Posted on October 16, 2009, at 1:19 pm .
I have been using BlackBerry Messenger for some time now to organize projects around the office, and I have to say, it is providing some serious competition to my previous solution, Basecamp by 37signals. With the latest updates to BBM, the BlackBerry is an even better tool for SMB (Small to Medium Business).
While BBM doesn’t have all the functionality that Basecamp provides, it does address some core features and it is a solid platform on which to collaborate. Here is a quick guide to using BlackBerry Messenger to run your small business:
Click through for a simple guide to using BlackBerry Messenger in your small business
Posted on August 10, 2009, at 4:23 pm .
Congratulations on buying your BlackBerry Curve 8520! Now you might be wondering what to do with your new phone. I’ll take you walk you through the basic features of your device and what you can do with it. BlackBerry is a powerful platform and if this is your first smartphone, your going to be amazed at what it can do.
Click through for the BlackBerry Cool guide to the BlackBerry Curve 8520
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 12, 2009, at 7:32 am .
By Ahmed Datoo, VP marketing, Zenprise
Zenprise is partnering with BlackBerry Cool to address how to resolve some of the most common BlackBerry activation problems. Through a series of 10 articles, readers will learn how to identify key log file errors, tests and configurations critical to identifying the root cause of enterprise activation issues.
The articles will explore common failures in the 4 unique stages of the activation process: stage 1 activation, stage 2 verifying encryption, stage 3 receiving services, and stage 4 slow synchronization process. Special thanks to Brian Bernard at RIM for providing the content for this troubleshooting series.
In this first article, Zenprise addresses what to do when a BlackBerry device is missing an Enterprise Activation icon on the home screen. For BlackBerry administrators, users experiencing this problem will typically not get past the first stage of the activation process (i.e., activation stage).
Continue reading this solution guide for resolving BlackBerry activation issues
Posted on June 10, 2009, at 10:45 am .
The menus within the BlackBerry OS can be a little overwhelming to some users, but once you start exploring these options you can tweak many settings and make your device more intuitive.
Homescreen Setup
Organizing your top six icons based on your most used apps is simple and effective. If you use the memory cleaner often (which you should) then enabling the home screen icon will save you from digging through the menus to get to it.
Options> security options>memory cleaning>enable, then switch the show home screen icon option to yes.
Make sure to aggregate all your web content into a single RSS reader so you don’t have to go clicking around. Similarly there are a few weather applications available that include homescreen icons which will let you view current conditions with a single glance at your screen.
Continue reading for more tips about setting up your device
Posted on April 30, 2009, at 10:24 am .
BlackBerry Made Simple
BlackBerry Cool readers are generally well versed in their BlackBerry but there are some people who need help. BlackBerry Made Simple is celebrating their new name with new products and new prices. The company is now able to offer a complete “Training Center” approach to learning about your BlackBerry. They have a “Training Center” available for every BlackBerry device.
The Training Center includes:
- Videos Now – A full video library (over 60 Videos per device) which can be viewed on any PC or Mac
- Videos to Go – A full Video Library in a self-installing file (for PC users) and easy install (for Mac users) which loads the videos right onto your Micro SD card. (Videos to Go requires a BlackBerry 88xx, 81xx, 82xx 83xx, 89xx, 90xx or 95xx BlackBerry Smartphone with at least a 1 GB Micro SD card)
- Made Simple Guide Book – Comprehensive guide books.
New Promotional Pricing:
- Buy Videos Now and Videos to Go – Together – for the new low price of $19.95 – A Savings of 80% off previous pricing
- Buy the Made Simple Guide Books (EBook format) for a low $14.95 – A Savings of almost 30% of previous EBook pricing
- Buy the Complete Training Center for only $29.95 – A Savings of $91.02 or 75% off previous pricing
Try BlackBerry Made Simple guides by visiting their site.
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
