BlackBerry Remember is one of those features that will make everyone’s life easier. Whether you’re a student, professional or parent, BlackBerry Remember will help you stay organized. Here’s how:

1. One application. BlackBerry Remember syncs memos and tasks from Outlook and cloud-based services like Evernote, enabling you to keep track of notes, to-do lists and reminders all in one place.
2. Multimedia friendly. BlackBerry Remember is more than a traditional notepad. You can snap photos, take videos, record voice notes and attach documents directly within the BlackBerry Remember application. Need to flag something but don’t have time to type notes? Add a voice note instead!
3. Part of the end-to-end BlackBerry 10 experience. With BlackBerry Remember, you can flag content from anywhere on your device. For instance, if you’re browsing through your photo album and find a photo you’d like to flag, all you have to do is tap ‘Share,’ select ‘Remember’ and add a description. You can also flag other items, such as Outlook attachments and webpages from the browser.



4. Helps you Keep Moving. With the functionality to attach Adobe Reader and Documents To Go files in BlackBerry Remember, it’s easier than ever to update business documents while on the go.
5. User friendly. As demonstrated above, you can access BlackBerry Remember with a few taps. Similarly, the application is fully integrated with the BlackBerry 10 hub, making the experience intuitive for all BlackBerry 10 users, no matter what your needs.

How will BlackBerry Remember help you stay organized? For information to help you get started, check out this video.

]]> http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/04/blackberry-remember-top-5/feed/ 0 donnyhalliwell http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/04/bbm-video-top-5-things-you-should-know/ http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/04/bbm-video-top-5-things-you-should-know/#comments Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:54:38 +0000 Donny Halliwell http://blogs.blackberry.com/?p=16631 ]]>

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Arguably, the most significant BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) innovation on BlackBerry 10 is the Video Chat feature. Built on multifaceted technology, BBM Video is intended to provide BlackBerry 10 users with a first-in-class video chat agent. As you start exploring BBM Video, keep these key points in mind to help optimize your BlackBerry 10 experience:

1. Seamless transition between text and video. It’s extremely easy to initiate a video chat with a BBM contact. When in a text-based BBM conversation, simply tap the video icon on the chat screen to start talking face-to-face. BAM!
2. Screen Share. In addition to being able to make audio and video calls through BBM, you can share the screen of your BlackBerry 10 device while continuing your conversation. This allows you to chat in real time about a photo album, business document or website.
3. High quality audio. BBM Video has stereo and wide-band audio technology. This means that two people can talk at the same time without canceling each other out.
4. Cinematic experience. You can rotate your BlackBerry 10 device while BBM video chatting. This way, you can share you surrounding in portrait or landscape mode when conversing with a contact face-to-face over BBM.
5. Front or rear-facing cameras. When in BBM Video, you switch between the front or rear-facing cameras on your BlackBerry 10 device. Which lens is more slimming (ha!) – you pick!

Okay, now you can stop reading and start chatting. Let us know what you think about BBM Video in the comments below!

With the holiday season far behind you in the rearview mirror, you’re likely settled back into the daily grind, which starts with your morning commute. When I’m driving to the office, it’s a cup of coffee that really gets me going. But I’ve found a few great BlackBerry smartphone and BlackBerry PlayBook tablet apps to make my commute that much easier. (Just remember, as cool as these apps are it’s important to always keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road while driving. Enter your information ahead of time and don’t use these apps while driving)

Here are some of my favorites:

• DriveSafely by iSpeech.org: This handy BlackBerry smartphone app helps drivers keep hands on the wheel by reading SMS and email messages out loud. DriveSafely Pro provides even greater functionality, allowing you to dictate SMS or email responses, repeat messages, and even make outgoing calls.

• GasBuddy – Find Cheap Gas Prices by GasBuddy Organization, Inc.: Do you need to find the cheapest gas while you’re on the go? This BlackBerry smartphone app locates nearby gas stations and allows you to view current gas prices. You can also help your friends save money on gas by sharing prices with BBM integration.

• VCMS – Speed. Location. Odometer. Compass. by I-Mentalist.com: Consider this as an all-in-one driver’s best friend created for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. With a compass, odometer, latitude/longitude trackers, lap timer, speed alerts and social network integration, let’s just say backseat drivers have some serious competition in the ‘know-it-all’ category.

• Compass by mappau OG: This magnetic compass was written natively for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, using a magnetometer instead of GPS. You can select from five different compass themes, and the compass automatically re-calibrates every three days to ensure accuracy.

• Magellan Compass Maps by o2 Interactive: Before you get on your way, you can use this BlackBerry PlayBook tablet app to search, navigate and bookmark your destination, then use GPS and cached map data to take you there.

