newBBie.com

The admin of newBBie.com, Kelly Carter, is on a temporary, partial “sabbatical” from answering questions here on the site. He has hardly missed a day in about two years since the site first launched. The expected duration is until about December 2009. Among other things, he is preparing for the month of November to do a marathon novel-writing effort known as NaNoWriMo. Until that effort is over, comments (and the associated replies from the admin) will be disabled. Otherwise, the site will still be active and operational, including new posts. Thanks for your patience.

This video dramatization is a chilling reminder how serious a mistake we make when we allow our mobile phones to distract us while we’re driving. Please leave a comment pledging that you will never again text and drive.

Want strong protection for the looks of your BlackBerry Bold, Storm, or Curve (8900 only)…but want it to be attractive, too? And not interfere with phone usage? Check out these skins from iSkin, Inc.

Read more »

I have received many requests for help to recover BlackBerry text messages that were:

• Accidentally deleted
• Automatically deleted after the default “Keep Messages 30 Days” limit expired
• Automatically deleted because phone memory was low (yes, BlackBerrys are programmed to do that!)
• Lost when a phone crashed or was lost or stolen

Normally recovery is impossible unless you recently backed up your phone. But NOBODY backs up their phone frequently enough to be entirely risk-free of some loss.

So what if you could virtually guarantee never losing a text message without having to do backups? You can!

Read more »

If you are a relatively new owner of the Verizon BlackBerry Storm 9530, you may have never upgraded your Device Software (Operating System, or OS). You really need to know how to do this, but you should also be prepared for a number of problems that can occur along the way. Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

• How to prepare before upgrading
• How to download the new software
• How to start the upgrade
• How to handle some problems that might occur during the upgrade

Read more »

Did you know that if you own a BlackBerry with a data plan, your laptop has Internet access–anywhere your BB has a signal? With TetherBerry, it does!

It’s like carrying your own personal Wi-Fi hotspot everywhere you go. In this article we answer the questions:

• Exactly what is tethering?
• My wireless carrier charges a fee for tethering? Will I have to pay?
• What do I need to make TetherBerry work?
• What happens if I receive a phone call, email, or text message while my phone is tethered?
• Can I use my phone while it’s tethered? For what?
• And how well does it work?

Read more »

Owning a BlackBerry already makes you unique. Now you can be unique among BlackBerry owners–by “skinning” your Berry!

You won’t believe…

• How easy it is to apply a skin
• How inexpensive it is to buy a skin
• How many skin designs are available
• How precisely the skin fits

This article covers everything you need to know to have a way-cool phone within days.

Read more »

Myth or Truth? Can your BlackBerry–or any other cell phone–erase, disable, or otherwise damage your:

• Credit card?
• Debit card?
• ATM card?
• Gift card?
• Hotel key card?
• ID swipe card?
• Electronic car key?

[ PostScript 2009-02-10: I now have more definitive proof... ]

Read more »

Want to try a BlackBerry Storm but aren’t sure if you’ll like the touchscreen?

Want to try the hottest new BlackBerry model but don’t want to be bound by a 2-year contract?

What if you could just rent a BlackBerry month-to-month and return it when you’re done?

Now you can–thanks to Rentobile!

Read more »

Google has released a YouTube mobile application (”app”) for the BlackBerry, but at the time of this writing it is only compatible with the BlackBerry Storm, and is probably a beta release. This app is not the same as simply viewing YouTube in the Storm web browser and media player, rather this is a custom application designed to:

• Fit the Storm’s 480×360 screen
• Use the Storm’s native menu controls
• Offer special features not found on the web version

Read more »

Your BlackBerry has a USB port for connecting to a computer for use with Desktop Manager or in Mass Storage Mode. When USB problems occur, here are examples of error messages you may see:

• Computer doesn’t detect or recognize device (i.e., your BlackBerry)
  • USB Device Not Recognized. One of the USB Devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and Windows does not recognize it.
  • Your USB port is not supplying enough power to charge efficiently. Check your connection and drivers.
• Desktop Manager (DM) doesn’t detect device
  • Device connected (PIN): None
• Media Manager (in DM) doesn’t detect device
  • There is no device connected. Please connect your device in order to view its contents.

