Typing Shortcuts

1) To capitalize a letter with one click, hold down the letter key.

2) To insert a period, click the Space key twice.

3) Turn CAP Lock on by pressing the ALT key followed by the right Shift key. Turn it off by pressing either Shift key.

BlackBerry Curve 8320

4) Turn Number Lock on by pressing the ALT key followed by the left Shift key. Turn it off by pressing either Shift key.

5) Type an accented letter or special character by holding the corresponding letter and scrolling left or right with the trackball.

6) Insert the current date into a message or document by pressing the L key followed by the D key and Space key.

7) Insert the current time into a message or document by pressing the L key followed by the T key and Space key.

Messaging (E-mail and SMS)

1) In e-mail inbox, press the S key to search for a sender or a word within a subject line, and any mail folder regardless of message was sent or received.

2) Within inbox, access the complete list of messages sent by hitting the ALT key followed by the O key.

3) Within inbox, access the complete list of messages received by hitting the ALT key followed by the I key.

4) Within inbox, access the complete list of SMS text messages received by hitting the ALT key followed by the S key.

5) Within inbox, access phone log by hitting the ALT key followed by the P key.

6) Within inbox, access voicemail log by hitting the ALT key followed by the V key.

7) To delete all messages sent or received before a specific date, highlight that date with the cursor, hit the BlackBerry Menu key, select Delete Prior and confirm selection.

8) To enable automatic spell checking of e-mail messages, click the Options icon on BlackBerry home screen. Then click Spell Check and select the Spell Check E-Mail Before Sending option.

9) To do a manual spell check, click the BlackBerry Menu key within a composed message and select Check Spelling.

10) When a message is being spell checked, suggested fixes to unrecognized words can be ignored by clicking the escape key. 

Spreadsheet Attachments:

1) Change the size of a column by pushing the W key.

2) Go to a specific cell by pressing the G key.

3) View contents of a cell by pressing the Space key.

4) Search for text by clicking the F key, and then type the desired word.

5) Switch to a different worksheet by pressing V and selecting the desired sheet.

Presentation Attachments:

1) Skip to the next slide by pressing the N key.

2) Return to the previous slide by clicking the P key.

3) Start slideshow by pushing the S key.

4) Stop slideshow by clicking the Escape key.

5) Switch to a new view of the slideshow by clicking the M key.

Phone Functions

1) Multitask while on phone calls by hitting the BlackBerry menu key during a call and then selecting Home Screen. You'll then have access to e-mail and other documents--though most BlackBerrys don't allow for simultaneous voice and data transfer, so Internet access is unavailable while on calls.

2) Find specific contacts from your BlackBerry home screen by pressing keys for first and last initials, with a space between them. If more than one contact has the same initials, scroll to the appropriate contact.

1) Rapidly Switch Back and Forth Between BlackBerry Applications

The most basic way to switch from one BlackBerry app to another is to repeatedly hit the ESCAPE key while inside a program until you to get back to your icon screen. From there, you'd scroll your track ball or wheel to find the next app you want and then click to launch it.

A quicker and more efficient way to go from an active program to another program is to use a shortcut. While inside an application, hold down the ALT key--which is directly below the letter A key--and then click ESCAPE--the button with an arrow reversing directions and to the right of your trackball on 8000 series devices. While holding down ALT, you can then scroll left or right between apps, and you need only release the ALT key to select a program.

You need to be working in a specific application for that app to be available via the shortcut--in other words, the program needs to have been opened recently or still running. You can always access your Home Screen, BlackBerry browser, Options, Call Log, Messages and a few other apps depending on your device settings.

2) View Event Log Details, Free Up Memory by Clearing the List

Your BlackBerry's Event Log displays your system's recently run events and processes. If you're experiencing a problem with your BlackBerry or having an issue with a specific application or service, information from the Event Log can be helpful for troubleshooting. And it can be a good BlackBerry hygiene to clear out the log, to keep your device running smoothly.

To access your Event Log, go to your Home Screen, hold down the ALT key and then type "LGLG." The Event Log will then appear, and you can click a specific event for more information or hit your BlackBerry MENU key more options. The MENU key has seven dots in the shape of the letter B, and it's found directly to the left of BlackBerry devices with trackballs. You can copy event information using the MENU key and tailor your settings to log only specific types of events.

