Tip: What's New in BlackBerry OS 4.2

Some people may wonder what the big deal is about BlackBerry OS 4.2. Well, for many BlackBerry lovers out there, it is simply cool to finally get a chance to have a go at the newest OS for their favorite device. For others, 4.2 rocks because it finally brings the more multimedia-friendly capabilities of the Pearl and 8800 models to the 8700 series.

Here are some of the big differences between the shipping version of 4.2 and the Beta edition of the same OS as well as BlackBerry OS 4.1:

The Clock is bigger on the main screen and the icons at the top have moved around and look better. The Battery icon works, which it did not in 4.2 Beta, and the calculator application looks different as well.

The Zen theme, my personal favorite, looks the same until you open up all the applications not on the main screen. Instead of a banner in the middle you get a screen full of icons.

I spent some time trying to remember how to move the icons around without reorganizing the applications. You use the same old alt and click of the scroll wheel combo to get them to move or hide the icon menu. Alt and the scroll wheel will move you up and down, while the scroll wheel alone moves you left to right.


Menu Icon

Another neat change is that the name of an icon fades in when you highlight it and fades out again if you leave it alone.

The new Zen theme had SMS and Emails all in a single folder. This terrified me at first—I thought it was a deal breaker, as I get too many of each not to keep them separate. But in your messages folder under Options -> General Options at the very bottom is seperate SMS and Email Boxes.


Email Options

This gives you the option of organizing your messages as Theme Controlled, Combined, or Separate. So it offers something to make everyone happy.

BlackBerry Messenger has a different look and no longer crashes when you send an e-mail address or web address as it did in the 4.2 Beta. You can also send and receive voice notes right in BlackBerry Messenger, a must if you do not have a MMS package from your provider.


BlackBerry Messenger Voice Note

The Voice Note Application only allows you to send a note via MMS. You have to locate your contact in BlackBerry Messenger and open up a conversation with them to send the note in BlackBerry Messenger.

Your tunes and images are now located under Media, which is different from BlackBerry OS 4.1. You can send and recieve media files from here using Bluetooth or MMS. Pictures can also be sent via e-mail or BlackBerry Messenger.

A word of caution: Some applications are specific to a particular OS on the BlackBerry, so you may have to download a different version of IM+, PocketDay, or JiveTalk, for example.


Media

Remember to always back up your BlackBerry when upgrading to a new OS. While with 4.2 the only things I had to reset were the tunes and the order of my icons when upgrading - everything else remained the same - in the past I've loaded a new OS and lost it all. Also, make sure you have plenty of time available.

All in all, 4.2 is a big change from not only BlackBerry OS 4.1 but also the 4.2 Beta.

Click link below to learn more about BlackBerry OS 4.2.

Tip: What to Do When the BlackBerry Network Goes Down

First, take a deep breath and don't panic.

Next, verify there really is a problem. Send yourself a test email, text message someone, try to load a webpage, and try to send a BlackBerry Messenger message. This will give you an idea of what is going on.

In the outage on April 17th and 18th text messaging and phone calls worked fine, but there was no e-mail and the BlackBerry browser couldn’t connect. That’s because the outage was on RIMs side and they do not handle the phone calls or texts, as those are taken care of by your Service Provider, like AT&T or T-Mobile.

If you have a group of BlackBerry buddies check with them to see if they are having problems too. For example, this morning my e-mail and browser stopped working, so I sent a text to a friend, who said his was working fine.

A battery pull later I was back on track. Sometimes the problem is just your BlackBerry and not the network. Usually you can tell pretty fast by talking to others if it is your service provider or RIM. Once it is clear what the problem is and who is causing it feel free to report it and share it with others.

Now comes the worst part: What to do while waiting for it to work again.

In the April 17th and 18th outage you could still use some third party applications. It was reported Opera Mini worked, along with mirc chat via the BlackBerry. Of course, any games on your BlackBerry are going to work just fine to. It is a great time to work on the BrickBreaker high score you want or work out the brain with a little Sudoku.

When you need a break from games you can load a new OS on your BlackBerry, if there is one available. And if there is not a new OS, it would be a perfect time to back up your data just in case you ever need it.