In this article, I grapple with a type of problem that is among the most frustrating you can have, and one that is among the most difficult to troubleshoot and correct. But if you think you have this problem, let’s get started…

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When I purchased my BlackBerry Storm, I was annoyed to discover that it uses a different USB cable than my other BlackBerry models. So, I wondered if I couldn’t use Bluetooth to connect to my phones, instead. I discovered that I could, and what limitations there are…

Read more »

TeleNav has released its GPS Navigator application for the BlackBerry Storm 9530 (Verizon Wireless).

With the large, high-resolution screen of the Storm, plus a windshield or dash mount, your Storm can compete with dedicated GPS navigation devices by Garmin, TomTom, Magellan, etc.

Basic Features:

• NAVIGATION
  • Text directions
  • Voice directions
  • Automatic reroute
  • 2D and 3D moving maps
  • and more…
• DIRECTORY SEARCH
  • Biz finder
  • Gas by price
  • and more…
• MAPS
  • Static map
  • Follow me map
  • Traffic on map
• OTHER
  • Automatic map update
  • and more…

Read more »

In Part 1 of this series, we looked at very basic skills of holding the Storm, and touching and clicking the screen. Through a simple typing drill, we hopefully found our “feel” for typing on the Storm. Real-world typing requires a few more skills that we need to master, including:

• Switching between letters, numbers, and symbols
• Capitalizing, typing alternate characters
• Detecting and correcting spelling errors

Read more »

In the last few days I’ve noticed several times my BlackBerry Storm 9530 unexpectedly displaying a white screen, with a small timer icon (with an animated, rotating clock hand), and what appears to be an animated progress bar as if something is being downloaded.

After roughly a minute of that, the Storm appeared to reboot, as indicated by a flashing red LED and the display of the message “Verifying Security Software.”

Here’s what I speculate might be going on…

Read more »

Typing on the BlackBerry Storm touchscreen (clickscreen) can be frustrating unless you’re willing to practice and improve your skills.

If you ever learned to touch type on a computer keyboard (or old-fashioned typewriter), you know that investment in your time paid off handsomely.

Well, why not invest some time in becoming an efficient (and happy) typist on your Storm?

Part 1 of this multipart tutorial covers:

• BlackBerry Storm keyboard types
• How to hold your BlackBerry Storm while typing
• How to touch and click while typing
• A beginning typing drill

Read more »

Is your BlackBerry in serious need of help because:

• USB port doesn’t work?
• Display (LCD) is cracked or not working?
• Lens (of display) scratched?
• Trackball won’t scroll?
• Button won’t click?
• Water damage?
• Battery door cracked?
• Device locked?
• Previously used device needs IT policy removed?
• 507 (white screen) error?
• …or you’re not sure what’s wrong and want a free diagnostic test run?

Well, there is a company who just might be able to help…

Read more »

A stunningly beautiful new BlackBerry, the Curve 8900 (a.k.a. Javelin) has been announced by Research in Motion (RIM) to be available to customers of Rogers in Canada.

Here are some links for you to explore:

Rogers Curve 8900

BlackBerry Curve 8900 (official web site)

BlackBerry Curve 8900 features

BlackBerry Curve 8900 specifications

BlackBerry Curve 8900 video

BlackBerry Curve 8900 101 (animated tutorial)

Or for a quick peek…

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If you were one of the early adopters of the BlackBerry Storm 9530 from Verizon Wireless, you may have noticed that your Storm had a few quirks. It’s no secret that the 9530 was released a tad early, even after all the delays, before its software was truly “ready for prime time.”