You can also free up some valuable device memory to help your device run faster by clearing your Event Log. To delete your list of events, hit the BlackBerry MENU key while any event is highlighted and then click "Clear Log." A dialogue box will then pop up asking if you're sure you want to delete the log. Once you confirm the deletion, your log will be cleared. (Donâ¬"t worry, if your IT department is running device management software along with its BlackBerry Enterprise Server, your company likely has its own record of this event log.)

3) Reboot Your BlackBerry Without Removing the Battery

Any experienced BlackBerry user knows that it's occasionally necessary to reboot your device after installing a new app, to solve performance problems, refresh your smartphone's memory or fix other minor issues. One way to do so is to remove your battery door and pull the power pack. After the battery is returned to the device, your BlackBerry reboots. This gets the job done, but it's time consuming to power down the device and then remove and replace the battery--and your battery door won't fit as snuggly if you're constantly taking it off.

The quickest and easiest way to reboot is via another BlackBerry keyboard shortcut. To reboot, simply hit ALT, RIGHT SHIFT and DELETE. The RIGHT SHIFT key is found on the bottom right corner of the BlackBerry keyboard and DELETE key is also on the right hand side and has the letters "DEL" on its face.

After pressing these three keys in tandem, your device powers down, your LED indicator turns red for a few seconds and the reboot process commences.

4) Change Your Signal Strength Display from Bars to Numbers

Most modern cell phones offer up some form of the "five-bars" to display users' wireless signal strength, and the BlackBerry default mode is no different. But if you want more precision than bars can offer, you can change to the numeric signal strength display mode.

The numeric mode shows wireless signal strength in decibels per milliwatt (dBm), a ratio measured power in decibels (dB), referenced to one milliwatt (mW).

To switch from bars to numbers, navigate to your BlackBerry home screen, hold the ALT key and enter in "NMLL." The signal display will then automatically display a dBm value. In general, a reading from -45 to -85 is considered very strong. Any reading that's lower than -85--for instance, -100--is weaker. To switch back to bar mode from numeric, just hit ALT again and retype "NMLL."

The numeric display can be helpful to determine specifics on how much a wireless signal degrades as you move from place to place. (It's also geek chic to read your cellular signal strength in dBm instead of boring old bars.)

5) Bring Up "Help Me" Screen for Device, System Data

Your device's Help Me screen displays useful device and system information like your vendor ID, BlackBerry platform version, OS version, PIN, International Mobile Equipment Identity (EMEI) number (which identifies your GSM device for the telecom carrier), cellular signal strength, free and total available memory and more. Most of this information can be found in various locations throughout your BlackBerry Options, but the Help Me offers a simple way to access all the data on a single screen.

To pull up the Help Me screen, navigate to your home screen and then press ALT, either SHIFT key and the letter H. To return to your Home Screen, hit ESCAPE or open the MENU and select Close.

Navigating Message Threads

We already covered the basics of BlackBerry messaging and keyboard shortcuts, after an informative chat with insurance company Aflac's smartphone guru. But these two lesser-known tricks are sure to lighten the load of any BlackBerry power user. (Thanks go to Sjaak Koole and another anonymous CIO.com reader for pointing them out!)

Heavy BlackBerry users know the pain of trying to catch up on an e-mail thread with multiple responses. You may have received the first response an hour ago, the second and third 15 minutes later and a fourth and fifth could have landed in your inbox just as you get to the first. Without a shortcut, you have to sift through the tons of messages that arrived in between the thread's various components. A much simpler way is to open the first message and then hit the J key to jump to the next response, and so on. You can also return to an earlier message in the thread by hitting the K key. (Note: If the subject line of the thread has been modified, you may not be able to find all responses using this shortcut.)

Bookmarking Messages to Return at a Later Time

Scenario: You're reading an important--and long--message from the boss when you're called away from your device by a coworker or family member in need. Have no fear, there's no need to scroll through paragraphs you already read when your return to the e-mail--at least if you use this shortcut. You can simply close the message, and when you're free again, just hit the G key after reopening it, and you'll be brought to the exact spot where you stopped reading.