Also since I find that my internet e-mail accounts sometimes get very unorganized now that I read all e-mails on the BlackBerry, the outage was a great time to clean up my accounts.

Most importantly, remember service will come back. There are people scrambling to try and locate and fix the problem. Networks go down, and outages happen, no matter how hard a company tries to avoid them. It is just a part of the technology age.

No need to worry about missing an important e-mail if no e-mails are coming through, right? With an outage, millions of other people are the same position as you. They should understand your predicament.

BlackBerry OS 4.2 Ready for 8700, 7310

Research In Motion's (RIM) newest BlackBerry devices, the Pearl and 8800, run on BlackBerry OS 4.2. An upgrade to this platform from version 4.1 is ready to go for the older 8700 and 7310 models, according to an unnamed RIM executive who leaked this and some additional information The Boy Genius.

Now it is up to the mobile operators as to when they'll make the platform update available to customers.

BlackBerry OS 4.2 will add a number of new features to the 8700 and 7310, including support for push-to-talk (for Cingular/AT&T), GPS, Bluetooth file transfers, an MP3 player, a file explorer, voice notes, a mapping application, a Media folder to hold music and pictures, the ability to play .WAV files, etc.

The RIM insider also said BlackBerry OS 5.0 should ship later this year or early next and BlackBerry Enterprise Server Service Pack 4 will arrive this June, along with new devices (the BlackBerry 9xxx series).

Tip: Access Downloads, Tools, & More Right from Your BlackBerry

In the latest edition of the BlackBerry Connection newsletter, RIM encourages BlackBerry users to check out the BlackBerry Help section of its mobile site directly from their device. Users will find information about downloads, wireless Web sites, push services, what’s New, in addition to some tips, FAQs and More

There's a couple of ways to get to BlackBerry Help: Select the BlackBerry Help of mobile.blackberry.com or simply select the BlackBerry HELP! icon from your home screen. For smartphones without home screen icons, select 'Browser' then the BlackBerry Help! Bookmark.

Tip: How to Configure Third-party Apps for Wireless Deployment

The following tasks, for IT Administrators, describe how to specify the necessary parameters for the wireless deployment of third-party applications to BlackBerry devices. We were lead to it from RIM's BlackBerry Connection newsletter.

Task 1 - Create and Share the Research In Motion Folder

Complete the following steps:

Note: Perform these steps on a computer or shared drive that the BlackBerry Enterprise Server can access.

1. Install the latest available version of BlackBerry Device Software, then verify that the <drive>:Program FilesCommon FilesResearch In Motion directory exists.
2. Right-click the Research In Motion folder and select Properties.
3. Click the Sharing tab.
4. Select the Share this folder radial button.
5. Click Permissions.
6. Clear all the selections except Allow for Read, then close the Permissions window.

Task 2 - Index the Third-Party Application

Complete the following steps:

1. Create an Applications folder in <drive>:Program FilesCommon FilesResearch in MotionShared.
2. In the Applications folder, create a folder for the third-party application you want to deploy to BlackBerry device users.
3. Copy the third-party application files (such as ALX and COD files) into the folder you created in step 2.
4. Open a command prompt and browse to <drive>:Program FilesCommon FilesResearch in MotionApploader.
5. Run the command loader /index
6. Navigate to the Applications folder created in step 2 and confirm that the pkgdbcache.xml and specification.pkg files exist.

Task 3 - Create a Software Configuration

Complete the following steps:

1. Open BlackBerry Manager.
2. Select BlackBerry Domain on the left.
3. Click the Software Configuration tab.
4. Click New Configuration.
5. Type a name for the software configuration.
6. Click the Change button next to Device Software Location.
7. Type <Server_name>Research in Motion. The BlackBerry Device Software and the Applications folder should appear in the list below.

Task 4 - Create a Software Policy

In the Applications folder, select the software configuration you created in Task 3, then click the Policy button.

OR

Complete the following steps:

1. On the Software Configuration tab, select New Policy.
2. Type a name for the policy.
3. Select Required next to Disposition for wireless push.
4. Apply the policy to the software configuration.
5. On the software configuration, expand Application Software.
6. Select the software policy from the drop-down menu next to the third-party application.

