Quick Review: BlackBerry Protect

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While there are tons of security/backup apps out there for BlackBerry, RIM has finally decided to make the choice easier for most users and release their free BlackBerry Protect application. The app is a simple tool with a good amount of features, although it could stand to pack in a bit more. The basis of BlackBerry Protect is that of a backup utility. You can backup your contacts, calendars, tasks, memos, browser bookmarks and text messages. Seems like a bit of an arbitrary mix and we would definitely like to see more options for email messages, profile settings and options among other things. Secondly, BlackBerry Protect has a great web utility in case your device is lost or stolen. You can locate your device via GPS, sound a loud ringtone, send a message to be displayed on the screen as well as lock and wipe the device. Again, some things that would be good here would be more features to protect your SIM card as well (a thief could easily remove your SIM rendering the location features useless). All in all I really like BlackBerry Protect but I do think there is a lot of room for improvement. If you’re on a BIS you can grab it free from BlackBerry App World.

More information/download of BlackBerry Protect

 

thanks CB

Ten Tips and Tricks to Extend your BlackBerry Battery Life!

Looking to maximize your BlackBerry battery life? We’ve got TEN simple tricks you can use that will help to ensure you are getting the most out of your much needed battery power. While BlackBerry Smartphones have historically been known for their awesome battery life, we’ve seen the natural battery life take a hit on some of the new BlackBerry 7 Smartphones to hit the market. For example, on the BlackBerry Bold 9900 the battery was reduced from the predecessor Bold 9700 from a 1500mAh battery to 1230mAh. With less juice to work with and a bigger display and faster processor to power, if you’re a power user you *could* be finding that your old habits put you into the low or dead battery zone before the day is done.

So if you’re finding yourself low on power sooner than you’d like to see and are looking to extend the battery life on your BlackBerry Bold 9900, Bold 9930 or other OS 7 device, there are plenty of settings you can tweak and battery-healthy habits you can form to get the job done. From dimming the backlight to tweaking up some network settings, a little bit goes a long way. These tips work for improving battery life on OS 6 and lower devices as well (although menus may be a bit different) so if you’re looking to get the most our of your BlackBerry battery, keep reading for our top ten tricks to improve battery life on your BlackBerry Smartphone.

How to change the default view on the native BlackBerry Calendar app

Beginners BlackBerry Tip: Changing the default Calendar View

 

Options Galore on the BlackBerry OS: One of the GREAT things about the traditional BlackBerry operating system is that it is FULL of options that allow you to customize your device experience. That benefit is also one of the BAD things about the OS. There are options everywhere, and if you don’t know where to look for them or think to look for them, you may find yourself not taking advantage of them. While opening the main Options “wrench” on the homescreen does provide a ton of device options, you’ll also find the Options link on the Menu within native apps like the Phone app, Email app and Calendar app that provide more options for those apps. The same goes for third party apps.

BlackBerry Calendar Tip of the Day: By default, the BlackBerry calendar shows you the DAY view. By hitting the Menu Key (the BlackBerry logo key to the left of the trackpad), and selecting View, you can then toggle between Day, Month and Agenda views. If you find yourself using views like Month and Agenda more than the Day view, you can easily change the default view from within the Calendar app by going to Menu > Options > Calendar Display and Actions and changing the default under the Views > Initial View option as shown in the screen cap at the top of this post.

There you have it. A simple tip, but a handy one for new to BlackBerry users and even old BlackBerry users (like myself) who get lazy and forget all the power that’s at their fingertips.

Discover more BlackBerry Help Guides and Tips

via:cb