Well, on December 5, 2008, Verizon Wireless released an update to the Storm 9530 operating system (OS), or Device Software, to move it from version 4.7.0.65 to 4.7.0.75. For BlackBerry newBBies who have never upgraded an OS, let’s see how easily that’s done:

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The Qik home page heading says it all: “Equip your phone with free live video sharing.”  Let’s pick that phrase apart:

• Equip your phone: works with your BlackBerry (several models supported, more sure to come)
• Video sharing: lets you share videos shot with your BlackBerry
• Free: costs nothing–the app is free, the service is free
• Live: your video is not just shared on-demand, but broadcast live

Read more »

Bell Canada has announced that it will be releasing the BlackBerry Storm 9530 “soon.”

There are unsubstantiated rumors about the possible release date, how long Bell has an exclusive deal on the Storm for, etc., but I prefer not to pass on that kind of information. When the information becomes “real,” it will be announced through official channels.

To all my Canadian friends–and there are a lot that visit newBBie.com regularly–now is the time to start reading up on the Storm, asking questions here on this site, and determining whether this is the BlackBerry model for you.

Here is the link to the official announcement:

Read more »

Verizon Wireless has available online a tutorial and simulator for the BlackBerry Storm.

The tutorial includes these topics:

• Introduction/Personalization
• Email/Messaging
• Multimedia/Managing Connections
• Internet/Managing Applications
• Global Capabilities
• Resources Read more »

For a quick tutorial of the BlackBerry Storm, see its BlackBerry 101 animated demonstrator.

Here’s what it covers:

• Device Setup
  • Welcome
  • SIM Card and Battery
  • Charge Battery
  • Setup Wizard
  • Media Card Read more »

I am one of the thousands of crazy idiots who got up at the crack of dawn to be first in line to get a BlackBerry Storm on the day of its US release on November 21. This is a brief (and light-hearted) description of what the process was like–in case you ever feel crazy enough to try this for yourself.

Read more »

I’m a huge fan of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Series. Since the movie version of Twilight is coming out on November 21, this is a good time to outfit your BlackBerry to show off at the theatre.

Included in this article are (customized for Pearl, Curve, or Bold):

1. A free Twilight theme from CoolBlackBerryThemes.com
2. Free Twilight ringtones from CoolBlackBerryThemes.com
3. A free video of the final movie trailer
4. A free music video of a Twilight soundtrack song by Paramore, “Decode”

Read more »

What kinds of files will a BlackBerry open as email attachments?

What kinds of audio and video files will a BlackBerry play?

Here’s an update from Research in Motion (RIM) on which file formats are supported by current BlackBerry Device Software and BlackBerry Internet Service.

Read more »

In Part 1 of this series, we downloaded BlackBerry Operating System (OS) version 4.5, then installed it on our computer. Now, we’ll install it on our BlackBerry Pearl or Curve.

Read more »

While attempting to download and install BlackBerry Operating System (OS) version 4.5 on my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Pearl and Curve, I encountered a problem (“Error reading setup initialization file”) but found a way to overcome it. Google revealed to me I wasn’t alone, so I decided to do a lengthy Part 1 in this series to help anyone else who might experience the problem. Any reader who is a “newBBie” at downloading an OS might want to see how it’s done. It’s a fairly quick read with lots of screenshots.

Read more »

Verizon Wireless officially announced the availability of the BlackBerry Storm on November 21, 2008 (at corporate stores).

Be assured that newBBie.com will now cover and support this exciting new BlackBerry.

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WARNING: Wiping (erasing data or programs) your BlackBerry is a serious step. You should never attempt this unless you really know what you are doing, or you are following the advice of someone who does.

So, why would you ever need to wipe your BlackBerry? And what methods and options are there for doing it?

Read more »

When one of your contacts calls, you can be alerted to their identity through a custom ringtone, and/or with name and photo flashed on the screen of your BlackBerry.

