BitPim always wants to convert MP3s to a lower bitrate and sampling rate. But there is no batch convert and it is a daunting process to convert each MP3 individually, click three buttons, wait in between them, and then have a message window pop up saying my MP3 may be too big for my 2GB MicroSD card in my phone?!?

In BitPim, if I choose the Filesystem instead of My Music, I can actually browse the files on my phone while it is connected. I can even transfer files into those folders, including MP3s. BitPim doesn’t attempt to convert here.

So, to bypass the conversion process I do it in another program outside of BitPim because I want to cram as many songs into my phone as possible and since I am transferring over Bluetooth, which is dreadfully slow, smaller files will transfer faster. And when I mean slow, I mean at least a hour and a half for an album encoded at 128 kbps. Bluetooth connectivity seems spotty on my MacBook Pro. I notice placing the phone a few feet away from the computer works best.

To transfer files to the MicroSD card in my phone faster, I can buy an SD adapter and USB SD Card Reader. I had a reader, but those damn things are so small that I loose them. So I am stuck with the bluetooth to transfer, which is ok when syncing my calendar, contacts, and even ringers. But when sending 2GB worth of MP3s… now that’s an overnight job.

So, I open up iTunes and make a playlist of all the MP3s I want on my phone and I select all of them, Ctrl+Click and Select Convert Selection to MP3 from the menu. Now, what iTunes does is make duplicate files of the MP3s at a lower kpbs setting (you must set this in iTunes Preferences under the Advanced Tab). It also makes new MP3s, in the respective directories of my iTunes library.

This is a complete mess, so I think I will try to find a different Batch MP3 converter to make things faster and more efficient. Hopefully I will be able to save all converted MP3s to a single folder.