Are you ready to hit the road with these great apps? Before you set out, review your local laws for using mobile devices while driving. Remember, you can always use these apps to help plan your trip before getting behind the wheel.

Have any of these apps helped make your morning commute any easier? Do you have any favorite driving apps for your BlackBerry smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet? Let us know in the comments!

Today, a superspy has to be covert, stealthy and they should carry a BlackBerry ® smartphone. I’ve channeled my inner Q, and in true secret agent fashion have identified some superspy must-have apps that are shaken, not stirred from the BlackBerry App World ™ storefront.

SecureMic by SecureMic Inc.: By activating the SecureMic, the microphone of your device is temporarily disabled, so that in the event of a “pocket dial”, your conversations are undetected. With SecureMic activated, your BlackBerry smartphone cannot be used as a listening device against you. A must-have app for any secret agent!

FingerPrint Lock By Pace MobiTech: A cool app for all the users who want complete high-tech security for their BlackBerry smartphone. It’s a unique lock that scans your finger and permits you to use your device. Forget all the boring smartphone locks and select the one that best suits an agent. *Note: Scanner lock doesn’t scan the fingerprint; rather, it detects the number of scans.

Phone Security Lite By Pace MobiTech: This app protects your confidential information and helps locate a lost or stolen BlackBerry smartphone. It also can be used for tracking your device, safeguarding your child, and possibly monitoring a suspected double agent. It is designed to give you total control over your BlackBerry device, no matter where it is.

Spy Camera by Oswald Designs: Take pictures silently with no flash with the Spy Camera app. Set the picture as Caller ID or wallpaper, share picture over BlackBerry ® Messenger ™ (BBM ™) Contact, BBM Group, email and Facebook®. You can also apply effects to pictures such as black and white, normal and sepia. Perfect for covert sting operations!

iSpy For BlackBerry by Ardour: Silently monitor your own BlackBerry device in real time. iSpy stealthy records the activities of your BlackBerry smartphone. Record SMS, call* and BBM chat activities and store the data afterward. When you want to view results, simply visit the app and enter the password to see the activity. *Note: Feature captures call logs, not audio.

Keep your friends close, your enemies closer and stay on top of all the intel from your BlackBerry smartphone. Let us know what gadget apps you find most helpful or just plain cool in the comments below!

By Tommy Ellis (Own work) [CC], via Flickr Creative Commons

In the wake of rolling out the battery-saving Application Resource Monitor™ app that monitors your BlackBerry ® smartphone’s applications, I wanted to discuss another problem that smartphone users face: what I like to call “Battery Zombies”. These undead processes and options grab hold of precious battery juice and drain the life from it, forcing you on a quest for an outlet. Avoid unnecessary battery drainage by following a few simple tips:

1. Turn off Wi-Fi®
The quickest way to save on battery life is also one of the easiest. When Wi-Fi is turned on, your device will constantly search for access points, which can sap battery life. If you are on the road or don’t plan on connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot, consider turning off your Wi-Fi network connection to save battery life.

2. Turn off unused connections
Along with Wi-Fi, you may also want to turn off Bluetooth® and NFC (if your device includes either of these features) when you are not using them.

3. Watch those apps
Apps that push notifications to your mobile device or frequently update data (think weather apps or news apps) can drain your battery in a hurry by downloading mounds of incoming data. Jump into the settings of these apps and minimize updates where possible.

4. Adjust Brightness settings
Another common suspect for battery drain is the settings for screen brightness and backlight timeout. If your screen stays illuminated long enough for you to walk a few blocks, dig into the settings of your device and decrease the brightness and timeout time.

5. Reduce notification bells and whistles
I used to have a 45-second musical score set as my notification every time my wife called or texted me — the song from our first dance. After the fourth time I heard it, I realized a 45-second notification for the most common person that contacted me was a bit…overwhelming. Not surprisingly, it also took its toll on my battery life. Reducing or eliminating long sound or vibration notifications on your device can add time to your battery.

By making sure your battery is functioning properly and by following the tips above, you’ll get that many more tweets, status updates, emails, BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) messages, and minutes of talk time. What will you do with it?

If you have a BlackBerry® smartphone and a Facebook® page, chances are you also use the Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones app. (It even got an awesome new upgrade yesterday!) After talking with my friends, most of them tell me it’s the most frequently-used app on their device and the primary way they access Facebook. Today I’ve put together some of my favorite tips that I share with friends when I’m asked about the Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones app.