But what if your contact sends your BlackBerry an email or text message? Your phone can alert you that a message has arrived, but can’t help you identify who the sender is until you actually open the message.

Aerize Email Alerts brings the convenience of Caller ID to email and text messages (SMS).

Read more »

Time to give your BlackBerry a snazzy new look, with a free, premium, or custom theme? This article provides links to some of the hottest sites for BlackBerry themes for the Pearl, Curve, and Bold.

(Pictured to the right is a custom theme by Cherri Chiodo of All Things Berry: Aluminum Zen.)

Read more »

As most of us wait, and wait, and wait for the BlackBerry Bold to be released in our part of the world, at least we can start browsing through the now-available user guides.

Released to Europeans is an animated user guide (in English).

Available now on newBBie.com are…

Read more »

BlackBerry now has a presence on MySpace, and will soon have a custom MySpace application for your BlackBerry.

What’s so special about BlackBerry on MySpace?

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Few problems are more aggravating than a sudden loss of email capability with your BlackBerry, but this does happen.

In this article we cover a solution that works for many cases of email failure. It involves a feature of your phone that most BlackBerry users are unfamiliar with: Service Books.

Read more »

This is the ultimate in personalization of your BlackBerry Pearl, Curve, or Bold (and others): custom colors for front, sides, and back–from a dazzling array of solid and metallic colors.

If you want a phone like nobody else, then read on!

Read more »

This is just a quick note that information on the BlackBerry is starting to show up on the new Google knowledgebase, Knol.

If you haven’t heard of, or visited, Knol yet, it has been described as a Google alternative to Wikipedia. Instead of having only one article on a particular subject, authors compete to write for the same or similar topics. Authors with better ratings are provided an incentive to continue producing high-quality content: they can get paid by Google through AdSense.

Since I really love writing, I’ve tried my hand at writing a knol. Do a search for BlackBerry on Knol and check out my BlackBerry Basics knol. I would appreciate if you would look it over and give me (Kelly Carter) an honest rating (swipe across the stars and click to set your rating).

Today I checked my BlackBerry Pearl 8130 and BlackBerry Curve 8330 and discovered that their times differed by several minutes. How could this be? I had both set to synchronize with the same Verizon Wireless network. I double-checked the settings, and was correct in my assumption. So, what went wrong?

Are you someone who critically depends on your phone’s time being accurate? Do you travel to different time zones to attend important meetings you have scheduled on your phone’s calendar? After some investigation, I discovered that if you’re not careful, you can get into big trouble.

Read more »

After a painfully long wait, the Bold is slowly being released around the globe. Recently, I’ve read of releases in Canada, Singapore*, and Australia. RIM press releases indicate planned or actual releases in numerous countries, but it’s hard to know what’s accurate. Late release rumors have abounded, but have been denied by RIM spokespersons. But when can I get one?!

Here are three news stories that I think are trustworthy and interesting:

Read more »

Although Verizon Wireless, my carrier for a BlackBerry Pearl 8130 and a BlackBerry Curve 8330, isn’t ready for me to update to the latest version of Desktop Manager (version 4.5), I found a download for it and am going to test drive it anyway.

Part 1 of this series shows the downloading and installation of this software. At the end of the article, I look ahead to what I hope to learn by running this newer version. This article is a quick read–mostly pictures. I also reveal where you can download this software if you want to try this for yourself. But be forewarned that there are risks!

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A media card is one of the most important accessories you need for your BlackBerry (BB). There is simply not enough memory in the phone alone to fully enjoy some of the coolest features that come with your BB: beautiful music playback, crystal-clear photos and videos, voice recording, etc. This article answers some basic but critical questions:

• Why exactly do I need a media card?
• Will a media card help with my low memory problems?
• Which card should I buy? Where? For how much?
• What can I store on the media card? What can I not store on it?
• How do I manage the media content on the card?
• Are there any “secret” tricks I should know?
• What are common problems and solutions with media cards?