There are clear benefits to using a BlackBerry e-mail signature, but if you're like us, you probably don't want to use the same signature all the time--and there are likely instances in which you'd rather use no signature at all. Switching back and forth between signatures, or occasionally deleting one, can mean using different e-mail inboxes and accounts with separate signatures (or even repeatedly going into your BlackBerry Desktop Manager if you're on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) or BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) account) to make the necessary changes. That's a lot of legwork.

We suggest using pre-programmed AutoText entries to call up different e-mail signatures.

To do so, first delete the current signature you're using via the desktop manager software or your wireless carrier's website if you use BIS. Then click the Options icon on your BlackBerry home screen, choose AutoText, and then hit your Menu button--if you're using an 8xxx series device, Menu is located directly to left of the trackball. Select New from the options list and then fill in the Replace field with an easy to remember command, like "ZZ" or "XX," and the With field with an e-mail signature. You can use this method to create as many different signatures as you'd like by typing different commands into the Replace fields. (Note: When using the new AutoText command, make sure you hit Space after you type your AutoText--"ZZ + Space", for instance--or the message may not correctly display your signature.

Dialing Alphanumeric Phone Numbers on Full QWERTY BlackBerry Keyboard

Ever tried dialing a phone number with letters, instead of all numerals, using your BlackBerry's QWERTY keyboard? You know, 1.800.Comcast, for example. If so, you've likely experienced the frustration of being unable to key in the letters you want as part of your number--unless, of course, you already know this shortcut. It's simple really. Just type the numerals as you normal would--1,8,0,0--then hold the ALT key while dialing the letters, and you're good to go.

Access Default BlackBerry Apps With a Single Click from Home Screen

Many folks use their BlackBerry smartphones for messaging and Web surfing more often than they employ phone features. If you fall into this category, you probably want to disable your Dial From Home Screen option so you can access a variety of helpful Home Screen shortcuts. To do so, click your Phone icon on the Home Screen or hit the green phone button on your device. Then press your Menu key, pick Options, then General Options and change the Dial From Home Screen field from "Yes" to "No." Finally, hit the Escape key and choose to save your changes. (Note: This option only works for devices with full QWERTY keyboards.)

Now you'll need to hit your Phone icon or click the green phone button to dial a number and place a call, but you'll have access to all of the following shortcuts from your Home Screen via a single click of the corresponding letter key:

• WAP Browser -- W
  
• Alarm -- R
  
• Tasks -- T
  
• Calculator -- U
  
• Options -- O
  
• Address Book -- A
  
• Search -- S
  
• Notes -- D
  
• Profiles -- F
  
• Help -- H
  
• Lock keypad -- K
  
• Calendar -- L
  
• Messages -- M
  
• Browser -- B
  
• BlackBerry Messenger -- N
  
• Saved messages -- V
  
• Compose -- C

Programming Application Switcher as a Convenience Key

The vast majority of BlackBerry devices have buttons on their side or sides that can be programmed by individual users to activate functions of the user's choosing. These buttons are commonly known as convenience keys.

The obvious choice for convenience keys are the applications that you use most frequently, but we found an even better use: Program one of your convenience keys to be your Application Switcher. The Application Switcher displays a taskbar or "ribbon" with all of your active applications, so you can switch back and forth between programs without closing them out or ever returning to your Home Screen. (When we asked RIM's co-CEO Mike Lazaridis for some of his most valuable BlackBerry tips, this was number two on the list. Keep reading for number one.)

To set a convenience key to the Application Switcher, simply click your Options icon on the BlackBerry Home Screen, choose Screen/Keyboard and scroll down to the Convenience Key Opens field(s). Then open the corresponding dropdown menu and choose Application Switcher. (Note: You can also access Application Switcher at any time by holding the ALT key and hitting Escape.)

Access Standby Mode Via Mute Key

If you don't employ a holster, pouch or other BlackBerry carrying solution that protects your device's keyboard when not in use, you're probably used to mistakenly dialing random numbers or sending the occasional accidental message. Throwing an unprotected BlackBerry or other smartphone into a bag or slipping it into a pocket is just asking for trouble. But it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, you can deactivate your BlackBerry's keyboard and other buttons with a single click.

Mike Lazaridis told us that this is the trick he recommends most frequently to BlackBerry users, because it's not only simple and remarkably valuable, it's also little-known. We knew the trick when RIM's co-CEO recommended it, but we couldn't agree more that this one's worth remembering.

