they take two back.

I am such a loyal RIM supporter but they sure make it tough.

[kingbernie06511]

The problem with the beta program is they never get enough people testing and participating in the discussions.

I was invited to the beta for OS7.1.0.205 for T-Mobile on 1/20 and the person running the beta started a Tell Us What You Think thread on 12/15. The first post to that thread was on 1/18 and it had the most activity, 59 posts. T-Mobile prematurely releases 7.1 after minimal testing but end users (unless they did their own customer testing).

As far as DM I don't know how long the beta went on or how many people were in it before they closed it but there should have been thousands. And if they paid any attention to the testers I'm sure the problems we are reading here were brought to their attention.

It seems that for every step forward RIM takes they take two back.

I am such a loyal RIM supporter but they sure make it tough.

So is it a marketing issue? If they had announced DM7 Beta1 at DevCon or other event, with all the bells and whistles, with new features, a couples of months ago. Would that have generated buzz? I feel like RIM's complete incapacity at marketing anything is a big part of the problem here....

[kingbernie06511]

a Gold Master release should be pretty much problem free, and the release build the same....

[jonty12]

I'm confused by all this DM talk. The only think I ever use it for is backing up! Other than that everything is done via network, wifi, or USB. It's one of the reasons I never liked Apple products - the requirement to use iTunes.

What are people using DM for?

As an aside, I've been using DM 7 for backups for several months now. I've never had a problem with it (on three laptops).

[kbz1960]

I don't know how dm compares to itunes but a release of a program that basicly backs up and syncs is nothing to get excited about.

What features do people want from dm?

[eds817]

So is it a marketing issue? If they had announced DM7 Beta1 at DevCon or other event, with all the bells and whistles, with new features, a couples of months ago. Would that have generated buzz? I feel like RIM's complete incapacity at marketing anything is a big part of the problem here....

I don't know what criteria they use to invite someone to test a product. They have 75 million subscribers so you would think it would be easy to get 10,000 people to test a product. There were leaked versions of DM7 going back to last summer. These same issues existed then.

There were leaked versions of DM7 going back to last summer

Here's a problem I had in September that if I'm correct I read the other day the others had with the "official" release.

Maybe RIM needs to pay more attention to what goes on here and ask us to test their products. After all when people need help this is the first place they come for answers.

[kingbernie06511]

marketing, marketing, marketing..... where is all the buzz about DM7? DM7 should be exciting, and relatively bug free....

[kingbernie06511]

I don't know how dm compares to itunes but a release of a program that basicly backs up and syncs is nothing to get excited about.

What features do people want from dm?

-usb sync
-bluetooth sync
-internet sync with BB protect servers, which have copies of your calendar and contacts (cloud sync).
-more polished interface
-cloud-based device status, app status
-internet BBM, which is a net 'bridged' version of your phone's BBM
-Access to you BB media files
-INNOVATIONS!!!!!
-SOMETHING NEW!!!!
-Music store
-dial a phone number from DM, your BB rigns and you connect to the other person through speakerphone or BT
dont even get me started....

[jonty12]

-usb sync - why have a resource hogging app for this?
-bluetooth sync - see above
-internet sync with BB protect servers, which have copies of your calendar and contacts (cloud sync). - exactly - INTERNET sync through the cloud; no DM needed
-more polished interface - get rid of the interface and app entirely!!
-cloud-based device status, app status - CLOUD based - why an application of the desktop to tether to with a wire??
-internet BBM, which is a net 'bridged' version of your phone's BBM - have a BBM desktop app, not DM
-Access to you BB media files - easily done through any file manager! Drag and Drop
-INNOVATIONS!!!!!
-SOMETHING NEW!!!!
-Music store - there is one on your phone! why through a separate application on your computer??
-dial a phone number from DM, your BB rigns and you connect to the other person through speakerphone or BT - this would be better done though Outlook or any sort of contact manager
dont even get me started....

I think Apple has succeeded in getting people to think there's only one way to do things - the Apple way. iTunes is a horrible beast that shouldn't be a necessity for iOS users, but for the most part still is. I'd much, much, much prefer to be able to do everything wirelessly through the network.

[Mikey_T]

I don't know how dm compares to itunes but a release of a program that basicly backs up and syncs is nothing to get excited about.

What features do people want from dm?

At this point i'd be happy if it would back-up and sync.

[kingbernie06511]

@Jonty
-usb sync - why have a resource hogging app for this? Done
-bluetooth sync - see above - Not on my Mac
-internet sync with BB protect servers, which have copies of your calendar and contacts (cloud sync). - exactly - INTERNET sync through the cloud; no DM needed -Outlook talks to the internet, but you need a RIM app to tell Outlook/Entourage/iCal to get infos from RIM's servers - DM to the rescue
-more polished interface - get rid of the interface and app entirely!! It looked terrible on my old vista computer, I dont know how it looks now
-cloud-based device status, app status - CLOUD based - why an application of the desktop to tether to with a wire?? Because you can use your computer with a faster net connection
-internet BBM, which is a net 'bridged' version of your phone's BBM - have a BBM desktop app, not DM -True, but in the meantime this could be a way to by pass this
-Access to you BB media files - easily done through any file manager! Drag and Drop -Not when my phone is not cnnected
-INNOVATIONS!!!!!
-SOMETHING NEW!!!!
-Music store - there is one on your phone! why through a separate application on your computer?? -More options your computer, speakers, etc
-dial a phone number from DM, your BB rigns and you connect to the other person through speakerphone or BT - this would be better done though Outlook or any sort of contact manager. Correct, but until then send it as a request to you BB through RIM's servers
dont even get me started....

But you have a point, iTunes is huge and I dont use it much on my Mac

[kingbernie06511]

but i wished that i didnt have to use a cable, or bluetooth to sync my calendar, and DM could manage this through the clound (BB protect or BBM on the phone side, and DM on the computer side)

[jonty12]

but i wished that i didnt have to use a cable, or bluetooth to sync my calendar, and DM could manage this through the clound (BB protect or BBM on the phone side, and DM on the computer side)

My email/calendars are synced real-time purely through the net. I never connect cables to sync them. This is exchange mail/calendar and google mail/calendar.

[kingbernie06511]

yeah, I heard that you could do that through google calendar. Can outlook/entourage sync to google?

[jonty12]

yeah, I heard that you could do that through google calendar. Can outlook/entourage sync to google?

not sure. I'm on BES for exchange so it syncs wirelessly out of the box (mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes). The google sync app lets you sync google calendar and contacts, although you may not actually need the app anymore (just done through BIS).

check out this link, it may help: Sync with Microsoft Outlook - Google Calendar Help