BlackBerry Tips -

http://www.pctoday.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2005/t0310
/35t10/35t10.asp

Key Guide
* ALT: 'Half moon' key on the left of the keyboard
* SHIFT: 'Triangle' keys on either side of the SPACE key
* CAP: Right-hand SHIFT key
* ESC: Button below the trackwheel

When you run into a phone number that uses letters, don't fret. Simply
hold ALT and dial the letters where they appear in the number. They will
be automatically converted to numerals when the call is placed.

Create A Custom Auto Signature

Have you noticed that every email you send to a client, co-worker, or
friend from your BlackBerry ends with the line, "Sent from my BlackBerry
Wireless Handheld"? Would you like to change that to something a bit
more . . . you? Well, it's really quite simple. Connect your BlackBerry
to your PC via your sync cable (or, if you use a Bluetooth connection in
order to sync, prepare that connection). Open the Desktop Manager by
clicking its icon or by navigating to it via your computer's Start menu.
Click the Redirecter Settings icon in Desktop Manager. Click the General
tab. Here you should see the Auto Signature field containing the message
"Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld." Edit this message to create
your new signature or simply delete it if you don't wish to use an Auto
Signature.

Reboot Without Removing The Battery

BlackBerry devices seem to have a penchant for locking up or otherwise
stalling, especially if the device is left in the dock for too long.
Once this happens, most of us will sigh, remove the cover from the back,
and lift the battery out for two seconds before reinserting it. Surely
there must be a better way, right?

Well, it just so happens that there's a simple keyboard shortcut that
will rollover your BlackBerry. Simply hold ALT-CAP-BACKSPACE at the same
time for a full second to perform a hard reboot of your device.

Activate Keyboard Lock With One Key

In the last issue, we shared a simple, two-button shortcut to lock the
keyboard on your BlackBerry. Since then, we've discovered an even
simpler method, using only one key. It requires alteration of a few
settings, but once finished, it works like a charm. From the Home
Screen, press the K key on your keypad. If the cursor does not leap to
an icon, you're in business. (This shortcut will not work if there is an
application which has K as a shortcut key.) Go to the Telephone
Application.

From the main screen, select Options from the menu. Select General
Options. Now, set Dial From Home Screen to No. From this point forward,
pressing K will lock your keyboard.

Smartcodes make inputting certain types of information, like dates,
times, and software version, much easier.

Use SmartCodes

Did you know that there are codes you can use to simplify communication
of things like the current time or your BlackBerry's software version?
You can use them in any text input field (email messages or SMS [Short
Message Service], for example), and they really come in handy,
especially when communicating with your Enterprise Network
administrator. Simply type the following codes where you would like the
corresponding information to be displayed:

* Myver: Inserts the software version of your BlackBerry
* Mypin: Returns the PIN number of your handheld
* Mysig: Shows the owner information on this device
* LD: Inserts the local date
* LT: Inserts the local time

Get All Status Updates On One Screen

There are times where you just need to see every ounce of information
about your BlackBerry all at once. Thankfully, there is a screen on your
BlackBerry that will update you on everything going on with it at any
given time. It's called the Help Me! screen and it lists the firmware
version, application version, PIN, IMEI (International Mobile Equipment
Identity), uptime, signal strength, battery level, amount of free space,
and total number of files on your BlackBerry at the present moment. To
access this screen, hold down ALT-CAP at the same time and then press
the letter H key.

Dial 1-800-NICE-TIP

Here's a handy little trick you can use when you need to dial a phone
number which has letters in it (1-800-GO-FEDEX, for example). Instead of
trying to figure out which letters are associated with each number on
the dialpad, just dial the letters where they appear in the number by
pressing the ALT key and typing the letters out. The letters will appear
in the number field, and once you place the call, they will
automatically be converted into their numerical equivalent.

Confirm Delivery Of Your Sent Email Messages

Have you ever sent a message to someone's BlackBerry and later wondered
if the user ever received it? Well, with this tip, you'll be notified
the second the message reaches your recipient's inbox.

To receive delivery confirmation, type <confirm> in the subject line of
your outgoing message, like so:

Subject: <confirm> Meeting This Thursday

Or

Subject: Follow-up on FDTS Conference <confirm>

Once the message is delivered to your chosen receiver's BlackBerry, you
will receive a confirmation message that looks like this:

Follow-up on FDTS Conference: has been delivered to the recipient's
BlackBerry Handheld

To ensure your SMS text messages are delivered to the recipient's
handset, set Delivery Reports to ON.

Confirm Delivery Of Your SMS Messages

Just like confirming delivery of your email messages, sometimes you need
to know the second your SMS text messages are delivered to a recipient.
To make sure you're kept up-to-date on the status of your messages,
select Options from the Home Screen. Select SMS. Scroll down to Delivery
Reports and set it to YES. From this point forward, whenever an SMS is
delivered to a recipient's handheld device (not necessarily a
BlackBerry; this will work with any SMS-capable device), you will see a
small "d" next to the message in your history.

It is worth noting that certain providers, especially internationally,
do not have mutual standards and/or agreements on SMS delivery. For this
reason, you may not see delivery confirmation on SMS messages (and, in
some cases, may not be able to send SMS to that user at all).

More Than One Email Address Per Contact

You don't have to revert to Outlook or Desktop Manager to store more
than one email address for a contact. You can do it from the handheld
itself. To add a second or third email address for a contact, go to
Address Book from the Home Screen. Select a contact to update. Click the
wheel and select Edit. Click the wheel and select Add Email Address.
Input the alternate email address for your contact, click the wheel, and
save the entry. The next time you send a message to this contact, you
will be presented with the available addresses.

by Joe Peacock