To put your BlackBerry into Standby Mode, just hold the Mute key found on the top of your BlackBerry--at least if you're an 8xxx series user--for three seconds. Then you can toss your device in a pocket or purse without worrying about unintentional dialing or messaging. And to remove the device from standby, just tap the Mute key again briefly.

On Key: BlackBerry Storm Keyboard Shortcuts

The BlackBerry Storm is touch-screen-based, and as such, it lacks a physical keyboard; however, three types of on-screen, virtual keyboards are available to users: 1) RIM's SureType keyboard, which is a QWERTY keyboard with more than one letter/number on each key (available only in portrait mode); a multitap keyboard that resembles the keys on a traditional cell phone (portrait mode); and a full QWERTY like the one found on your computer keyboard (landscape mode only).

To switch back and forth between keyboards in portrait mode, simply click the BlackBerry Menu key whenever a keyboard is displayed, and click "Enable Multitap" or "Enable SureType."

-To quickly bring up the Storm's onscreen keyboard, swipe a finger upward from the very bottom of the screen to the middle.

-To quickly hide the Storm's keyboard, swipe a finger downward from the top of the keyboard to the very bottom of the device's screen.

-Accented, or "special," characters can be typed via Storm in both portrait (vertical) and landscape (horizontal) views. To enter in a special character while in portrait or landscape mode, such as an ï, bring up the on-screen keyboard, depress the "i" key--but don't click it--and a number of options appear on screen, one of which is ï. To choose that character, simply click it on screen.

--To activate number lock, bring up the onscreen keyboard and then hold down the "123" key for about two seconds until a lock appears on that button. The number pad will then stay on screen until you either hide it or tap the "123" key again to return to the normal keyboard layout.

--To activate capital lock, bring up the onscreen keyboard and then hold down the "Shift/Arrow Up" key for about two seconds until a lock appears on that button. The number pad will then stay on screen until you either hide it or tap the "Shift/Arrow Up" key again to return to the normal keyboard layout.

-To change text input languages, hold the Storm in landscape mode, bring up the virtual keyboard and click the "Globe" key found directly to the left of the Space key. Next, scroll to the desired language, highlight it and click the Storm's screen to select.

Finding Your Way Around the Storm: Navigation Tips and Tricks

-To scroll downward in a message or while viewing a Web page, place your finger lightly at the bottom of the screen--but don't click--and drag upward. To scroll down a full screen's length, slide your finger up rapidly.

- To scroll up, place your finger lightly at the top of the screen--but don't click--and drag it down. To scroll up a full screen's length, slide your finger down rapidly.

-To zoom in on a picture or a Web page, tap the screen lightly twice--but don't click it. (The BlackBerry browser also has zoom in/out options; two separate magnifying glasses for zooming in and out sit at the bottom of the browser screen.) To zoom back out after zooming in, click the BlackBerry Escape key until you return to the original view.

-To "pan," or move around while viewing a web page, hold your finger on the display--but again, don't click--and drag it in the direction you wish to move.

-To quickly switch between active applications from the Storm home screen, hold the BlackBerry Menu key until the Application Switch ribbon appears on screen. Then lightly touch the ribbon and move back and forth to scroll between available apps. To select one, click the screen when a specific app is highlighted.

-To jump from the Storm home screen to the main icon screen, put your finger on the home screen, just above the app dock, and click once. (You can also simply hit the BlackBerry Menu key while on the home screen to access your icon page.)

Text and Messaging Shortcuts for the Storm

-To copy and paste text from one location to another, lightly touch a finger to the Storm's screen at the start of the text you wish to copy. Then hold that first finger in place while you touch the end of the text with another finger. The text in between your digits will then be selected. To copy it, click the BlackBerry Menu key, scroll to "Copy" and click the screen. To paste, follow the same instructions but pick "Paste" instead of "Copy."

-To quickly search your messages for all mailings from a specific contact, find a message from that contact in your Messages application and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the contact's name. After a few seconds, all messages from that contact appear on screen.

- To quickly search your messages for a specific subject line, or to track a thread, find a message with the desired subject line in your Messages application and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the subject line. After a few seconds, all messages with that specific subject appear on screen.

