The Ultimate Blackberry Phone Tips and Tricks

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The Ultimate Blackberry Phone Tips and TricksPC World Team 05 Apr' 2010

For such a tiny little device, thatBlackBerrysmartphone of yours has an amazing amount of functionality packed in

behind the scenes. But, unfortunately, realizing the true potential of a Research In Motion (RIM) device isn't always

as simple as opening up a user guide or surfing on over to Google. In fact, your BlackBerry's literally packing

hundreds of "hidden" tips and tricks.That's where we come in. We bring you a comprehensive set of tips and tricks -

for the novice, the seasoned expert and everyone in between. We' take through a comprehensive list of shortcuts,

performance tips, our favorite BlackBerry software downloads, battery-life advice, memory optimization methods,

getting more out of the built-in camera, better browsing techniques, innovative uses for your BlackBerry's Bluetooth,

and much more.After learning these techniques, you'll wonder how you ever got by without them. Each tip takes

only a second or two to learn and put to use, and they'll save precious time, provide valuable information about your

device and make your smartphone run faster and more smoothly.So sit back, whip out that BlackBerry and pay

attention.

Shortcuts Galore

On the list of reasons why we admire Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry operating system (OS), the sheernumber of built-in, valuable keyboard shortcuts ranks near the top. So whether you're new to the whole BlackBerry

scene or you've been sporting a 'Berry on your belt since the beginnings of push e-mail, we're sure you'll find the

following list of BlackBerry shortcuts well worth a read. When you're finished with our list, all you'll need is a shortcut

to help you remember all these shortcuts. Unfortunately, you're on your own with that one...for now, at least.

Typing Shortcuts

To capitalize a letter with one click, hold down the letter key.To insert a period, click the Space key twice.Turn CAP Lock on by pressing the ALT key followed by the right Shift key. Turn it off by pressing either Shift key.

Turn Number Lock on by pressing the ALT key followed by the left Shift key. Turn it off by pressing either Shift key.Type an accented letter or special character by holding the corresponding letter and scrolling left or right with thetrackball.

Insert the current date into a message or document by pressing the L key followed by the D keyand Space key.Insert the current time into a message or document by pressing the L key followed by the T key and Space key.Switch text input languages on your BlackBerry at any point by hit the ALT button and Enter key at the same time,use your trackball to scroll to the new language you'd like to use, then click the trackball to confirm the newselection.

Messaging (E-mail and SMS)

In e-mail inbox, press the S key to search for a sender or a word within a subject line, and any mail folder regardless

of message was sent or received.Within inbox, access the complete list of messages sent by hitting the ALT key followed by the O key.Within inbox, access the complete list of messages received by hitting the ALT key followed by the I key.Within inbox, access the complete list of SMS text messages received by hitting the ALT key followed by the S key.Within inbox, access phone log by hitting the ALT key followed by the P key.Within inbox, access voicemail log by hitting the ALT key followed by the V key.To delete all messages sent or received before a specific date, highlight that date with the cursor, hit the BlackBerryMenu key, select Delete Prior and confirm selection.To enable automatic spell checking of e-mail messages, click the Options icon on BlackBerry home screen. Thenclick Spell Check and select the Spell Check E-Mail Before Sending option.To do a manual spell check, click the BlackBerry Menu key within a composed message and select Check Spelling.
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When a message is being spell checked, suggested fixes to unrecognized words can be ignored by clicking theescape key.Heavy BlackBerry users know the pain of trying to catch up on an e-mail thread with multiple responses. For easiernavigation of a conversation threads, open the first message and then hit the J key to jump to the next response,and so on. You can also return to an earlier message in the thread by hitting the K key. (Note: If the subject line ofthe thread has been modified, you may not be able to find all responses using this shortcut.)You can simply close a message, and when you're free again, just hit the Gkey after reopening it, and you'll bebrought to the exact spot where you stopped reading.

Phone Functions

Multitask while on phone calls by hitting the BlackBerry menu key during a call and then selecting Home Screen.You'll then have access to e-mail and other documents--though most BlackBerrys don't allow for simultaneous voiceand data transfer, so Internet access is unavailable while on calls.Find specific contacts from your BlackBerry home screen by pressing keys for first and last initials, with a spacebetween them. If more than one contact has the same initials, scroll to the appropriate contact.Rapidly switch back and forth between BlackBerry applications by holding down the ALT key and then clickESCAPE. While holding down ALT, you can then scroll left or right between apps, and you need only release theALT key to select a program.To reboot without removing the battery, simply hit ALT, RIGHT SHIFT and DELETE.To pull up the Help Me screen, navigate to your home screen and then press ALT, either SHIFT key and the letter

H. To return to your Home Screen, hit ESCAPE or open the MENU and select Close.You can access a variety of helpful Home Screen shortcuts. o do so, click your Phone icon on the Home Screen orhit the green phone button on your device. Then press your Menu key, pick Options, then General Options andchange the Dial From Home Screen field from "Yes" to "No." Now you'll need to hit your Phoneicon or click thegreen phone button to dial a number and place a call, but you'll have access to all of the following shortcuts fromyour Home Screen via a single click of the corresponding letter key: WAP Browser -- W, Alarm -- R, Tasks -- T,Calculator -- U, Options -- O, Address Book -- A, Search -- S, Notes -- D, Profiles -- F, Help -- H, Lock keypad -- K,Calendar -- L, Messages -- M, Browser -- B, BlackBerry Messenger -- N, Saved messages -- V, Compose -- C.To put device into Standby Mode so keys cannot be pressed while it's not in use, hold down the Mute key for asecond or two. Undo Standby Mode by holding Mute for another couple of seconds.Access your BlackBerry address book while on a call by simply clicking the green Sendkey to open up the phoneapplication and call log. When your call log is on screen, hold down Sendagain for a couple of seconds until theaddress book information appears.To automatically add an extension to a phone number, type in the appropriate ten digits and then hitthe ALTand Xkeys, followed by the numbers in the extension. Then click the Sendbutton.While in a message or text file, you can copy text in two different ways. First, you can simply hold the Shift buttonwhile scrolling the trackball over the text you wish to copy, and then hit the BlackBerry Menu key and choose Copyfrom the associated dropdown menu. You can also copy text by hitting ALT and clicking the track ball beforescrolling over the text you wish to copy and then hitting Menu and choosing Copy. To paste text once it's copied,you can either click Menu again and choose Paste, or you can simply hit Shift and click the trackball wherever youwant the text to appear.

BlackBerry Browser

Bring up the Enter Web Address field from any Web page by pressing the G key.Insert a period in Web address by clicking the Space key.Insert a back slash in Web address by clicking either the Left Shift or Right Shift keys and then hitting Space.Add an item to bookmarks list by clicking the A key.Bring up your bookmark list by clicking the K key.Refresh a Web page by clicking the R key. To stop a page refresh, hit your Escape key.Display a list of the last 20 pages visited by hitting the I key.Open browser options with the O key.To jump instantly to the very top or bottom or a Web page within your BlackBerry browser, simply clickthe "T" button to move all the way up or the "B" key to shift to the bottom.To jump down a page length in the BlackBerry Browser, simply hit the Space key. Do so repeatedly to quickly movedown a page. On the flip side, you can "page up" by holding a Shift key and then clicking Space.


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The simplest and fastest way to surf to your home page via BlackBerry Browser: click your "H" key while on anotherpage. (Note: Modify your BlackBerry home page by hitting Menu--directly to the left of your trackball--and choosingOptions, then Browser Configuration. On the following screen, scroll down to the Home Page Address field andenter in the correct URL for your new home page.Open up your BlackBerry Browser Options by hitting the "S" key while on any Web page.To zoom in on a page while using the BlackBerry Browser, click "I." to zoom back out, hit "O."To instantly view your BlackBerry browsing history, click the "Y" key while surfing the Web.To rapidly determine the URL for a Web page you're visiting, click the "P" key.To quickly exit your browser, either hit your BlackBerry Escape key--located directly to the right of your trackball--or

click the "D" key. (Note: This shortcut did not work on our Curve 8900 running OS v5.0.0.90.)To alternate Between "Column" and "Page" Views in BlackBerry Browser, click your "Z" button.Click the "U" key while on any Web page to hide the BlackBerry Browser Banner.While on a Web page, just click your BlackBerry's Pkey at any time to see that specific page's Web address andtitle.

