Posted on July 28, 2009, at 1:16 pm .
One of the downsides of being a BIS user is that you don’t get the ability to archive your deleted BlackBerry emails. Well there is a way to do it and it has changed my life.
If you’re like me, you have drunk the Cool-Aid and you’re using Google Calendar, Reader, Docs (which I’m writing this on right now) etc. Even though you love Google products, you can’t make the jump to Android because, when it comes to communication and getting things done, nothing is better than BlackBerry.
There have been rumors of a BlackBerry plugin for Gmail for ages, but it’s taking a long time and we’re not hearing much news about it. Until then, here is a solution for archiving your deleted BlackBerry emails using Gmail.
Click through to read a step by step tutorial on how to archive BlackBerry emails with Gmail
Posted on June 22, 2009, at 10:31 am .
You’ve spent time building up your Autotext entries to make it really easy to fire off a “thank you” or “you’re welcome.” You’ve invested time in building up your Password Keeper with entries for the Jonas Brothers Fan Club and you’ve got 50+ friends on your BlackBerry Messenger. Life is good, especially because you’re on a BES and your contacts, calendars, tasks and notes are being synced back to the server. Now, a new OS pops up and you want to update. You get IT’s blessing to do this, but then you remember those parts of your BlackBerry that are going to be wiped out. When you plug your phone into your computer, fire up Desktop Manager and try to back up certain parts of your device, you get this:
Nan’s Backup and Restore on BES
Posted on June 16, 2009, at 11:40 am .
How to write your second BlackBerry application – Lesson 2: Mail API, Invoke API, Menu
In the first tutorial you learned how to set up the BlackBerry JDK (Java Development Kit) and how to create a simple User Interface with Buttons, Labels and Edit Fields.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how one can program, create and compose email messages as well as how to add a MenuItem to your application.
1. You open up the JDE (Java Development Environment) and load your Workspace file. Go to File -> Recent Workspaces to load up the Lections.jdw file.
2. Now right-click on Lections.jdw and select Create new Project
3. Name it Lection_2
4. Now right-click on Lection_2 and select Add file to Project
5. Select both files HelloWorld.java and Lesson2Screen.java to import them into the project
6. You now have the project set up and are ready to jump into the code
Continue reading Lesson 2 of this BlackBerry development series
Posted on June 8, 2009, at 7:21 am .
Recently, BlackBerry Cool wrote about a product called NetworkAcc, which claims to speed up your mobile network. A lot of BlackBerry sites have published their skepticism about the product, and rightly so.
NetworkAcc seems like a very cool concept that would certainly be of use to many. Unfortunately, none of what they claim to do is currently possible to the publicly exposed APIs.
The limitations of 3rd party access to API’s
Third party applications are fairly limited in what they can achieve in terms of network manipulation. For the most part, much of this is handled by the underlying framework, and most of it is handled at the OS layer. It is important to understand the overall architecture of the software on the device. At a high level, it looks something like this:
Operating System: Written in C++, this layer handles hardware interaction networking, process management and memory. Code written at this layer is compiled into machine code and run directly off the processor.
Virtual Machine: Also written in C++, the virtual machine is what runs all of the Java software on the phone. It sits just above the OS, and handles all Java related tasks, like interpreting byte code, managing program memory and all the other fun tasks that programmers would much rather ignore.
Keep reading about how a BlackBerry application is developed and what it can do
Posted on June 5, 2009, at 7:46 am .
This article is the first in a series of articles about BlackBerry development. With App World, third party software vendors and the web, there are a ton of opportunities for an independent developer to make money.
BlackBerry Development in Java – Lection 1: Basic fields in the User Interface
Let’s get right into it. Download the JDE (Java Development Environment) from the BlackBerry website. I personally used the JDE 4.3 for this project but you can also download a newer JDE. For advanced functions like using the BlackBerry Storm accelerometer or touch screen, you have to install JDE 4.7.
For advanced features and other APIs you may want to use, you need code-signing keys from RIM. You can purchase signing keys here. The keys cost $20 which is a bargain considering you can use the keys forever, and they’re going to help you make a great BlackBerry application. Make sure to read more about the keys because they’re an important part of BlackBerry development.
For this introductory application, you don’t need signature keys and the compiled *.cod file can be run on the device (and not only on the simulator).
Continue reading this walkthrough for developing your first BlackBerry application
Posted on June 2, 2009, at 7:31 am .
Super Moderator Joolie at the Port3101 forum answers a question that BES administrators have been asked many times: “What can my BES administrator see on my personal device if I connect it to the BES?”
The article doesn’t seem to specify whether Joolie is running BES 5.0. Some administrators will wait for the 2nd service pack before committing to a full upgrade.