-To precisely navigate to the middle of a sentence, or even a specific word, while typing on the Storm, gently press your finger on the Storm's screen on or around the text or character you wish to edit. Then, with your finger on the display, but not clicking it, slide your finger around until it's exactly where you want it and then let go. The specific character or set of characters will then be highlighted for easy editing.

-To delete multiple messages at once via Storm, open your Messages app and gently hold a finger on a message near the top of the list you want to delete. Keep that finger in place, and then touch another message further down the list. All the messages between your two fingers will then be highlighted. From there, you can click the Delete Messages key at the bottom or the screen to do away with the selected messages. Or you can continue to select older messages by keeping one finger on the selected messages and scrolling down. When new, unselected messages appear beneath your current selections, touch any of them to select it and all the messages between it and your previous selections. Again, hit the Delete Messages key to trash messages when you're ready. To unselect messages at any time, click the BlackBerry Escape key.

-Rapidly scroll through messages by sliding a finger sideway while reading an e-mail or text. Slide your finger to the left while in an open message to skip to newer messages; and slide to the right for older correspondence.

A Storm of Multimedia: Image and Audio Tips

-Scroll through images just as you would messages, by sliding a finger horizontally across the Storm's display. Slide your finger to the right while viewing an image to see newer images; and slide to the left for older pictures.

-To zoom in on an image, tap the screen twice--don't click. Or you can also zoom by clicking the screen one time. Zoom out by hitting the BlackBerry Escape key.

-To "pan," or move around while viewing an image, hold your finger on the display--but again, don't click--and drag it in the direction you wish to move.

-To quickly search your music library for all songs from one specific artist, find a track by that musician or group in a list of songs, and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the musician's name. After a few seconds, all songs from that artist appear on screen.

Change BlackBerry Text Input Language on the Fly

All you multilingual BlackBerry users will appreciate this one. Switching text input languages on your BlackBerry at any point is a simple as simultaneously clicking two buttons. While on your home screen, just hit the ALT button and Enter key at the same time, use your trackball to scroll to the new language you'd like to use, then click the trackball to confirm the new selection. The first time you use this shortcut, you'll see a dialogue box that asks you to confirm the change, and you can choose not to show the message again the next time you switch languages using this method.

In order to switch back and forth between languages on your BlackBerry, you'll need multiple language packs installed on your device. For more on BlackBerry language packs, visit RIM's website.

View E-Mail Address of Contacts From Within Messages

Depending on your e-mail address settings--and the BlackBerry handheld OS version you're running--you very likely see only a message sender's name when you receive and open a new e-mail or SMS text in your BlackBerry inbox. That's not ideal if you need the actual e-mail address and not just the name associated with it.

To determine a message sender's e-mail address, simply open the message and scroll to the very top where the recipient and sender information is listed. Then highlight the sender's name and hit the Q key to switch back and forth between e-mail address and name.

(Note: Some newer versions of the BlackBerry handheld OS--we're using v4.5.0.52--will automatically display a dialogue box with both the message sender's name and e-mail address when you scroll over the From field in a message, so this shortcut will likely become obsolete in the future.)

Make the Most of BlackBerry Copy and Paste Options

One of the most valuable and underrated shortcuts within the BlackBerry OS is the copy and paste function. In fact, copy and paste is one of the few missing features that's currently keeping the uber popular iPhone 3G smartphone from becoming truly "intelligent"--and it's also one of the most-requested iPhone 3G features.

RIM knows how often its customers need copy and paste functionality, so it not only made sure every single new BlackBerry has the feature, but also created a few different methods for accessing it.

While in a message or text file, you can copy text in two different ways. First, you can simply hold the Shift button while scrolling the trackball over the text you wish to copy, and then hit the BlackBerry Menu key and choose Copy from the associated dropdown menu. You can also copy text by hitting ALT and clicking the track ball before scrolling over the text you wish to copy and then hitting Menu and choosing Copy.

To paste text once it's copied, you can either click Menu again and choose Paste, or you can simply hit Shift and click the trackball wherever you want the text to appear.

Find Specific Web Page Addresses and URLs in BlackBerry Browser

Experienced BlackBerry browser users are probably well aware of the fact that Web page addresses are not displayed at the top of their mobile screens like they are in desktop browsers. This is for good reason, as the tiny screens found on BlackBerry devices are too small to fit all the information that a full-sized Web browser can, and the BlackBerry browser is optimized to show only essential information.