Spreadsheet Attachments

Change the size of a column by pushing the W key.Go to a specific cell by pressing the G key.View contents of a cell by pressing the Space key.Search for text by clicking the F key, and then type the desired word.

Switch to a different worksheet by pressing V and selecting the desired sheet.

Presentation Attachments

Skip to the next slide by pressing the N key.Return to the previous slide by clicking the P key.Start slideshow by pushing the S key.Stop slideshow by clicking the Escape key.

Switch to a new view of the slideshow by clicking the M key.

Back Up and Restore Handheld Data

Anyone who has ever experienced the pain of losing all the data on a PC or handheld intimately knows the value of

backing up personal information, whether it's an iTunes music collection, digital photo album or address book. This

can be easier said than done, but BlackBerry users are in luck: The handheld data backup and restore process for

Research In Motion (RIM) smartphones couldn't be simpler when you use the BlackBerry Desktop Manager

software, which ships with every new RIM device. We'll demonstrate how you can protect the valuable data on your

BlackBerry by backing it up on your PC's hard drive--we'll even show you how to automatically backup your device

data in preset intervals. To get started, all you'll need is your BlackBerry device, the latest version of RIM's

BlackBerry Desktop Manager, a Microsoft Windows PC--the desktop software's not currently available to Mac users-

-and a USB cable to link your mobile phone and computer.

First, you'll want to download the latest version of RIM'sBlackBerry Desktop Manager software, which at the time of

this article's time of publication is v5.0, . To determine which version of Desktop Manager you're currently running,

launch the program via Windows Start Menuby clicking All Programs, BlackBerryand Desktop Manager. When

the program's open, hit theHelptab on the main screen and then choose About BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

The software version will be listed on the Generaltab.
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Launch Desktop Manager, Connect Your BlackBerry and PC

Next, launch the desktop manager software if you haven't already done so. Follow the procedure detailed above to

open the program if you didn't choose to create a desktop shortcut upon installation. When the program is running,

connect your BlackBerry device to the PC via USB cord. Close any dialogue boxes that may appear when your

BlackBerry is connected, including the desktop manager box that informs you it's searching for application updates.

Your BlackBerry should now be connected to the software and the word "Connected" should appear in both the topand bottom left corners of the desktop manager screen. If you're still not connected, try unplugging the device and

inserting it into another USB port.

Backup All or Some of the Data on Your BlackBerry

Click on the Backup and Restoreicon in the top right corner of the desktop manager home screen. The following

screen should offer three separate options: Backup, RestoreandAdvanced. To save all the personal data stored in

your BlackBerry's internal memory, hit theBack uptab, choose a name and location for the file and hit Save. The

backup process should take about a minute, and your BlackBerry screen will display a graphic of a connected

handheld and PC while it's in progress.

You can also set your BlackBerry Desktop Manager to automatically backup device data in preset intervals (5 days,

7 days, 14 days, etc.) whenever you launch the program and connect your smartphone and PC. To do so, click

the Optionstab beneath the Backupicon, and on the following screen fill in the box next to Back up my device

data automatically every XX days. Then choose the specific data you want backed up. For instance, you can opt

to back up all of your device data, or all data except messages and/or data that's synced with an organizer app.

When you've selected the information you want to copy, hit OKand then click the Back uptab on the main screen.

To further customize the specific information you wish to back up, click the Advancedtab on the main Backup and

Restorescreen. You'll quickly see a dialogue box that displays the application's progress scanning your devicedatabase, and then a screen with two columns appears: one column on the left named Computer Databasesand

another on the right titledDevice Databases. In the right column, select the specific device data you wish to backup

and then hit the left-facing arrow between the columns to copy the information from the Device Databasesside to

the Computer Databases. Once you've transferred all the data you wish to copy, open the Filedropdown menu--

located directly above the Computer Databasescolumn--choose a name for your backup file and save it to your

hard drive.

Restore Data to Your BlackBerry Using Desktop Manager Files

Restoring BlackBerry device data using the desktop manager software and backup files created using theapplication isn't difficult at all. First, you'll want to locate your backup files so they're easy to find when you try to

restore data. Next, launch the BlackBerry Desktop Manager, click the Backup and Restoreicon in the top right

corner and on the next screen, and choose Restore. Browse to the appropriate backup file on your hard drive and

click Open. You'll then be asked to confirm that you wish to replace all the existing data on your device with the

information in the backup file. Hit Yes, and the desktop manager starts restoring your data. This can take several

minutes depending on the amount of information in the file.

Restoring only specific device data, such as address book contacts or custom AutoText entries, is similar to the

above-mentioned process, but instead of hitting Restoreon the main Backup and Restore screen, click Advanced.


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Then open the Filedropdown menu on the left--directly above the Computer Databasescolumn--and open an

existing back up file. Choose the specific data you'd like to restore from that file and click the right-facing arrow

between theComputer Databasesand Device Databasescolumns. When the progress box disappears, your data

has been restored and you're good to go.

Security Basics

BlackBerry has gained a reputation in the mobile space during the past decade or so as the "most secure" handhelddevice and mobile platform available. That's largely due to RIM's BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) software for

corporate e-mail deployments, which has earned high-levelsecurity certificationsfrom some of the world's most

demanding information-security organizations, including the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology

(NIST); Canada's Communication Security Establishment (CSE); and the U.K.'s Communications Electronic

Security Group (CESG), among others.

That's all fine and good for corporations looking to secure infrastructure and resources associated with their

BlackBerry deployments. But no amount of security certifications can make up for an uninformed and/or careless

BlackBerry user.

That's why, as a BlackBerry smartphone owner, you need to do your part to keep your device, and all the

information on it, secure; whether you're a corporate BlackBerry user on a BES or a BlackBerry Internet Service

(BIS) customer, you can manage a number of quick and easy security safeguards on your own...and you'd be wise

to do so if you'd prefer that personal and/or sensitive data on your device remains "for your eyes only."

Here's a detailed list of f ive tips you can use to reinforce your BlackBerry smartphone's security protections -- and

perhaps reduce future headaches associated with a lost or stolen BlackBerry.

Password, Password, Password...One More Time: Password

If your corporate BlackBerry administrator doesn't enforce a password policy on your device or you're a consumer

BlackBerry user on BIS, the very first thing you should do with your smartphone is enable password-protection. This

is probably the single most important--and effective--BlackBerry security tip that anyone can offer you.

After all, there's little an average perpetrator can do with a locked-down BlackBerry, besides erase its contents.

To enable a new password for your BlackBerry smartphone, simply open your BlackBerryOptions menu, then scroll

down to and click the word Password. On the following screen, select the Password field and then enable the

option via the corresponding pop-up box.

From there, hit your BlackBerry Escape key--located directly to the right of your track ball or trackpad--save your

changes when prompted and then enter your new BlackBerry password. After typing the new password once, you'll

be prompted to confirm your selection. Verify the password by typing it again, and your BlackBerry will be properly

locked down. Just type your password again to unlock the device.

Employing a password that's easy to guess and/or determine defeats the purpose of password-protecting your

device; pick a random password that isn't the word "password" or your birthday, etc. (Your BlackBerry password

must be at least four characters.) And don't store that password anywhere on your BlackBerry, unless it's in the

built-in password keeper app--more on that in a minute.
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After enabling a BlackBerry password, you gain access to a number of related security options on the same screen.

For instance, you can specify the number of failed password attempts you'd like to permit before your device locks

itself down; you can pick a Security Timeoutperiod for how long your device should remain unlocked before

enabling the password; and you can choose to require a password whenever new applications are installed, to

prevent apps from being installed without your knowledge.

