Converting Blackberry Voice Notes (AMR to MP3)

Although Media Coder will convert most any media file to most anything else, this tutorial focuses on audio files from my Blackberry. There's many other listings online for converting AMR files that Blackberry phones use, but this is far, far better:

Before recording files, prepare the Blackberry:

1. Save time and effort by getting a Mini-SD card installed in the back of the phone. The advantages here are recording much longer as well as easier to transfer.
   
2. Go into "Options" - "Media Card" and enable "Media Card Support" and "Mass Storage Mode".
3. Plug in your phone via USB cable.
   

Converting the files:

1. Download Media Coder. While you only need the audio edition for this task, I recommend the full program.
   
2. Install the program. Although this program is supremely customizable, just use the default settings when asked.
   
3. Once open, click the taskbar icon to open the window and select "Add" and put the files or directory that you want to convert (hold CTRL or SHIFT for multiple files).
4. Once your files are selected, look in the lower window and select the "Audio" tab.
5. From the Drop box next to "Encoder", select LAME MP3.
6. Move the preset to the right to "voice".
7. Then click the "Start" button at the top of the window.
   

By default, the mp3 files should appear in the same folder where the original files exist. If your AMR files are on the desktop, your mp3 files will appear there too with the same file names (but ending in .mp3). You're done! Listen to them to make sure the quality is what you want, then delete the originals.

Note: An alternative program to MediaCoder is XMedia Recode, a program that has similar functions, but I've had less success with. The site is in German but the program can be downloaded and switched to English with little effort.