However, it's sometimes necessary to access a website's URL or determine the URLs of a set of links on a page. Thanks to these shortcuts, finding a given Web page's address, or determining specific link addresses, is as simple as a single keyboard click.

While on a Web page, just click your BlackBerry's P key at any time to see that specific page's Web address and title. A dialogue box will then appear asking if you want to copy the address or send it via e-mail, SMS, MMS or PIN message.

To determine the URL of specific links on a Web page, simply scroll over the links so that they're highlighted, and click the L key. Again, you'll be prompted with the option to send the address or return to the page from which you came

4) Use Power-Hogging Applications Wisely

The larger the number of BlackBerry applications you use, the more power you're going to need. If you constantly use a couple of apps, say the Viigo RSS reader and Facebook for BlackBerry, you need to consider how much power those specific applications employ. If battery life is of the essence, you probably want to use them sparingly.

But, many BlackBerry applications drain battery life even when you're not using them by pulling in new content or updates. Viigo, a mobile RSS reader for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices, for instance, pulls in content from whatever feeds you select. If you use Viigo and you're receiving articles from 30 feeds, the application is going to eat up a good chunk of your battery, even when you're not reading the stories it's collecting. Or take the Facebook for BlackBerry application: Depending on your Facebook notification settings, you could be receiving BlackBerry alerts every time a Facebook Friend sends you a message, writes on your wall, pokes you, or interacts with one of your widgets. All of that back and forth activity takes a lot of power.

So be aware of how much battery your BlackBerry applications need, and why, and be selective.

5) Keep Battery Connections Clean

Over time, the battery connections within your device can gather dust and other particles and impede the transfer of power to your hardware. Every few months, it's a good idea to remove your battery and wipe clean the small sections of metal through which battery power is transferred, as well as the metal prongs inside your device's battery slot that connect to the power supply.

Those prongs are delicate, however, so you should be very careful cleaning them. Q Tips and cleansing wipes made specifically for electronic gadgets work well, though they can leave residue, so you should ensure both surfaces are clear before replacing your battery.

Finally, your battery will become less efficient over time, so it is occasionally necessary to buy a new one. If your battery is a year or older, and you've determined that its poor performance can't be attributed to a weak cellular connection, a power-hogging app or a similar issue, you may need to replace it. You can purchase a new OEM battery for around $10; extended-life batteries sell for about $40.

RIM BlackBerry How To: Use BlackBerry Desktop Manager to Load, Update, or Remove Software

Unsure of how to load new applications on your BlackBerry using Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry Desktop Manager software instead of over the air? Check out this step by step guide.

Updating BlackBerry Applications Via RIM Desktop Manager

Depending on when you first downloaded and installed the existing applications on your BlackBerry smartphone, or when they were installed before your device was shipped, there may be updates available.

If you're using the latest version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager--at the time that this article was written, the latest version available on RIM's site is 4.5--the software will automatically search for updates as soon as you open the program and connect your device.

If you want to search for updates manually, simply open the Application Loader component of Desktop Manager and on the right side of the following screen, beneath the words "Update Applications," click Start. The program will then check your BlackBerry for device configuration and attempt to locate any updates. If any are available, they'll be listed on the following screen. To install the updates, click the Next box and follow the directions. The update process can take a while, so don't fret if it's been 10 minutes or so and nothing appears to be happening. (Note: Desktop Manager may not find available updates to third-party applications, so the best way to ensure that all of your apps are update is to occasionally check the software vendors' websites.)

Installing New BlackBerry Software Using RIM Desktop Manager

As mentioned above, you'll need your BlackBerry, an Internet-connected PC and a compatible USB charging cable to install new mobile software using RIM's Desktop Manager.

To start, you should download and save the new software you wish to install on your BlackBerry to your PC's hard drive. The application, be it a game, theme or otherwise, will likely come in a "zipped," or archived, file, so you'll need to unpack its contents using a program like BitZipper or WinRAR, both of which are available for free trial. Save the contents of the zipped file in another folder on your hard drive. Within the new folder, you should see two different files, one with the extension ".cod" and another with an ".alx" extension. The zipped software may also include a text file with installation instruction or something of the like.