Encrypt BlackBerry Device Data

Another way to help protect your BlackBerry device and the information stored within it is by encrypting your

smartphone data. You can encrypt data stored on your device and/or your microSD media card. Doing so

"scrambles" the information so it can't be transferred and interpreted if your device falls into the wrong hands or gets

hacked.

To enable encryption on your BlackBerry, again open up your BlackBerry Options menu, scroll down to Security

Options and on the following screen, choose Encryption. Then, open up the Encryption menu on the next screen

and pick Enabled.

After enabling encryption, you may be prompted to tap BlackBerry keys to "generate random information for the new

content key pair." This process is used to generate a new, random encryption key that'll help ensure your device

and/or media card remain protected. Simply tap your BlackBerry keyboard until you're returned to the Security

Options page.

(Note: You may see some performance degradation after enabling device-memory encryption, especially if you

choose the "strongest" setting, i.e., your BlackBerry may slow down a bit. So depending on your security needs, it

could be a good idea to begin with the lowest encryption setting to see how it affects your handheld.)

Locking Down BlackBerry Bluetooth Security

All new BlackBerry devices have Bluetooth radios for connecting wirelessly to calling- and media-accessories, aswell as for small-file transfers. Bluetooth can be invaluable to BlackBerry users, but it should be employed securely.

For example, you can enable a number of Bluetooth options to secure connections to accessories and devices, as

well as ensure you only connect to the desired gadgets.

To access your Bluetooth options, turn your Bluetooth radio on by opening the BlackBerryManage

Connections menu and checking the box next to Bluetooth. Next, while still on theManage Connections screen,

scroll down to and pick Bluetooth Options.

The following screen shows a variety of Bluetooth options, some are which are security-oriented. First, you'll see an

option labeled Discoverable. This option lets you determine whether or not you want your BlackBerry to show upwhen nearby users search for Bluetooth enabled devices. If you set the option to No, others will not be able to pair

or connect with you via Bluetooth; you'll have to manually add them if you wish to connect. If you choose

the Yesoption, anyone with a Bluetooth device in range will see your BlackBerry if they scan for nearby gadgets.

And the third option, 2 Minutes means your device will be viewable to others scanning for Bluetooth devices for only

two minutes after you make the change.

Setting BlackBerry Bluetooth discoverability to No is probably the most secure option, because no one will be able

to connect to your device via Bluetooth. But I often use the 2 Minutesoption, as well, to let other, known parties

quickly connect to my device.


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On the same screen, you can choose to allow or deny outgoing calls via Bluetooth--I use the "Always" option,

because I frequently place hands-free calls via Bluetooth, with my device both locked and unlocked. You can also

enable or disable your Bluetooth contact-transfer option, which allows you to quickly transfer BlackBerry contacts via

Bluetooth. And there's a Security Level that lets you choose either High or High + Encryption to protect data sent

and/or received via Bluetooth--the latter option scrambles data transferred via Bluetooth.

Finally, you can pick and choose which services you want to enable Bluetooth for--headset, hands-free, dial-up

networking, etc.--to reduce possible security threats. So, for example, if you never use your device for wirelesstethering, you could uncheck the Dial-Up Networkingoption.

Protect Passwords and Other Sensitive On-Device Data

It may be tempting to store password, payment card information or other login data on your BlackBerry, but there

are right and wrong ways to do so. The wrong way is to simply store such information in saved BlackBerry e-mail

messages, to-do items or notes, without any sort of protection. If your device falls into the wrong hands, a hacker

could potentially search your inbox or message list for the terms "Visa," "Master Card" etc., in hopes of locating

financial information that could lead to cash.

But if you protect all your passwords and/or sensitive information using something like RIM's built-in Password

Keeper app, potential baddies looking for personal data would have to find not only a way into your device, but also

a way to crack your password keeper.

To employ Password Keeper, simply open up the app--it ships with all new BlackBerrys--and create a password to

protect all your other passwords. Obviously, this master password should be difficult to guess. Then simply hit your

BlackBerry Menu key--to the left of the trackball/trackpad--and choose New to create a new password item. You'll

be prompted for aTitle, Username, Password, a Website and Notes, but you can use any of the fields to store

whatever information you wish.

Parting With Your Device? Make Sure It's Wiped

Whether you've upgraded to a new model, traded handhelds with a friend or colleague, or misplaced your

BlackBerry, if you part with your device for any significant period of time, you should "wipe" it clean to ensure no

sensitive information is lost.

Obviously, if you've lost or misplaced your device, or--gulp!--it was stolen, you can't wipe it on your own. But if you're

on a corporate BES or BES Express, you can still have your BlackBerry administrator remotely wipe your device

clean, assuming it's still connected to your organization's BlackBerry Server.

And it's best not to waste time; if you suspect your device has been nabbed, tell your BlackBerryadministrator immediately, even if you think you may be able to find it. Mistakes happen and your admin should

understand. Even if you locate the device in the future, it's safer to wipe it clean and simply restore your data from a

backup, than take a chance of someone hacking your personal information. (You arebacking up your BlackBerry

regularly, right?)


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Boost Battery Life

How long will your BlackBerry battery last? That depends on a wide array of factors, starting with the device model

you're using, your proximity to cellular towers, and how often you're talking on a call, sending messages or surfing

the mobile Internet.

But regardless of whether or not you're constantly using your a BlackBerry 8830, 8700g or Curve in the city or the

sticks, you can learn tricks to squeeze every last bit of juice out of your device. For instance, you can make sure allyour unused connectivity options are disabled, your notification settings are optimized for extended battery life and

your screen backlight is only as bright as you need it to be.

We recommend carrying an extra BlackBerry battery along whenever possible so you don't get caught in the dark

even if your main power supply dies. But these tips can help extend your battery life even if you have another at the

ready.

Set Connectivity Options Wisely

Wireless connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth eat up BlackBerry battery life when they're on but aren't

in use, because they constantly try to connect to networks or devices. Even leaving your device's cellular radio on

when you're not using it drains battery life, because it's communicating with cellular towers to determine if you're still

in range of the network and to update various services or applications.

Not all BlackBerry devices have Wi-Fi--in fact only a few of them do--but most new RIM devices have Bluetooth

support, and the vast majority have cellular radios.

To turn off one or all of these options, go to your device's icon screen and click the "Manage Connections" icon. (It

looks a bit like a camera tripod with a few halos around the top.) From there, you can deactivate all connectivity

options by hitting the "Turn All Connections Off" option, or turn individual connections on and off by checking or

unchecking the boxes next to each. One caution: the cellular radio enables your device to make and receive calls,

as well as view Web pages and transfer data, so you won't be able to place calls or surf the Web when your radio is

turned off. If you enter an area with poor or no cellular coverage--when riding on a subway, for example--turn off you

radio unless it's absolutely necessary, because it will drain battery trying to reconnect with the network.

You can also set your device to automatically shut down at night (or other little-used times) and turn itself back on,

to save battery life. To do so, go to your device's icon screen and click the Options icon. (It looks like a wrench.)

Then click Auto On/Off, select whether or not settings should apply to weekdays, weekends or both, and choose

stop and start times.

Examine Your Notification Profiles

The notification alerts that you use to signal new phone calls or messages can have a significant impact on your

BlackBerry battery life. For example, if you set your call notification to vibrate three times and then ring loudly, your

battery is going to drain faster than if you turn off the vibration and reduce your ring tone volume to low.

If you use a custom ring tone--a little Buffett, say--you're also using more battery life than with a traditional ring. The

most energy efficient way to employ call or message notifications? Set your ring tone to the lowest volume you can

and reduce or eliminate the use of vibration alerts.


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We all need to set or devices to vibrate occasionally while in meetings or other locales that require quiet, but you

can modify your vibrations settings.

