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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): A free Twilight theme from CoolBlackBerryThemes.com Free Twilight ringtones from CoolBlackBerryThemes.com A free video of the final ...

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.

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.    

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 ...

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.  

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?

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 ...

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.)  

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...

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?

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.

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!

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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, ...

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 ...

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

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

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 ...

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).

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 ...

A unique theme or wallpaper expresses who you are or what you're about. Having trouble finding one that fits you? Well, let me introduce you to an artist who defies a simple description: she's Texas-born but a California hippie at heart, with flaming red hair and a temper to match, loves rock'n'roll and chihuahuas, rides dirt bikes and plays poker, ...

Your BlackBerry Pearl has GPS (built-in or external Bluetooth), so you know where you are. But what if you want others to know where you are? Here is just the application you need: Blip by BlackLine GPS. In this article, I'll review how to install Blip on your BlackBerry, create a Blip account on the web, and share on the web ...

Overall, I have loved Verizon Wireless as my service provider, but I am very disappointed with their decision to disable the internal GPS of the BlackBerry Pearl 8130. VZW did that, of course, because it saw a way to generate more revenue by charging $10/month to unlock the GPS and sell its customers its VZNavigator product. Is this adding value ...

Learning SureType (continued) In Part 2, we introduced some basics of SureType® with the objective of learning to ignore the screen while we type. If you haven't mastered that skill, go back to Part 2 and practice that first. In Part 3, we'll develop more advanced skills: How to let SureType predict words from its internal and custom dictionaries to save you keystrokes. How ...

Learning SureType When trying to decide which BlackBerry model to choose, say, a Pearl versus a Curve, a key factor is size. The most distinctive feature of the Pearl is its smaller size enabled by its smaller keyboard. Rather than use a full QWERTY keyboard (where every letter and number usually has its own key, where there are two shift keys, etc.), ...

Phone Functions The phone functions are obviously fundamental, but not necessarily the easiest to use. If you're new to a smartphone, or to a BlackBerry Pearl specifically, it can be frustrating when you can't do what was so simple on your old phone. There are so many phone function tips and tricks I could have chosen from, but here's a start ...

Recently, Verizon Wireless released an upgrade of its version of the BlackBerry Operating System (a.k.a. Device Software) for the Pearl 8130, updating from version 4.3.0.60 to 4.3.0.97. Having never done an upgrade (my phone is only 3 months old), I wanted to research the "how-tos" and hazards of upgrading before I risked messing up my phone. I did my homework, ...

Typing on the Pearl Keyboard The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 sacrifices a full-QWERTY keyboard to attain its very appealing smaller size. But don't be fooled by the tiny keyboard, it is amazingly powerful. But you need to practice some tips and tricks to be proficient with it. This post begins with some very basic techniques. Try practicing with your phone while you ...

Ever needed to send a message to someone, a group of people, or even yourself, but were driving and didn't want to take your eyes off the road? Ever wanted to broadcast a message from your phone to a large group of subscribers in a way that brought them all into one conversation? If you ever thought your cell phone was not a messaging powerhouse--you ...

If you are experiencing any of the above, you may have MEMORY PROBLEMS with your BlackBerry. You may have spent hours on the phone with your wireless provider's technical support. You may have been told you need to replace your phone. You may have been told your phone has a known problem--a "memory leak"--and that RIM is working on a ...

Colleagues at work insist that the best group calendaring solution is Google Calendar. When I learned that I could sync Google calendars with my BlackBerry Calendar, I decided to take the plunge. In this article I explain how to install Google Sync on your 8130 and show you how to use it.

One of the most popular and useful smartphone applications ("apps") is Google Maps for Mobile. And a hugely popular new feature (in beta) is My Location. If you're a new BlackBerry Pearl owner, you simply must check this out. In this post, I'll cover the basic features, a ton of screenshots, and even some photos of how I have jury-rigged ...

OK, this story is almost two years old, but still I find that many people haven't "heard" it, so here it is. There's a ringtone spreading around that can be heard by "the young" but not by "the old." I have tested the ringtone on people of all ages, and here are some of the responses I've received: Age 40: "I can't ...

   Want to make your 8130 look as cool as an iPhone? Well, a theme named bPhone created by the very talented designer Matt Rogers of RogersMJ.com is just what you need! RogersMJ offers three versions of the bPhone theme: Icon, Zen, and Today. See some screenshoots below...

Ever tried to watch a video and your display kept going dark because of the backlight timeout? The maximum time you can set it for is 2 minutes but normally I have mine set to 30 seconds to save on battery charge. What about when you're a passenger* in a car using Google Maps or BlackBerry Maps to help with ...

When I decided to take the plunge and install my first application ("app") on my 8130, I googled to find out what other BlackBerry owners considered was a "must have" app. Opera Mini™ 4 turned out to be perhaps the most highly recommended. Having developed web pages for years, I know that no single browser is perfect. When a web ...

RETRACTION: Feedback from blog readers like you led me to follow up and do more investigation. As a result, I am posting below new information that will give readers a more realistic assessment of the experience they can expect with YouTube Mobile.

When I upgraded to a BlackBerry, Verizon customer support transferred 100+ contacts from my old (non-smartphone) phone into my new phone. It worked except that many of the first, middle, and last names got mixed up. Shortly thereafter, I needed to enter a big batch of new contacts by hand. I REALLY didn't want to do all that data entry ...

PC Magazine has published a review of the BlackBerry Pearl 8130. Synopsis: Published January 8, 2008 Review is objective, balanced, and very positive overall Reviews look-and-feel, keyboard, voice quality, media player, email, browser, camera, and more Compares Verizon and Sprint versions Compares some aspects of 8130 to BlackBerry 8100 and 8830, Motorola Q, and Apple iPhone

Ever misplaced your cellphone? Of course you have. Tried calling it with another phone and listening for the ring, only to remember you had left it in vibrate or silent mode? A helpless feeling, isn't it? "Find My Berry" is an application ("app") that is really helpful in this situation. A $4.95 purchase from Mobireport, you almost can't afford NOT to have this ...

[Postscript: I am not blaming Viigo, as shortage of memory was likely the culprit. Before jumping to conclusions, please read my entire post plus the comment left by Viigo support. Since posting this, Viigo is still working wonderfully for me now that I have freed up some memory.] Viigo™ is a highly-recommended (and free) RSS feed reader for the BlackBerry (and ...

PostScript, March 9, 2008: Verizon Wireless 8130 owners take note that Verizon recently released a new version of the BlackBerry Operating System (OS) for your phone. So if you follow the directions in the article, you will download "Device Software" (same as the OS) version 4.3.0.97 that might be newer than what is currently installed on your phone. Connecting your phone and ...

I was a little nervous about installing my first application ("app") on my BlackBerry for fear of messing it up. I know from years of using desktop computers that poorly-coded or misconfigured apps can create a host of problems. My fears turned out to be well-founded, but that is another post. I've learned that apps can be installed two basic ways: ...

What do you need to know about using (or not) your BlackBerry on an airplane? The short answer is that you will be directed to turn off your cellular telephone shortly before take-off, and you will be allowed to turn it on shortly after landing. But...your BlackBerry is a smartphone, not just a cellular telephone! There are different rules for ...