After unzipping your software, launch Desktop Manager and connect the BlackBerry to your PC using the USB cable. When Desktop Manager recognizes your device--the status bar at the bottom of the screen will say "Connected" and list your smartphone PIN--you should open the Application Loader . On the left side of the screen, beneath the words "Add/Remove Applications" click Start .

After searching for your device configuration, Desktop Manager will then display a list of all the software currently on your BlackBerry. From there, you should click the Browse button, to locate the new software you wish to install. Navigate to the file with the unpacked contents of your zipped file, select the ".alx" file and choose Open . Then you'll be returned to the screen that displays all the software on your device, but this time around, you'll find the new software within that list. Make sure the checkbox next to the new software is filled, and then hit Next .

The following screen shows a list of the files being added or removed, and if the information is accurate, hit Finish and the installation process begins. Again, don't worry if it seems to be taking a long time and Desktop Manager says only "Connecting to Device." It can take a number of minutes to install the new software. When the process is done, a new screen will appear that says "Update Complete: The Loading Operation Was Successful."

Finally, you should launch the application, enter in an activation code, if necessary--purchased software often requires such an unlock code--and you're all set

Removing BlackBerry Software With RIM Desktop Manager

Getting rid of applications on your device using Desktop Manager is very similar to adding software.

First, you'll need to once again connect your device and PC via USB cable and then launch Desktop Manager. Open up the Application Loader , choose Add/Remove Applications and then scroll through the list of software until you find the ones you want to remove. Uncheck the boxes next to those applications and click Next .

Again, you'll see a list of the applications you're about to remove. If the list is correct, hit Finish and say goodbye to the selected software. Be patient, though; like the application addition process, removal can take some time

BlackBerry How To: Free Up Device Memory

Power users of Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry smartphones need all the device memory they can get. These seven tips can help free up memory and keep your handheld running as smoothly as possible.

Delete Any Unnecessary/Unused Applications

The more applications you have on your BlackBerry, the less free memory that's available to you. New BlackBerrys ship with a wide variety of applications that you may not need or even know about. And you've probably downloaded a number of third-party apps with good intentions, then only used them occasionally if at all.

Deleting unwanted or unused applications is simple, and depending on how many you've got, it can really improve your device's performance.

To delete programs from your BlackBerry, click the Options icon on the device's home screen. Then scroll all the way to the top of the list and select Advanced Options. When you click Applications inside this menu, your device will build a list of all apps on your device. Scroll through them and you'll probably find a number of programs that you don't need. Delete apps by scrolling over them and hitting your BlackBerry menu key. Select Delete and confirm that you want to remove the app when the dialogue box pops up.

A few examples of applications you may want to remove are the Help app, games like BrickBreaker, the Password Keeper and the BlackBerry Messenger--if don't use instant messaging or employ another app, like AIM for BlackBerry. (Note: You often need to restart your device for app deletions to take effect.)

BlackBerrys keep a record of the recently run events and processes, called an Event Log. Your Event Log can come in handy if you're experiencing a problem with your device or a specific application or service, because it can be used for troubleshooting. But storing all that information also takes up your BlackBerry memory.

To access your Event Log, go to your Home Screen, hold down the ALT key and then type "LGLG." To get rid of the list of events, hit the BlackBerry Menu key while any event is highlighted and then click Clear Log. A dialogue box will then pop up asking if you're sure that you want to delete the log. Once you confirm the deletion, your log will be cleared. And don't worry. If your IT department is running device management software along with its BlackBerry Enterprise Server, your company likely has its own record of this event log.

Clear Your Browser Cache

As you surf the Internet, your mobile browser caches various information from the sites you visit. That information has to be stored somewhere and that takes valuable device memory. Depending on how often you use your device to access the Web, your cached content may not take up much memory, but it's still a good idea to occasionally clear that cache.

You can clear your BlackBerry Browser's cache by launching the application and clicking your BlackBerry Menu key. Choose Options and then select Cache Options. From there, you can clear your browser's content cache, wipe its pushed content and erase your cookie cache. You need only click the Clear button next to each option to do so. After clicking the button next to content cache, a dialogue box pops up to notify you that the device is cleaning its memory. As soon as that box closes itself, your cache is cleared.

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