To reduce the number of times that your device vibrates when a new call or message is received, go to your

device's icon screen and click the Profiles icon. (It looks like a speaker.) From there you can adjust your various

profile settings--Loud, Vibrate, Quiet, Normal and Phone Off--and access Advanced settings. Scroll down and click

the Advanced option, and you'll see another list of the same profile settings. To modify these settings, just highlight

one, hit your BlackBerry menu key and click the Edit option. This displays all the various applications and serviceswith notification options, like your phone, e-mail inbox, text message inbox, IM application and more. To change

notification settings for an app or service, simply click one and select whether you want your device to both ring and

vibrate when you receive a call or an email message and how many times for each.

If you use an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) holster from RIM, you can also set different notification

options for when your device is holstered. (RIM's newer holsters have built-in magnets that let your device know it's

secured.) These options can save precious battery life, as well, because you can set your device to remain silent

and still while holster and then revert to normal settings when it's removed.

As a general rule, the fewer times you BlackBerry rings or vibrates, the less battery life your notifications use.

Adjust Your Screen Backlight

Newer BlackBerry devices enable you to heighten or reduce your display's backlight brightness. The brighter your

screen, and the longer that screen stays lit, the more battery life you're using.

To modify backlight settings, go to your BlackBerry icon screen and click on the Options icon that looks like a

wrench. The click the Screen/Keyboard option and set your Backlight Brightness to the lowest level you can stand

without needing to struggle to see your display. Then set your Backlight Timeout--how long your screen will stay on

before going black--to the shortest time period you can handle.

An OEM BlackBerry holster can also reduce the amount of time your screen stays lit regardless of your settings,

because it blacks out your display whenever the device is holstered.

Use Power-Hogging Applications Wisely

The larger the number of BlackBerry applications you use, the more power you're going to need. If you constantly

use a couple of apps, say the Viigo RSS reader and Facebook for BlackBerry, you need to consider how much

power those specific applications employ. If battery life is of the essence, you probably want to use them sparingly.

Some applications eat up power only when in use. For example,Google Maps mobile application forBlackBerrydrains significant battery life when you search for directions or satellite images of a specific locale, but it

doesn't use much power when not being employed.

But, many BlackBerry applications drain battery life even when you're not using them by pulling in new content or

updates.Viigo, a mobile RSS reader for BlackBerryand Windows Mobile devices, for instance, pulls in content from

whatever feeds you select. If you use Viigo and you're receiving articles from 30 feeds, the application is going to

eat up a good chunk of your battery, even when you're not reading the stories it's collecting. Or take theFacebook

for BlackBerryapplication: Depending on your Facebook notification settings, you could be receiving BlackBerry
http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/http://viigo.com/homehttp://viigo.com/homehttp://viigo.com/homehttp://uk.blackberry.com/devices/features/social/facebook.jsphttp://uk.blackberry.com/devices/features/social/facebook.jsphttp://uk.blackberry.com/devices/features/social/facebook.jsphttp://uk.blackberry.com/devices/features/social/facebook.jsphttp://uk.blackberry.com/devices/features/social/facebook.jsphttp://uk.blackberry.com/devices/features/social/facebook.jsphttp://viigo.com/homehttp://www.google.com/mobile/maps/http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/


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alerts every time a Facebook Friend sends you a message, writes on your wall, pokes you, or interacts with one of

your widgets. All of that back and forth activity takes a lot of power.

So be aware of how much battery your BlackBerry applications need, and why, and be selective.

Keep Battery Connections Clean

Over time, the battery connections within your device can gather dust and other particles and impede the transfer of

power to your hardware. Every few months, it's a good idea to remove your battery and wipe clean the small

sections of metal through which battery power is transferred, as well as the metal prongs inside your device's

battery slot that connect to the power supply.

Those prongs are delicate, however, so you should be very careful cleaning them. Q Tips and cleansing wipes

made specifically for electronic gadgets work well, though they can leave residue, so you should ensure both

surfaces are clear before replacing your battery.

Finally, your battery will become less efficient over time, so it is occasionally necessary to buy a new one. If your

battery is a year or older, and you've determined that its poor performance can't be attributed to a weak cellular

connection, a power-hogging app or a similar issue, you may need to replace it.

Close Unused Applications--Even if You Reopen Them Soon

Many BlackBerry applications utilize RIM's respected "push" technology, which brings messages, notifications and

alerts to your device almost instantly after the corresponding service receives them. That's all fine and good--except

for the fact that it takes battery life to initiative the transactions and receive new data. The more apps you have open

that use some sort of auto-update process, the more battery life those apps are eating up.

So while my initial related tip was merely to close all "power-hogging" apps when they're not in use, today I'm

suggesting you close ALL apps when you're not employing them. You won't receive updates or notifications, but youcan always just reopen a specific app if you want to check it.

This also goes for IM applications, like BeeJive or IM+, which many BlackBerry users leaving running constantly. If

you're a heavy IM user, this tip may not play out for you. But if you're like me and rarely use IM via BlackBerry,

except to initiate a quick conversation, you'll be better off leaving your IM apps deactivated until you need them.

A quick way to determine which apps are running at a given time is to open up yourBlackBerry Application

Switcherribbon by holding down the BlackBerry Menukey--directly to the left of your trackball/trackpad--for a few

seconds. The core BlackBerry phone, browser, messages, BlackBerry Messenger and home screen icon cannot be

closed, but anything else that shows up in your app switcher can be shutdown via the application menus.

Standby Mode is Your Friend

You can quickly and easily put many BlackBerry devices into "Standby Mode"to conserve battery life when not in

use, among other things. Standby Modeis different than the BlackBerry screen/keypad lock in that it not only

freezes your device keyboard, but also deactivates your display, saving power.

You activate Standby Modein different ways depending on your BlackBerry device, but some new devices can be

put into standby by simply holding the Mutekey on the top right or left of the device.


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For example, I put my BlackBerry Bold 9700 into standby every time it goes into my pocket by holding the Mutekey

on the top-right of the device. (Check your owner's manual or search Google if you can't determine how to activate

standby on your specific handset. Note: As far as I know, the Storm2 does not have a Standby Mode.)

You'll need to push the Mutekey again--or reenter whatever key combo activates standby--to turn it off. So if you

find that your device is on but won't start up when you press keys, ensure it's not in standby.

Disable Your Camera's FlashIf you employ your BlackBerry's digital camera frequently, but want to conserve battery life, you can turn off or adjust

your camera's flash. Using the flash once or twice probably won't have too much of an impact on your battery life.

But repeated use is sure to take a toll.

To modify your camera's flash settings, open the BlackBerry camera app by clicking on theCamera Iconon your

BlackBerry home screen. When the camera view finder is open, click your BlackBerry Menukey, hit Optionsand

change the Default Flash Settingto "No."

Hit your Escapekey to exit out of the Optionsmenu, save your changes, and your flash will be turned off the next

time you open the camera. To turn it back on, simply reverse the process.

Add E-Mail Accounts Sparingly

Every time an e-mail message or group of messages is delivered to your BlackBerry inbox, your overall device

battery-life diminishes. So, to maximize BlackBerry battery life, you should only connect "relevant" e-mail accounts

to your smartphone.

For example, if you have your Microsoft Outlook, two Gmail accounts, a Windows Live mailbox and Yahoo! Mail all

linked to your BlackBerry device, you're using a significant amount of your battery life on simply delivering e-mail--

assuming you frequently receive mail to these accounts.

You probably need your Outlook mail, especially if your BlackBerry is work-issued. But do you really require

that bothof those Gmail inboxes be connected to your smartphone? Do you even receive mail to that

ancient Hotmail Windows Live account?

It's a good practice to connect only the mailboxes you employ most frequently to your BlackBerry device, since

reducing the number of mailboxes will not only increase your overall battery-life, but also de-clutter your main

BlackBerry Messages folder.

Better Digital Camera ExperienceYou can more out of your blackberry camera built in and capture pro-looking shots effortlessly. There are some

basic tips provided by RIM themselves. We will take a look of the various tips they reccomend and also provide

some useful tips of our own.

First, RIMs tips:

1. Get closer to your subjects

2. Hold your hand steady


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3. Be patient

4. Use the flash when necessary

5. Use photos to help remember future errands/tasks/etc.

6. Organize your digital media using BlackBerry folders

7. Share images via digital photo apps likeFlickr,FacebookorMySpace for BlackBerry

8. Use a photo editor (There are free options)

9. Modify white balance settings

10. Experiment with built-in color effects like black & white or sepia

11. Employ geotagging, where available, to tie location info to images

12. Modify BlackBerry image quality camera settings

Again, most of these are somewhat obvious, but each and every one will indeed help to make you a better

BlackBerry photog. Andmuch more detail on each itemis available on RIMs site.

I use my BlackBerry camera fairly frequently, and Ive experimented with all the suggestions mentioned above and

more. One tip thats often overlooked due to its simplicity: Make sure your camera lens is clear of dust and other

debris.

The simplest way to do this is to wipe both the lens and flash, found on the rear side of your camera-equipped

Berry, with a cotton swab or a paper towel or tissue will do just fine, but make sure to use a quality brand that wont

just leave more of a mess.

My other suggestion is an extension of RIMs second tip: Hold your hand steady. Ive had the best luckusing bothhands. I use one thumb and forefinger on the top and bottom to hold my BlackBerry horizontally in place

while my other hand holds the device like I normally would, with a thumb on the trackball and the rest of my hand

wrapped around its side.

This is particularly helpful when using RIMsBlackBerry Curve 8900orStormdevices. Both handsets have higher

resolution cameras than other BlackBerry models3.2 megapixels compared to 2.0 megapixelsas well as a new

autofocus feature. The autofocus in particularreally makes a difference in picture quality. But it also causes a delay

after you click your trackball or screen to snap an image, so holding your device steady for those final few seconds

is crucial.

In addition to the cameras usage tips, RIM also included a breakdown of the BlackBerry Camera Settings. I wont

get into details, but if youre new to using a BlackBerry shooter, these tips are a great place to familiarize yourself

with RIMs camera application.

The most interesting tidbit from the camera settings section:

If the [BlackBerry] battery power level drops below 20 percent, the flash dims to conserve battery power. In cold

temperatures, when the battery power level drops below 20 percent, the flash might turn off.
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Apparently there are battery-life-protection measures built into the camera app that jump into action whenever the

temperature drops below a certain level. Who knew?

Use Folders to Unclutter Your RIM Smartphone

BlackBerry smartphones come with a default set of folders for users to store software, including RIM's own standard

tools--like its Calculator and Memo Pad applications--as well as third party apps and games. The four main app

storage folders are Applications, Games, Instant Messaging and Downloads--at least if your BlackBerry is

running OS v4.6 or higher.

Applications is where all RIM's native apps live; Games is for, well, games; a number of IM programs, including

AIM andGoogle Talk, can be found in Instant Messaging; and any and all new apps you may acquire land

in Downloads.

That's all fine and good for new BlackBerry owners, but thanks to the release ofBlackBerry App World, RIM's

mobile software store, getting your hands on new software has never been easier. And those four folders fill up and

become disorganized awfully quick.

Luckily, you can create your own BlackBerry folders, which can be organized in the way that best suits your needs,

in just a few simple steps. Once you're a master of the BlackBerry folder.

Adding New BlackBerry Folders

Creating a new BlackBerry folder for storing applications or other data takes just three steps.

One: On your icon- or application-screen, click the BlackBerry Menu key, which is located directly to the left of your

trackball.

Two: Choose Add Folder from the options in the corresponding pop-up menu, and choose a name for your newaddition.

Three: Click the Icon section of the Add Folder screen, and pick the color or graphic that best fits the folder's

intended purpose.

Voila! A new BlackBerry folder should now appear on your icon screen. Should you wish to modify the folder's

name, color or graphic in the future, simply scroll over it, hit the BlackBerry Menu key again, and choose Edit

Folder.

Moving Folders

There's no right or wrong way to organize the folders and applications on your BlackBerry; try experimenting a bit to

see which arrangements work best for you. However, the following tips can be used to shape your BlackBerry folder

organization strategy.

Any folder on your BlackBerry can be moved and shifted around your icon screen. To do so, scroll over the folder

you wish to move, click the BlackBerry Menu key and choose Move . A white outline appears around the folder,

and any movement of your trackball moves the folder.
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Depending on the BlackBerry theme you're currently using, you can position folders so that they appear on your

home screen in addition to your icon screen. If you're using a "zen" theme, move a folder into the top row on your

icon screen and it will also display on your home screen.

Unfortunately, you cannot currently create new folders within folders, which could really help with BlackBerry

organization. And it may be a while before this functionality hits a BlackBerry near you--if it ever does; I've been

experimenting with a very early unofficial version of RIM's upcoming BlackBerry OS v5.0, and the feature still isn't

present in the new firmware, though it could be eventually.

One tweak within BlackBerry OS v5.0 that will help: You can easily change the folder for downloads, so new

applications can be delivered directly to the appropriate folder, instead of landing in the Downloads folder first.

Organizing BlackBerry Folders with Colors, Icons

For new folders, you can choose from a variety of colors--green, purple, red, blue and yellow--along with a number

of icons, such as stars, hearts, smiley faces and the BlackBerry logo. Using color codes and/or icons will help you

remember what types of applications are in which folders without having to physically scroll over them to see app

names.

For example, you could use the color red to signify that a folder is work-related. So a red folder with a star titled

"Applications" could house apps like WorldMate Live and TetherBerry, along with ERP, CRM or whatever other

corporate apps your IT administrator may have distributed.

And a red folder with a smiley face icon could be for your most frequently used, work-related software.

A blue folder with a star could be used to store all your personal, or life-style, apps, like Viigo, Facebook for

BlackBerry andTweetGenius.

Again, these specific examples may not work for you, but find your own organization strategy by testing out the

above-mentioned suggestions and seeing which work best.

Set Up E-Mail Signature

BlackBerry e-mail auto-signatures let you save time on typing and reduce unnecessary strain on BlackBerry thumbs

as well as proactively apologize for possible typos. Follow these simple steps to create, modify or erase BlackBerry

e-mail signatures--for both personal, or BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS), and corporate, or BlackBerry Enterprise

Server (BES), accounts.

BlackBerry Personal E-Mail Auto Signatures: BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS)To create, change or do away with an auto signature for aBlackBerry Internet Service (BIS)Web-mail account, you

first need to log in to your wireless carrier's website--you may also need to create a new account if you haven't

already. To do so, surf over to your carrier's website and either create a new user name and password or login to an

existing account.

After logging into your carrier's website, you should locate the BlackBerry messaging, or BIS, section of the page.

(You can also quickly find your carrier's BIS page by performing a Google search for the carrier's name and

"BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS).") Once on the BIS page, create at new account, if necessary, or login.
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Next, you can choose to add a new Web mail account to BIS, or if you've already added one, there's an option to

edit existing accounts. If you've not yet created an account, follow the on-screen process to enter an e-mail address

and login information, then save your changes. Once an account is added, you'll be returned to the main BIS page.

A default e-mail signature will be assigned to each new BIS e-mail account you add, something like: "Sent via

BlackBerry byAT&T." Until you physically remove this default auto-signature, it will appear at the bottom of each

and every message you send. This is a good way to spot newbie BlackBerry owners, as many beginner users aren't

even aware that the signature is there.

To remove, edit or create a new BIS e-mail auto-signature, login to your carrier's site, locate the BIS page and click

the Editoption below the e-mail account you wish to modify. On the following page, you'll see an e-mail signature

option with a space for text beneath it. If you've never modified your BIS account, you'll see the default signature

mentioned above, within that space. You can delete it completely, modify it or create a new signature. Once you

have, click the Savebutton.

After you've got your signature the way you want it, return to the main BIS page and click the link that says Send

Service Books. This helps to ensure that your changes are applied.