Read more »

Around May or June 2008, BlackBerry owners using Verizon Wireless started discovering a new icon on their home screens. Labeled Trooper Typing, the icon looks looks like an airplane dropping a paratrooper.

Those affected began screaming and posting questions all over the web.

This article answers:

• Where did this icon come from?
• What is it for?
• Why is this happening?
• How can I delete it?
• Will it keep coming back?
• Is it worth keeping?

Even if you’re not with Verizon Wireless, what you will learn in this article is very useful to know, as other wireless providers practice similar techniques. Plus, you just might discover a useful game.

Read more »

To make the transition from my previous blog, My BlackBerry Pearl 8130, to this one, newBBie.com, I needed to start learning the Curve. As much as I have loved my Pearl, I couldn’t help being tempted by the Curve. Not for the full QWERTY keyboard, as I am totally OK with the Pearl’s smaller keyboard. But the larger display is significant plus.

Taking a step on faith that this site eventually will bring in enough advertising revenue to cover my expenses, I took the plunge into owning multiple BlackBerrys.

Getting my Curve up-and-running required a few more steps than my Pearl. Little did I know that I’d need help from Winston Churchill before it was all over.

Read more »

bold   /bohld/

• not fearful in the face of actual or possible danger.
• necessitating courage and daring; challenging.
• beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative.
• striking or conspicuous to the eye; flashy; showy.

Source: paraphrased from an entry in Dictionary.com.

In the face of competition from Apple’s iPhone™, Research in Motion (RIM) made a daring response to that challenge. Fighting fire with fire, RIM made a leap of imagination in engineering and product design to create the Bold™. Read more »

I want to thank all of you who have visited my blog and helped it just reach the milestone of 250,000 page views. Many of you have become regular visitors, so I like to think we’ve become a burgeoning Internet community. Times change, and so do our mobile phones; we won’t always own a BlackBerry Pearl. So, I’d like to share with you my future plans to continue our relationship after our Pearls have become a past love. It might actually pay you to read this post.

Read more »

In Parts 1 and 2 of this 3-part tutorial, we covered basic and intermediate configuration of notification profiles. In Part 3 we will cover the most advanced features:

• How to create custom profiles
• How to create exceptions to profiles
• How to handle notifications that occur during the middle of a phone call
• How to set your phone to “do not disturb”
• Level 1 Notifications

Read more »

In Part 1 of this 3-part tutorial, we learned the most basic ring settings (ring/vibrate, default and personalized ringtones, unique tone for text messages). In Part 2, we’ll learn the more elaborate settings normally found only on smartphones:

• Notification of messages (email, PIN, browser push), Calendar events, and Task to-do items
• Notification signal types and meanings
• Standard notification profiles

Read more »

Before you got a BlackBerry, it was so simple to set ring or vibrate options, even a kid could do it. But now…it seems like you need, well, … a web site to explain how to control the bewildering array of “notification profile” settings. In a 3-part tutorial, we’ll learn (1) basic ring settings, (2) more elaborate settings found only on smartphones, and (3) advanced settings. You can choose how far to go depending on what makes you happy. Read more »

Check out this YouTube video on the evolution of mobile phones. You’ll see the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 momentarily at time marker 2:04. Leave a comment on what you’d like in a future mobile phone (or whatever we end up calling it). Read more »

In folklore, a silver bullet can kill all kinds of nasty things like werewolves, witches, and vampires. We BlackBerry owners need a silver bullet to kill problems like:

• low memory
• frozen applications
• email malfunctions
• sluggish or quirky phone performance
• installed themes not showing up

A common recommendation is to “pull the battery” (meaning remove it, wait, then replace it). But what about wear-and-tear from doing that over-and-over? And what if my phone is in a protective skin that must be removed? Surely there must be a better way? There is–and it’s soooo simple! Read more »