What syncs/is stored/is accessed by the BES includes:
* Corporate email
* Corporate calendar
* Corporate PIM data (address book, memo pad, tasks)
* Browser bookmarks
* Password Keeper data (although this cannot be accessed in any way, even when restored to another device, without the PK password)
* PIN messaging data (including the actual message sent/received); logging turned off by default
* Phone call data (date/time of call, number called/received, length of call); loggined turned on by default
* Text message data (including the actual verbage of the text message); logging turned off by default
* Blackberry Messenger data (this one is extremely klunky to get and I don’t know a single BES Admin that turns this one on)
* All applications installed on the device (games, stock apps, etc.)
* OS version installed on the device (so we’ll know if you upgraded to a beta OS!)
In addition anything that is a part of automatic wireless backup could *technically* be viewed by performing a restore to a new device.
What a BES Admin can’t see:
* BIS email messages (I *might* be able to see what service books you have, but cannot read the messages)
* 3rd party IM messages (Yahoo!, MSN, etc), although I can see which of these applications you have installed.
* BlackBerry Messenger contact names/PINs
[Source]
Posted on February 4, 2009, at 3:27 pm .
Before I submitted to the mail client behemoth that is Outlook (or, more specifically, it’s purple Mac counterpart Entourage), I was a satisfied Thunderbird user. Unwilling to make the switch, however, a helpful member of the BlackBerry Nation has devised a way to integrate Thunderbird (on any other non-Outlook email client) with your BlackBerry in an Exchange fashion. Here’s a quick summary of the process.
Thunderbird is the primary email application that is used on a desktop to send, receive and file messages. Blackberry is a secondary email application that is used to send and receive email messages remotely. User needs to (1) use a single email address known to the outside world, (2) be able to receive and send email to and from this single email address from either the Blackberry or Thunderbird, (3) maintain a complete record in Thunderbird of all sent and received email (whether sent or received from the Blackberry or Thunderbird).
While it may sound like a MacGyver-esque process, we have the full instructions posted after the jump, in four quick steps. Post a comment and let us know if the solution works for you.
ThunderBird/BlackBerry Configuration Instructions
Posted on January 15, 2009, at 1:30 pm .
RIM has released a BlackBerry Knowledge Base article explaining which webmail accounts have enhanced BIS integration. While this may seem extremely boring, it’s actually pretty important, as the knowledge base effectively indicates which webmail accounts receive push-like email delivery speeds. Check out the list below to see if your webmail account is the recipient of a little extra love from the boys and girls of Waterloo.
Enhanced integration of webmail accounts is available with the following service providers:
* AOL
o Near real-time delivery of email messages
o AOL Mail icon on the BlackBerry smartphone Home screen
* Yahoo!
o Near real-time delivery of email messages
o Yahoo! Mail icon on the BlackBerry smartphone Home screen
* Gmail
o Near real-time delivery of email messages
* Windows Live Hotmail/MSN
o Near real-time delivery of email messages
o Premium account is no longer required for BlackBerry Internet Service email account integration
* Hostopia
o Near real-time delivery of email messages
* GoDaddy
o Near real-time delivery of email messages
Enhanced webmail integrations for the BlackBerry Internet Service
Posted on January 7, 2009, at 1:50 pm .
Ever wanted to tether your Linux notebook to your BlackBerry? Me neither, but I have wanted to tether my MacBook to my BlackBerry, and considering the difficulties getting that done, I can sympathize with an even more marginalized demographic.
Interested Linux users will need to download Barry, an open source application that not only allows you to tether your BlackBerry to your Linux notebook, but also provides synchronization, backup and restore and program management options. Here’s a full list of Barry’s services:
* charge your Blackberry’s battery from your USB port
* retrieve Address Book, Email, Calendar, Service Book, Memos, Tasks, PIN Messages, Saved Email, and Folders
* export Address Book contacts in text or LDAP LDIF format
* make full data backups and restores of your device using a GUI
* synchronize contacts and calendar items using the OpenSync framework
* use the Blackberry as a modem
To download Barry and find instructions on how to get started, click the link below.
Barry – BlackBerry synchronization for Linux
|via Ostatic|
Posted on December 18, 2008, at 2:13 pm .
Have you recently purchased one of those fancy new BlackBerry devices with multimedia features? Have no idea what types of media your BlackBerry supports? Worry not, your friends at RIM have your back, and have published a BlackBerry Knowledge Base stating which media formats work with your BlackBerry. Click the link below for the knowledge base, as well as handy instructions on how to transcode audio and video files for the Media application.
BlackBerry Multimedia Support Knowledge Base
How to transcode audio files
