For your Blackberry mobile life:

-> While you’re on the go, keep in touch with email, instant messaging and advanced phone functionality
-> Go beyond communications with features like a built-in camera, multi-media and social networking capabilities1
-> Stay on top of your life wherever it takes you with the Internet, GPS, Blackberry® Maps and more
-> BlackBerry are designed with an easy-to-use QWERTY style keyboard. Along with the intuitive trackball on many models, that means typing and navigating couldn’t be easier.


Sunday, February 28, 2010

What's new in BlackBerry OS 5.0


  • Browser is run faster.
  • Whole OS is run faster and more responsive.
  • Chat room type SMS interface. Although some people don't like it, but it really give better organization.
  • Pictures viewer is responding fast, now you can 'flip' through when switching picture.
  • Added built-in File Manager.
  • Email setup interface is changed. Now is more user friendly.
  • You can better manage your apps from the options menu.
  • Allow “Vibrate while ring” by default. You don’t need any 3rd party app.
  • Full screen view when taking camera
  • New boot up screen with “BlackBerry” logo and a status bar showing start up progress. Overall boot up time is shorter.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

How to upgrade BlackBerry OS

First you will need to download the BlackBerry OS software file to your computer. You can search from Google with keyword “Blackberry OS [Carrier name]”. Or you may refer to my post "Official BlackBerry OS Website".

Be sure you selected the right blackberry model then download the latest OS file to desktop. There are unofficial versions (some call it leak version) of blackberry OS floating around the internet, do it at your own risk if you decided to use those unofficial OS.

Install Blackberry OS software into default location (Basically just click next until end during installation) If you’re using software version from a different service provider other than your own, after the installation wizard is done you will need go to delete the Vendor.xml file. It can be found following this path:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader


After the deletion of the Vendor.xml file (if needed), plug in your device to the computer via USB cable and then double click on the Loader.exe file in the same folder

Click next for the first screen, the Wizard should automatically detect the port and should display USB and your PIN number. Like screenshot below


Next the Application Loader Wizard will read your devices system configuration. System will allow you to choose any applications that you would like to install into Blackberry handheld. Here you need to make sure applications such as BlackBerry Attachment Service, BlackBerry Messenger, and 3rd Party Application boxes are ticked, and any other applications you want installed to the device and select ‘Next’.


Completing the Application Loader Wizard screen will come up next and and show you exactly what Applications are being installed. Make sure everything you want installed is selected and select ‘Finish’.

It is depending on Blackberry device and can take up between 20-45 minutes for OS installation. PLEASE DO NOT UNPLUG CABLE FROM THE DEVICE. THIS WILL CAUSE YOUR DEVICE BRICKED AND MAKE YOUR DEVICE IN DEEP TROUBLE. Be patient and wait until the Application Loader Wizard is states Loading Operation is Complete.

At this point, you can unplug your device and your device is restarting. Usually it will take long time for the first restart (approximately 12min). Enjoy the new Operating System.

Official BlackBerry OS website

Following are the official BlackBerry website with the carrier in your country. Just click on the link and it will direct you to the BlackBerry OS download page.

Asia Pacific

Bharti Tele-Ventures Limited
Celcom Malaysia
Dialog Sri Lanka
Globe Telecom, Inc.
Hong Kong CSL Limited
Hutchison
M1
Optus Mobile Pty Limited
Singapore Telecom Mobile Pte Ltd
SMART Communications Inc.
SmarTone-Vodafone
StarHub Ltd.
Telstra
Vodafone Australia and Fiji
Vodafone New Zealand
XL Indonesia

Europe

Orange UK
Telefonica Spain
T-Mobile Austria
T-Mobile Croatia
T-Mobile Czech Republic
T-Mobile Germany
T-Mobile Hungary
T-Mobile Netherlands
T-Mobile Poland
T-Mobile Slovak Republic
T-Mobile United Kingdom
Vodafone D2
Vodafone Ireland
Vodafone Netherlands
Vodafone UK

North America

Bell Mobilité Inc.
Bell Mobility Inc.
Cincinnati Bell Inc.
Cingular, the new AT&T
Dobson Cellular/Cellular One
Nextel Communications Inc.
Nextel Partners
Rogers Wireless Inc.
SouthernLINC Wireless
Sprint Spectrum L.P.
SunCom Wireless
Telus Mobility
T-Mobile USA
Verizon Wireless

South America

Cable and Wireless Ltd
Claro Brasil
Claro Peru
Comcel
Comunicaciones Nextel de Mexico
CTI
Entel PCS
Iusacell
Nextel Comunications Argentina S.A.
Nextel del Peru S.A.
Personal Argentina
Porta
Telcel
Telecomunicaciones Movilnet C.A.
Telefonica
Telefonica Venezuela
TIM Brazil

See also
How to upgrade BlackBerry OS

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The easiest way to delete all BlackBerry address book contacts

I believe most people will suggest using wipe handheld feature under Phone Option, Security Options, General Settings. By doing this, all address book contact are deleted, but you will also delete everything in your BlackBerry (all setting had been reset back to default setting too).