Task 5 - Deploy the Application

Complete the following steps:

1. Open BlackBerry Manager.
2. Select BlackBerry Domain on the left.
3. Click the All Users or Groups tab.
4. Select a User or Group from the list that appears.
5. From Task on the bottom right, expand Device Management.
6. Select Assign Software Configuration.
7. Select the software configuration from the list.

Note: The application will be wirelessly pushed to BlackBerry devices within four hours.

Tip: The Missing Sync Plays Matchmaker Between BlackBerry, Mac

Mark/Space today rolled out the BlackBerry edition of its Mac-to-handheld synchronization software, following a month-long preview edition. The Missing Sync, also available for Palm OS and Windows Mobile devices, is known for delivering a level of compatibility between handhelds and Macs not delivered by mobile device and desktop platforms or the device vendors themselves.

Click here for full story.

Tip: How to Upload Midlets (3rd Party Java Apps) to Your Blackberry

A member of our forum community recently posted detailed instructions on how to upload third party software or midlets, which are Java applications written for phones under the MDIP specification, to a BlackBerry. The procedures outline in this post, which started an extensive discussion that includes another member writing and posting a batch file to automate much of what's outline in the original message, has the potential to make hundreds of additional applications available to BlackBerry users.

Click here to read the thread.

Research In Motion (RIM) has posted a few new BlackBerry tips. One explains how to associate a ringtone with a contact, while another shows you how to use Bluetooth wireless technology to transfer a file between two BlackBerrys. But first, here's how to obtain RIM's free BlackBerry Maps application for your BlackBerry.

BlackBerry Maps

BlackBerry Maps first appeared when RIM released the Tele Atlas-run BlackBerry Pearl back in September. It directs users and works together with other BlackBerry applications to enable users to send maps via e-mail and launch the application from within address book contacts, for example.

BlackBerry Maps is now a standard part of the BlackBerry OS, starting with the latest version - 4.2 - which is available on the BlackBerry Pearl and BlackBerry 8800.

If you are running BlackBerry OS 4.1, you must download the software here. Those with devices running on a BlackBerry OS earlier than 4.1 must upgrade their software before loading BlackBerry Maps.

Here's how RIM explains how to find out what version of the BlackBerry OS your device is running:

From the main menu, open “Settings” -> "Options" -> "About" and see the third line in the information screen, which will look similar to this: v4.1.0.21 (Platform 2.0.0.40).

Click here to learn more about BlackBerry Maps.

Associate Contact with a Ringtone

1- In the Address Book, select a contact.
2- Press the Menu key and select Edit.
3- Press the trackball and select Add Custom Phone Tune.
4- Press the Menu key and select Change Option.
5- Select the desired ring tone.
6- Press the trackball.
7- Press the Menu key and select Save.

Wirelessly Link Up Two BlackBerrys

Transfer a File using Bluetooth between Two BlackBerry Smartphones

This tip works for BlackBerry Pearl 8100 and BlackBerry 8800 smartphones.

You can send and receive files, using Bluetooth wireless technology, between BlackBerry smartphones by following steps 1 – 5 below.

1. Enable Bluetooth on your BlackBerry smartphone:

• In the smartphone options, click Bluetooth.
• Press the key.
• Click Enable Bluetooth.

(Note: You can turn off Bluetooth technology, by pressing the Menu key, then clicking Disable Bluetooth.)

2. Make the sending and receiving BlackBerry Pearl discoverable:

• In the smartphone options, click Bluetooth.
• Press the Menu key.
• Click Options.
• Set the Discoverable field to Yes.
• Press the Menu key.
• Click Save.

3. Pair the two BlackBerry smartphones:

Note: Some Bluetooth enabled devices have passkeys that you must type before you can pair with them.

• In the Bluetooth setup application, click OK.
• Click a Bluetooth enabled device.
• If required, type the passkey for the Bluetooth enabled device on your BlackBerry smartphone.
• If required, type the passkey for the Bluetooth enabled device on the Bluetooth enabled device.

4. Set the Trusted field to Yes on both BlackBerry smartphones:

• In the Bluetooth application, highlight the BlackBerry smartphone and press the Menu button.
• Select Device Properties.
• Set the Trusted field to Yes.
• Press the Menu button and select Save.

5. Send and receive the transferred file.

On the recipient's BlackBerry smartphone:

• On the Home screen, click Media.
• Click a media type (Music, Video, Ring Tones, Pictures).
• Press the Menu button and select Receive using Bluetooth. The File Transfer dialog box appears, followed by a prompt to Save or Cancel the file.
• Click Save to save the file to the current location, or click the folder icon to save the file in a different location.

On the sender's BlackBerry smartphone:

• On the Home screen, click Media.
• Click the same media type selected on the recipient's BlackBerry smartphone.
• Press the Menu button and select Send Using Bluetooth.
• When prompted to select a smartphone, click the recipient's BlackBerry smartphone.

Note: Transferring files to or from other Bluetooth phones is presently not supported.

Changes to the dates when Daylight Saving Time (DST) starts and ends could cause problems for your Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone or BlackBerry, causing these devices to display incorrect times from when DST begins to when it ends. Both Research In Motion (RIM) and Microsoft address this with downloads and instructions on their respective Web sites.

From 2007 onward, DST will start three weeks earlier (2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March, the 11th this year) and ends one week later (2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November, the 4th this year) than in the past. Previously, it began the first Sunday in April, which happens to be the 1st this year (no joke to those whose appointments become mixed up, however) and ended on the last Sunday in October.

Microsoft and RIM have posted patches and instructions to address this situation; so when DST comes around your handheld or smartphone will alter the time correctly on the proper dates. That when you set an appointment, for example, it will reflect the correct hour you set it to occur.

Here you will find RIM's BlackBerry DST patch and instructions on how to implement it. DST patches are available for all BlackBerry devices running version 4.0.0 or newer device software. IT administrator's can push the patch to their BlackBerry users.

Click here for Microsoft's DST patches and directions.

We've always had an appreciation for the way Research in Motion (RIM) sneaks new features into the BlackBerry OS under the radar. There's rarely any big announcement or hoopla for the numerous bug fixes and enhancements that are added to the point releases. Yet if you look hard enough, you'll see evidence of RIM's motivation to quietly improve on its award winning mobile experience.

Here's a feature you may not have noticed if you've recently upgraded to BlackBerry OS 4.1 or higher or gotten a newer device with the more recent platform revisions already loaded: The compose screen is noticeably more convenient.

The first image shows the compose screen on a BlackBerry 7290 with pre-4.1 hardware.

While the image below shows the compose screen of BlackBerry 7130e, which has the 4.1 system software loaded.

The BlackBerry 7290 with pre-4.1 system software gives you little or no context for your messages. If you get distracted and then return to your BlackBerry in the middle of composing, it's difficult to tell exactly what you were in the middle of doing. Were you composing an e-mail? Sending an SMS message? A PIN to PIN message? You can't be sure.

BlackBerry OS 4.1 software found in the 7130e leaves the message in the background as you write. If you were replying to a message, you'd see the quoted text of the message you're replying to at the bottom of the screen. This enables you to easily see the context in which you were composing your message.

Berry 411 is perhaps the best piece of free software available for the BlackBerry, and for good reason. It boasts phone book lookups, sports scores, movie times, and more. Phil Bogle, the author of Berry 411, keeps piling on the features all the time.

The most recent version (3.30) adds phone numbers that you've input to your address book from within the program to the Berry 411 history for easy retrieval the next time you need to use it. Previous versions added autocomplete for searches, more plugins, and integration with the BlackBerry Address Book.

You launch the app from a purple "411" icon after installation, upon which you setup your home, work, and “other” addresses to customize your search results.

With Berry 411, you can perform Yellow Page, White Page, Google, Movie, Weather and Shopping (Froogle) searches. The plugins add a great deal more to the application’s search capabilities, including reverse phone lookup, driving directions, sports, stocks, flight tracking, and the Internet Movie Database. And that's only the tip of the iceberg.

The latest version of Berry 411 can be downloaded over the air (OTA) here or to the desktop here from SmartPhoneToday's Free Download's section.

Below are a series of tips and tricks to help you "advance your BlackBerry handheld skills" posted on RIM's Web site. We list the first ten, after which you can head over here for just as many more.