BlackBerry Corporate E-Mail Auto Signatures: BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES)

The easiest way to create or modify BlackBerry e-mail auto-signatures for corporate orBlackBerry Enterprise Server

(BES)accounts is via your handset and not a Web-based interface, like the BIS interface described above. Also,

BES mail accounts do not have any sort of default signature applied, so unless you create one yourself--or an admin

does it for you--your BlackBerry mail will not have an auto-signature.

To create or change a BES e-mail auto-signature, you should first open your on-deviceMessagingapp, where all of

your BES messages are stored. Next, hit the BlackBerry Menukey--which is located directly to the left of your

trackball--and scroll down until you can click onOptions. Within the Messages Optionsmenu, choose E-Mail

Settings.

On the following E-Mail Settingspage, make sure the Use Auto Signatureoption is set toYes, and then fill in

whatever message you want to appear at the bottom of your e-mail, within the blank on-screen box. As mentioned

earlier, common BlackBerry e-mail signatures include name, address and contact information, but you may also

wish to use something to alert message recipients that your mailing was sent via BlackBerry. For instance, "Please

excuse any typos. Message was sent via BlackBerry."

Finally, hit the BlackBerry Escapekey to the right of your trackball to exit the screen, and then save your changes

when prompted.

You can also add or change your BES e-mail signature usingRIM's BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, though

you need to have chosen the enterprise e-mail option when you first used Desktop Manager. If you'd like to employ

the software to modify your BES auto-signature but don't have the corporate mail option in Desktop Manager, simply

uninstall the app, then reinstall and choose the enterprise setup option.

Next, connect your BlackBerry to your PC via the standard mini USB cord and fire up Desktop Manager. You should

see an E-Mail Settingstab on Desktop Manager's opening page. If you do not, you need to uninstall and reinstall
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the app, as previously mentioned. Click E-Mail Settingsand add whatever text you'd like to use as an auto-

signature to the blank on-screen box. When you're done, just hit the Applybutton and close the program.

Finally, you need make sure that you have set your device to employ a BES e-mail auto-signature. To check this,

follow the process described at the start of this section and make sure the Use Auto Signatureoption on the on-

device E-Mail Settingspage is enabled.

Customize Your Blackberry

Customize your RIM BlackBerry smartphone in no time using unique home screen images, backgrounds, custom

ringtones, notification profiles and exceptions, and also by downloading and installing new themes. We guide you

how to go about it.

Change Home Screen Images, Backgrounds

BlackBerry devices let you use just about any image or graphic as a home screen image. The simplest way to find

adequately sized images for your BlackBerry's background is to take the picture yourself using your built-in digital

camera, if you've got one, and then save it to your device's memory or media card. This helps ensure that the imageis the correct proportions, since you can see what it looks like on-screen just after you take it.

You can also locate correctly-sized images via online aggregators of BlackBerry backgrounds, or "wallpapers." I get

most of my wallpapers, at least the ones I don't create on my own, via CrackBerry.com and sites like

it.CrackBerry.com has a large, free wallpaper gallery, with all images categorized based on device display size.

BlackBerry Pearl 81xx users want to employ 240x260-pixel wallpapers; Pearl Flip 8220 users want 240x320; Curve

83xx, BlackBerry 87xx and 88xx should use 320x240 backgrounds; Curve 8900 owners want 480x360; Bold 9000

users want 480x320; and Storm 95xx devices have 360x480 displays. You should pick your wallpaper accordingly.

(Note: You can employ pictures and graphics that aren't sized perfectly for your device as background images by

navigating to the image of choice, via your Mediaicon, selectingPictures, then All Picturesand clicking on the

image you want to use. Next, hit yourBlackBerry Menu key--which is located directly to the left of your trackball--

and choose Fit to Screen. Your image may appear disproportionate, but it will at least span your screen.)

Whenever you save a new image or graphic to your BlackBerry smartphone, you can save the file to your

smartphone's built-in, or "on-board," memory or an external memory card--if you've got one.

It's a good idea to save images that you plan to use as home screen backgrounds to your device memory. (This

helps to ensure that the image remains set as your background after a hard or soft reset, battery pull or memorycard switch.) However, I like to set my image preferences to save all pictures taken with my camera to my external

media card, so the small amount of built-in BlackBerry device memory doesn't fill up too quickly.

To choose the save location for images taken with your camera, open the Cameraapp, click the BlackBerry

Menukey and select Options. Scroll down to Store Pictureson the following screen, and choose either On Media

Cardor In Device Memory.

If you choose to store all images on your media card, you'll want to move the files you use as home screen images

to your on-board memory, for the above mentioned reasons. To do so, simply open the image you wish to move,
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click the BlackBerry Menukey and choose Move. Next, click the on-screen Device Memoryfolder and pick Move

Herefrom the menu that appears. Your image will then be saved to your device.

After you've located the picture you want to use and saved it to your device memory, it's time to set it as your

BlackBerry home screen image. First, navigate to the appropriate image within your BlackBerry Mediaicon, as

described above. But instead of clicking All Pictureswithin the Picturesfolder, choose Picture Foldersand

select Device Memory. If you saved the image in the correct location, you should see it there.

Next, click on the image you wish to use, hit the BlackBerry Menukey again and choose Set as Home Screen

Image. Voila! The next time you return to your BlackBerry's home screen, you'll see the new image.

And if at any point you want to return to the default home screen image, simply navigate to any picture, click

your BlackBerry Menukey and choose Reset Home Screen Image.

Set Custom Ringtones, Notification Profiles and Exceptions

One of the most basic BlackBerry phone customization options available to users can also prove to be the most

valuable. Setting custom ringtones for the contacts in your address book, or at least for those with whom youcommunicate frequently, can tell you who's calling and eliminate the need to peek at your caller ID.

First, open your BlackBerry contacts by clicking on the Address Bookicon on your home screen. From there, scroll

down to the contact for which you wish to add a custom ringtone. With the contact's name highlighted, hit

your BlackBerry Menukey, located directly to the left of the trackball on 8xxx series devices, and scroll down to

and click Add Custom Phone Tune.From the dropdown menu, choose the location within your phone's memory

where the default ringtones are stored--usually labeled Preloaded Ringtones--or the folder in your memory card

where you keep your custom ringtones. (BlackBerry users can employ a variety of applications, including

theBlackBerry Desktop Manager software, to create their own custom ringtones.)

Scroll through the list of available ringtones--default tones will be named "Ringer_NAME_XX.mp3"--and click on the

one you wish to associate with the previously selected contact. Hit OKwhen the confirmation dialogue box displays,

and you're all set. After assigning a custom tone to a contact, you can edit that tone by highlighting the contact's

name in your address book, hitting the BlackBerry Menukey and selecting Edit. Then, scroll all the way to the

bottom of the entry where the custom ringtone is listed, click on the name of the tone and navigate through the

dropdown menu until you find the new tone you'd like.

RIM BlackBerry profiles allow you to customize the alerts you get when calls come in, new messages arrive and

applications notifications are received. For example, you can use either the default "Vibrate"or "Quiet"profiles to

silence your phone for a meeting. Or utilize the"Loud"profile to ensure you don't miss an important call while at asporting event or other noisy locale. You can even employ a "Phone Only"profile so your device vibrates or rings

only when a call is received and not when e-mail or text messages hit your inbox.

BlackBerry devices also allow you to create your own profiles to suit personal preferences and needs, as well as

tweak the default profiles. So, for instance, you can create your own "E-Mail Only"profile and set the phone to only

vibrate three times for each e-mail message you receive. Or you can tweak your Vibrateprofile so that your

BlackBerry rings only when, say, your wife or child calls.
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To create a new profile for your BlackBerry, click the Profilesicon on your main icon screen. Then, scroll all the way

down past the existing profiles to the Advancedoption and click it. Within the current profiles list, hit

your BlackBerry Menukey again, and choose New Profile. From there, name your custom profile at the top of the

next screen and choose your notification types for each of the applications that use alerts, by scrolling down the list

and clicking on the app or message inbox.

When you click on an application, "Phone," for instance, you'll then have the ability to set custom "In Holster" and

"Out of Holster" notifications, such as whether not you want rings, vibrations or both. And you can also modifyvolume settings and the number of vibrations for each alert, as well as enable or disable the LED message indicator

light.

After you've created a new profile, it will appear in the profiles list with a gold star over the icon.

As mentioned above, you can also customize BlackBerry profiles for specific contacts or groups of contacts. For

example, if you're expecting a phone call from a specific coworker, but you don't want to be bothered with calls or

message from anyone else, you can set an exception to your default "Silent"profile that will allow for calls or

messages from that specific person while blocking all other vibrations and rings.

To get started, click on the Profilesicon on the BlackBerry icon screen and again hitAdvanced. In the list of

existing profiles, hit the BlackBerry Menukey and choose "New Exception."Name the exception at the top of the

next screen, and then scroll down to the"From"field and click the trackball. Next, a list of options appears, from

which you should choose "Add Name"and then pick the appropriate contacts from the dropdown list. You can

choose more than one name.

After specifying the contacts that you want included as part of the exception, highlight the "Use Profile"field and

pick the profile you want applied those contacts. So if you want to receive calls from your significant other and child

while the Vibrateprofile is set, you should choose both of those names in the Add Namefield and then set Use

Profileto "Normal"or "Loud."Then hit the Menubutton again, save your changes when the dialogue box appearsand you're good to go. (Note: If you have multiple profile exceptions that include the same contacts, you may need

to deactivate one or all of the others for new exceptions to take effect.)

To delete a profile exception, simply click the Profilesicon on your BlackBerry icon screen, scroll all the way down,

hit Advancedand then navigate down to your list of exceptions. Select the exception you wish to get rid of, hit

the BlackBerry Menukey, choose "Delete,"and confirm that deletion in the next dialogue box.

Download and Install New Themes

The majority of current BlackBerry smartphones ship with three different types of themes preinstalled: Icon, Todayand Zen themes. Individual wireless carriers also often include their own branded themes.

Changing or switching back and forth between BlackBerry themes is simple and can be done in a matter of minutes-

-though each theme must be customized individually and this process can take some time. For instance, if you

rearrange the home screen using an Icon theme and then switch to a Zen theme, you'll need to reorder all your

icons. However, if you then switch back to the original Icon theme, your icons will still be ordered the way you

originally set them.


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To switch from one theme to another, click on your BlackBerry Optionsicon and chooseTheme. You'll then see a

list of all your available themes. Scroll down to the theme that you wish to make active--the word "Active" will appear

in bold next to the theme that's currently in use--and then click your trackball. After a few seconds, you'll be returned

to the BlackBerryOptionsscreen. Simply hit Escape-- located directly to the right of the trackball--and you'll return

to your main screen.

One of the best ways to find quality BlackBerry themes is to visit RIM's mobile site, which can be located at

mobile.blackberry.com, using your BlackBerry browser. (Click the "Fun and Games" icon on the home page andthen choose "Themes," to browse the current offerings.) Though the selection isn't exactly wide, RIM's site can

determine the specific device you're using based on browser setting to ensure that the theme is compatible with

your BlackBerry--and all the themes are free.

Once you've determined your device model and OS version you should also make sure that the site you plan to

download the theme from has specified compatibility with your BlackBerry and handheld OS. Always be sure to

obtain your themes from a reputable or trusted source.

You can download and install new BlackBerry themes wirelessly (over-the-air), or using RIM's Desktop Manager

Software, which ships with every new BlackBerry.

The over-the-air (OTA) download is easiest, as it doesn't require a PC or any additional processes. To download a

theme OTA, visit the site from which you want to obtain a theme, and follow the directions for OTA downloads, if

available. Such directions will typically call for you to enter an e-mail address associated with your BlackBerry so a

message with the appropriate download link can be sent. Once you receive such a message, open it, click the link

and follow the download instructions.

In some cases, like when you download themes OTA from RIM's site, you won't need to enter in an e-mail address;

rather, all you'll need to do is click a link and you'll be transported to a download page. Once said page opens, click

the "Download" link and wait a minute or so for your new theme to download. When the process is complete, adialogue box appears to let you know, and you'll then be able to access and install the theme via

BlackBerry Optionsand theThememenu.

Downloading new BlackBerry themes using RIM's Desktop Manger software can take a bit longer and requires an

Internet-connected PC, but the process is similar to downloading OTA. First of all, you'll want to ensure you have

the latest version of Desktop Manager. To determine which version you're current running, open the program, click

the Helpicon and choose About BlackBerry Desktop Manager. A dialogue box will appear to tell you which

version you're using. Next, surf over on over toRIM's download page, verify you've got the latest version of the

software and download and install it if not.

Next, download the theme file to your hard drive. Usually, the file is compressed, and you'll need to "unzip." After

doing so, launch Desktop Manager, connect your BlackBerry and open the Application Loadercomponent. When

the Application Loaderopens, click on theAdd/Remove Applicationoption. On the following screen, click

"Browse" and then navigate to the location within your PC where the unzip theme file is stored. The file you should

select will very likely end in an ".alx" extension.

With the appropriate file selected, click Openwithin the dialogue box and the theme will then be discoverable by the

Desktop Manager software. On the Application Loader screen, scroll down until you see the name of the new

theme, check the box next to it if it's not already filled, and then hit Next. The software will then confirm the file is the
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correct one you wish to transfer to your device. Click Finishand the file will transfer from your PC to the BlackBerry

device.

When the process is complete, you'll be able to access and install the theme via BlackBerryOptionsand

the Thememenu.

Once you've downloaded and installed a new BlackBerry theme, you have a number of options to further customize

your smartphone. For instance, you can move your application icons around to position them wherever you like. Todo so, scroll over any icon on your application icon screen, hit the BlackBerry Menukey--located directly to the left

of your trackball--and choose Move. Use the trackball to move the icon into the position you wish and then click the

trackball to make it stay in place.

As mentioned above, you can also switch out the background image or wallpaper behind a particular theme, though

in some cases doing so may hurt the aesthetic appeal--think Star Trek icons with no U.S.S. Enterprise. To change

your BlackBerry wallpaper, simply click theMediaicon on you home screen, scroll to the Picturessection and then

highlight the image that you wish to set as your home screen graphic. After the image is opened, hit

yourBlackBerry Menukey, choose Set As Homescreen Image, and then hit either Endor Escapea number of

times to return to the icon screen.

You'll find plenty of free BlackBerry themes available if you do a bit of searching--we've never paid for a single

theme, though we've used piles of them--but lots of reputable sites also sell themes for small fees.

Finally, if you wish to delete a particular theme, simply click on your Optionsicon, chooseAdvanced Optionsand

then Applications, and highlight the name of the theme you want to ditch. Next, click your BlackBerry Menukey,

choose delete and confirm that you wish to get rid of the selected theme. When the process is complete, you may

need to reboot your device.

Touch Screen Tips and Tricks

RIM's first touch screen BlackBerry, the Storm, is also the first RIM smartphone to run BlackBerry operating system

(OS) version 4.7, which incorporates a wide variety of new, touch-based keyboard and device shortcuts, as well as

gesture-based navigation methods. These 20 tips and tricks will help you get the most out of your shiny, new Storm-

-and its SurePress touch screen.

On Key: BlackBerry Storm Keyboard Shortcuts

The BlackBerry Storm is touch-screen-based, and as such, it lacks a physical keyboard; however, three types of on-

screen, virtual keyboards are available to users: 1) RIM's SureType keyboard, which is a QWERTY keyboard with

more than one letter/number on each key (available only in portrait mode); a multitap keyboard that resembles thekeys on a traditional cell phone (portrait mode); and a full QWERTY like the one found on your computer keyboard

(landscape mode only).

To switch back and forth between keyboards in portrait mode, simply click the BlackBerry Menukey whenever a

keyboard is displayed, and click "Enable Multitap"or "Enable SureType."

-To quickly bring up the Storm's onscreen keyboard, swipe a finger upward from the very bottom of the screen to the

middle.


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-To quickly hide the Storm's keyboard, swipe a finger downward from the top of the keyboard to the very bottom of

the device's screen.

-Accented, or "special," characters can be typed via Storm in both portrait (vertical) and landscape (horizontal)

views. To enter in a special character while in portrait or landscape mode, such as an , bring up the on-screen

keyboard, depress the "i" key--but don't click it--and a number of options appear on screen, one of which is . To

choose that character, simply click it on screen.

--To activate number lock, bring up the onscreen keyboard and then hold down the "123"key for about two seconds

until a lock appears on that button. The number pad will then stay on screen until you either hide it or tap

the "123"key again to return to the normal keyboard layout.

--To activate capital lock, bring up the onscreen keyboard and then hold down the"Shift/Arrow Up"key for about

two seconds until a lock appears on that button. The number pad will then stay on screen until you either hide it or

tap the "Shift/Arrow Up" key again to return to the normal keyboard layout.

-To change text input languages, hold the Storm in landscape mode, bring up the virtual keyboard and click

the "Globe"key found directly to the left of the Spacekey. Next, scroll to the desired language, highlight it and clickthe Storm's screen to select.

Finding Your Way Around the Storm: Navigation Tips and Tricks

-To scroll downward in a message or while viewing a Web page, place your finger lightly at the bottom of the

screen--but don't click--and drag upward. To scroll down a full screen's length, slide your finger up rapidly.

- To scroll up, place your finger lightly at the top of the screen--but don't click--and drag it down. To scroll up a full

screen's length, slide your finger down rapidly.

-To zoom in on a picture or a Web page, tap the screen lightly twice--but don't click it. (The BlackBerry browser also

has zoom in/out options; two separate magnifying glasses for zooming in and out sit at the bottom of the browser

screen.) To zoom back out after zooming in, click theBlackBerry Escapekey until you return to the original view.

-To "pan," or move around while viewing a web page, hold your finger on the display--but again, don't click--and

drag it in the direction you wish to move.

-To quickly switch between active applications from the Storm home screen, hold theBlackBerry Menukey until

the Application Switchribbon appears on screen. Then lightly touch the ribbon and move back and forth to scroll

between available apps. To select one, click the screen when a specific app is highlighted.

-To jump from the Storm home screen to the main icon screen, put your finger on the home screen, just above the

app dock, and click once. (You can also simply hit the BlackBerry Menu key while on the home screen to access

your icon page.)

Text and Messaging Shortcuts for the Storm

-To copy and paste text from one location to another, lightly touch a finger to the Storm's screen at the start of the

text you wish to copy. Then hold that first finger in place while you touch the end of the text with another finger. The


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text in between your digits will then be selected. To copy it, click the BlackBerry Menukey, scroll to "Copy"and

click the screen. To paste, follow the same instructions but pick "Paste"instead of "Copy."

-To quickly search your messages for all mailings from a specific contact, find a message from that contact in

your Messagesapplication and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the contact's name. After a few

seconds, all messages from that contact appear on screen.

- To quickly search your messages for a specific subject line, or to track a thread, find a message with the desiredsubject line in your Messagesapplication and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the subject line. After

a few seconds, all messages with that specific subject appear on screen.

-To precisely navigate to the middle of a sentence, or even a specific word, while typing on the Storm, gently press

your finger on the Storm's screen on or around the text or character you wish to edit. Then, with your finger on the

display, but not clicking it, slide your finger around until it's exactly where you want it and then let go. The specific

character or set of characters will then be highlighted for easy editing.

-To delete multiple messages at once via Storm, open your Messages app and gently hold a finger on a message

near the top of the list you want to delete. Keep that finger in place, and then touch another message further downthe list. All the messages between your two fingers will then be highlighted. From there, you can click the Delete

Messageskey at the bottom or the screen to do away with the selected messages. Or you can continue to select

older messages by keeping one finger on the selected messages and scrolling down. When new, unselected

messages appear beneath your current selections, touch any of them to select it and all the messages between it

and your previous selections. Again, hit the Delete Messageskey to trash messages when you're ready. To

unselect messages at any time, click theBlackBerry Escapekey.

-Rapidly scroll through messages by sliding a finger sideway while reading an e-mail or text. Slide your finger to the

left while in an open message to skip to newer messages; and slide to the right for older correspondence.

A Storm of Multimedia: Image and Audio Tips

-Scroll through images just as you would messages, by sliding a finger horizontally across the Storm's display. Slide

your finger to the right while viewing an image to see newer images; and slide to the left for older pictures.

-To zoom in on an image, tap the screen twice--don't click. Or you can also zoom by clicking the screen one time.

Zoom out by hitting the BlackBerry Escapekey.

-To "pan," or move around while viewing an image, hold your finger on the display--but again, don't click--and drag it

in the direction you wish to move.

-To quickly search your music library for all songs from one specific artist, find a track by that musician or group in a

list of songs, and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the musician's name. After a few seconds, all

songs from that artist appear on screen.

Free Up Device Memory

Power users of Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry smartphones need all the device memory they can get. These

seven tips can help free up memory and keep your handheld running as smoothly as possible.


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Delete Any Unnecessary/Unused Applications

The more applications you have on your BlackBerry, the less free memory that's available to you. New BlackBerrys

ship with a wide variety of applications that you may not need or even know about. And you've probably downloaded

a number of third-party apps with good intentions, then only used them occasionally if at all.

Deleting unwanted or unused applications is simple, and depending on how many you've got, it can really improve

your device's performance.

To delete programs from your BlackBerry, click the Options icon on the device's home screen. Then scroll all the

way to the top of the list and select Advanced Options. When you click Applications inside this menu, your device

will build a list of all apps on your device. Scroll through them and you'll probably find a number of programs that you

don't need. Delete apps by scrolling over them and hitting your BlackBerry menu key. Select Delete and confirm that

you want to remove the app when the dialogue box pops up.

A few examples of applications you may want to remove are the Help app, games like BrickBreaker, the Password

Keeper and the BlackBerry Messenger--if don't use instant messaging or employ another app, like AIM for

BlackBerry. (Note: You often need to restart your device for app deletions to take effect.)

Delete Old/Read Messages and Maintain a Tidy Inbox

Storing old or already-read text, e-mail and PIN messages on your BlackBerry can take a significant bite out of your

device's available memory. Get rid of all that clutter.

Click your Messages icon on the BlackBerry home screen to open your messaging application, and then hit the

BlackBerry menu key. Scroll down the list until you see Options, in the next menu choose General Options, and then

scroll down to Keep Messages. Set that option to the smallest number of days/months you can tolerate. Obviously,

the lower the number of days, the more memory you'll free over time. You can keep your messages for as long as

you want--forever, if you choose--but 15 days is the shortest time period.

You can also minimize the amount of device memory taken up by messages by keeping a tidy inbox. Don't let your

message counter get out of control, if you've got 50 or 100 unopened messages that you already read on your

laptop, get rid of them on your BlackBerry. One easy way to delete a bunch of messages without having to go

through each one is to hold the left or right Shift key while scrolling through your inbox or outbox. This highlights all

the messages you scroll past until you release Shift. Then simply hit your BlackBerry Menu key and select Delete to

get rid of the list.

You can also delete all messages sent or received before a specific date. To do so, scroll down to a date line and hit

the BlackBerry Menu key. From there, select Delete Prior, and you'll trash all previous messages.

Enable Content Compression:

BlackBerry content compression is meant to decrease the size of the data on your device to take up less memory,

and you should take advantage of the option. When enabled, all your device data is compressed, including

messages, contacts, calendar entries, tasks, and memos.

To turn content compression on, click the Options key on your BlackBerry's home icon screen, scroll to and select

Security Options and then choose General Settings. Once inside the General Settings menu, highlight Content

Documents

The Ultimate Blackberry Phone Tips and Tricks