What about if I need to delete address book contact only without losing any other information from my Blackberry? Instead of delete your address book contact one by one, actually you can do it with BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

Connect you BlackBerry to PC with USB cable
Run BlackBerry Desktop Manager
Go to Backup and Restore, select Advance, following screen will appear

Highlight “Address book” & “Address book - ALL”, then click the clear button.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Is your BlackBerry running slow? Clear system memory

BlackBerry users should know system will become very slow after long time use without restarting. Actually this is same applied to every smartphones in the market because its internal memory is fully utilized without a proper clearing by apps.

Here is the little idea to release your BlackBerry internal memory or cache



Clear browser cache

Open the browser, press menu button, select Options, select Cache Operation. Clear every cache or history then quit.


Clear phone memory


go to phone Options, select Security Options, select Memory Cleaning, press menu button then select Clean Now

BlackBerry Email Account Type

Blackberry Email via BIS
This is the simplest way to get BlackBerry email with BIS (BlackBerry Internet Services) from the carrier. BIS allow up to 10 email accounts to be configured into BlackBerry. POP3 internet email like yourname@yahoo.com or yourname@gmail.com also can be configured into your BlackBerry smartphone.

Blackberry Email via BES
If you would like to get corporate email on your BlackBerry smartphone, you need BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server) from carrier. Many companies will set up a BES in their exchange server then manage all the corporate mobile email from a central location.

BlackBerry Email via the BlackBerry Redirector
For corporate users that do not have BES but still want to get corporate email from a BlackBerry smartphone with BIS. They can use “BlackBerry Redirector”. BlackBerry Redirector is a part of the feature in BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

For user who wants to receive corporate email, they can leave their company PC on with BlackBerry Redirector running. The BlackBerry Redirector software will “listen” to the user’s corporate email inbox then forward that email to BlackBerry smartphone.

The key difference between BES and BlackBerry Redirector is BES listens at the server level, where BlackBerry Redirector listens at the individual PC level. Therefore, user PC must be stay on to receive any new email. Anyway, for the corporate user whose company does not yet have a BES, BlackBerry Redirector really come into place to provide alternative solution.

Keep in mind that the BlackBerry Redirector is only for forwarding email to BlackBerry smartphone. To perform other tasks like deleting email, calendar, users must access to PC. Furthermore, BlackBerry Redirector will not function if the PC is turned off.

Check out my coming soon article to configure BlackBerry Redirector

Friday, February 12, 2010

Disable BlackBerry event log to free up memory


Do you know that your BlackBerry smartphone actually keep track every activity into event log? Event log is located into a secret place and you need special key press to access it. Due to event log keep track everything in your BlackBerry from time to time, therefore it will gradually eat up more system memory.

Usually we don’t need the event log information, I would suggest you disable event log to free up memory. Following is the secret to disable BlackBerry event log.

At BlackBerry home screen press ALT + LGLG
If you successful, you will access to event log windows


Press menu button, select Options to access to EventLogger Option
Press Menu button again, select “Hide all types”
Save and quit.

.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

First ten things you should do with your new BlackBerry


1. Study user manual, know the basic operation procedure of your BlackBerry
2. Get rid of things you won't be using - Delete unused languages, pictures, remove sample video
3. Adjust backlight brightness to lowest level – save battery life
4. Adjust Trackball / trackpad sensitivity (default is 70, suggested horizontal/vertical at 80)
5. Setup email account
6. Setup BlackBerry Messenger
7. Hide / rearrange shortcuts for most efficient use
8. Load up your BlackBerry with Ringtones , Wallpapers, Themes, Games and Movies!
9. Install BlackBerry App World – if your country doesn’t support App World, please use alternative way to install. Visit http://Just-Blackberry.blogspot.com
10. Download your desired app like Opera Mini, Facebook App, Google Maps, IM apps and etc….

Blackberry Swiss Army Knife Tool (BBSAK)


Most BlackBerry advance users should know about JL_Cmdr. If you have a bricked device and no other way to try, JL_Cmdr comes to the rescue.

JL-Cmdr is a DOS base application running in Windows. No doubt, JL_Cmdr is an useful application but it outdated UI still waiting to improved. Due to that, Blackberry Swiss Army Knife Tool (BBSAK) comes into place serve as a replacement with nicer GUI and user friendly.

BBSAK builds upon the functionality of JL_Cmdr, even more than what JL_Cmdr can perform. BBSAK gives you the ability to take screenshots, perform a factory reset, wipe a device, load an OS, backup 3rd party application, load device application, install COD files and a lot more.

I would say this application is MUST HAVE in your PC/Laptop. I highly recommend having it installed just for standby. If you are BlackBerry advance user, you will certainly need this application often.

BBSAK is free, but need registration before download

Blackberry Swiss Army Knife Tool (BBSAK)


*Using JL_Cmdr or BBSAK might run the risk of damage your device - use at your own risk*