Before we begin, if you don’t have Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones installed currently, open the BlackBerry App World™ storefront on your device, press the Menu key, select “Scan a Barcode” and scan this code to get it installed:

1. Receive Notifications in the Messages App

Let’s get things started with my favorite tip: integrating your Facebook notifications with the Message app on your BlackBerry smartphone. Having my Facebook notifications appear in the messages app allows me to check them, send them via email, share them using BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) and more all in one place. If I have a Facebook notification I want to read, I can simply select it and Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones opens to display the content.

Read more at the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog »

Even though I don’t consider myself a “fashionista,” it’s hard not to get swept up in the frenzy of fashion-forward designers descending on Montreal and New York City for Fashion Week. But will beautiful people in beautiful clothes give a denim-clad mobile-device aficionado like me aspirations to be the Next Top Model? Sadly, no. Regardless, here are five BlackBerry ® smartphone apps that might just bring us all one step closer to the runway:

Trendstop Fashion TrendTracker by Amoja Limited: Trendstop Fashion TrendTracker is a veritable fashion toolbox that provides insight into trends, shares the latest news, and suggests ideas on what to wear. Tons of pics from fashion shows around the globe may also inspire a new or updated look, and the app also allows social sharing on Facebook® and Twitter® so you can solicit ideas from your friends.

Vogue News by Condé Nast Publications Ltd.: It’s a little-known fact that when fashion models are babies, “Vogue” is actually one of the first words they learn to say. A list of fashion apps without including Vogue News would be like wearing socks and sandals. Vogue News shares the latest news, trends, and people straight from the pages of Vogue.

Glamour Celebrity News by Condé Nast Publications Ltd.: Rounding out the one-two punch of magazines gone digital, Glamour Celebrity News gives you a peek into the fashion lives of celebrities such as actors and directors. There are plenty of images and tips to help anyone look like a star.

Fashion TV by 770 Prod: Providing the ultimate insider’s guide, the Fashion TV BlackBerry app provides news on fashion shows, designer events, and Haute Couture parties from Paris to Montauk. If you’re the kind of person who wants to be the first on their block to embrace the latest fashion trend, you need to have this app in your collection.

Fashion News Service by 360Fashion: Last but certainly not least on the list of fashion apps is the simply-named Fashion News Service. This little gem from 360Fashion shares opinions and sneak peeks from tastemakers and trendsetters inside the fashion industry. As an added bonus, Fashion News Service can be connected to BlackBerry ® Messenger (BBM ™) on BlackBerry ® 7 OS devices.

In the world of fashion, trends come and go so it’s important to have the right apps to stay connected and “in the know.” What’s even cooler is that all of these apps are free, so there’s really nothing stopping you from becoming a fashionista – except if you really do wear sandals with socks.

Have any of these apps helped you sharpen your fashion sense? Are there any apps you’d add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

Today I thought I would change things up a bit by answering some commonly-asked BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet questions I’ve come across while browsing the web, as well as questions from my friends and family. After we’re done, don’t forget to leave your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet questions in the comments section below so we can continue providing answers for you!

1. Can I use other apps or games while downloading, updating or installing apps in the BlackBerry App World™ storefront?

Yes! Multitasking is central to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet experience. While in BlackBerry App World – or any app or game, for that matter – simply swipe up from the bottom bezel to minimize the app, and then choose the app or game you want to use while waiting for the download or instillation to complete.

If you would like some help getting started with BlackBerry App World on a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, check out my two-part series I published a little while back called BlackBerry PlayBook 101: Getting Started with BlackBerry App World Part 1 and Part 2.

Read more at the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog »

Last week I had a chance to experience the joy one feels while un-boxing a new gadget or electronic device. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the notion of “un-boxing,” it’s a term used by those gadget lovers in your life when they get a new device and are removing it from factory packaging.

My un-boxing last week was a new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone for my wife, and while going through the setup, I thought it would be a good idea to share my BlackBerry® smartphone and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet post-power up steps with you. So if you are about to get a BlackBerry device or have just received one, then this is the Five Tip Friday for you.

Read more at the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog »

If you aren’t already following @BlackBerryHelp and you want to receive lots of tips and tricks, start following today using Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones and keep an eye out for the #BBTips hashtag.

With that being said, here are the five popular tips that we’ve shared with our fantastic followers:

1. Video Camera Flashlight

Try the following steps to quickly turn a physical keyboard-equipped BlackBerry smartphone into a flashlight so you can find your way!

1. Open the Video Camera app
2. Press the space key to turn on or turn off the flashlight.

Note: Using a smartphone with a virtual keyboard only, such as the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9850 smartphone? If so, you can also make it a flashlight by opening the Video Camera App and pressing the Menu key, then selecting Options followed by checking the box for Video Light.

Read more at the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog »