Onstage at BlackBerry Live 2013, Thorsten Heins said “No one makes keyboards better than BlackBerry.” This could be true whether you opt for the BlackBerry Q10 with a physical QWERTY keyboard, or the BlackBerry Z10 with an innovative onscreen keyboard.

Each keyboard design has its own unique advantages, and each has its own set of fans. So, which camp are you in? Are you all about the accuracy of the physical keyboard, or do you prefer the versatility of the virtual keyboard? I’ll highlight a few of the differences below, but I want to hear about what you think about the two and why your fav is better.

Physical:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

For those of you who just need to have a physical keyboard, the BlackBerry Q10 is designed to offer an unmatched typing experience. Now, you can pick one up in the U.S. and in many other regions around the world. The physical keyboard offers fast action and precise control over your typing. As I mentioned in an earlier post about the industrial design of the device, each key has been crafted with typing mechanics and ergonomics in mind. With the physical keyboard you can build in shortcuts and with software like Instant Action on BlackBerry 10 the keyboard can help you navigate through your phone with ease and fluidity.

Virtual:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

The BlackBerry Z10 has a dynamic touchscreen that is large and perfect for viewing entertainment and browsing the web. This extra screen real-estate means that there are no physical keys to type on, so a keyboard is presented on the touchscreen when input is needed. The BlackBerry 10 virtual keyboard definitely brings some innovative features including in-letter next word suggestion and shortcuts like “swipe left to delete”, which lets you quickly delete the last word you were typing with a gesture.

I still haven’t decided which side I’m on, so I find myself switching back and forth. But this isn’t about me – it’s about what you prefer, so sound off in the comments below with your thoughts and opinions on physical keyboard or virtual keyboard.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Happy Friday #TeamBlackBerry! Today’s topic: five tips for managing files on a BlackBerry 10 device.

After checking out the tips, please leave a comment and let me know which one is your favorite. Or if it isn’t listed already, add your favorite tip below!

1. Copy, Move, Select More, Rename, Add Folder and more!

It’s really easy to manage and organize files on your device thanks to the powerful File Manager app. Here are a few options that every BlackBerry 10 device owner should be familiar with:

• Select More – If you need to work with several files and folders at the same time – e.g. if you would like to create a Zip file of some pictures you took – all you need to do is tap and hold the first file or folder and then tap Select More from the action menu that appears on the right. After doing this, you can select the additional files and folders you want by tapping their icons.
• Copy or Move – To copy or move files and folders, tap and hold the item or items (see Select More), then tap Copy or Move from the action menu. Navigate to the desired storage location using the context menu in the bottom left corner, then tap the Copy or Move buttons along the top of the screen to complete the action.
• Renaming Files & Folders – Tap and hold the item you’d like to rename and select Rename from the menu along the right.
• Adding Folders – Browse to the location where you’d like to create the new folder, tap the action key in the bottom right corner and then select Add Folder.
• Sort Options – To change the default sort option, tap the action key in the bottom right corner followed by tapping Sort. After doing this, select your desired Sort and Order options to customize how your files and folders are displayed.
• Share – Tap and hold the file you’d like to share and then tap the action key in the bottom right corner and select Share. A menu will appear with available sharing options such as email, BBM or (my personal favorite) NFC!

Read more tips on using the File Manager on BlackBerry 10

As I’ve been travelling around and meeting people who’ve just got their new BlackBerry Z10 or BlackBerry Q10 smartphone – one question I get asked a lot (other than where can I buy it) is do you have any tips or helpful how-to’s for using the device? The answer, my savvy readers, – is yes, we have a number of resources to help you with your awesome new BlackBerry 10 device.

Inside BlackBerry Help blog

First and foremost – we have our very own blog dedicated to all things Help. Here it’s easy to find articles on some of the most popular FAQs, tips, tricks and in depth how-to’s – as a new BlackBerry 10 resource this would be my first stop.

And right alongside the blog is a Twitter handle @BlackBerryHelp that dishes out support and friendly advice to its followers and more.

BlackBerry How-To Videos

For those of you who are more visual learners, we have a number of dedicated help videos and tutorials on our YouTube channel. Check out this one below about the time shift camera for an example of what you can expect:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Get Started Demos – at BlackBerry.com

On BlackBerry.com we have dedicated pages of resources for those just starting out. Naturally, we call it “Support” but there’s a ton of information to get you started. You’ll find an additional set of resources dedicated to your new BlackBerry 10 device. And if checking out videos on YouTube just wasn’t for you, the support page has an itemized list of interactive walkthroughs for popular topics like:

• Getting started
• Switching devices
• Account Setup
• …and more

Well, there you go – just a few resources to get you up and running smoothly on your new BlackBerry 10 device. Swing by any of the above for helpful tips and if you’re having trouble be sure to reach out to my friends @BlackBerryHelp on Twitter.

Summer is just around the corner and things are really heating up with the Unity BlackBerry 10 Open Beta announcement and many new exciting offerings in BlackBerry World! Unity is making it easy for any developer to bring their games to mobile devices – including the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 smartphones – and the upcoming BlackBerry Q5 smartphone. Unity is a powerful engine for gaming that let’s you have some amazing experiences in mobile and beyond.

You might recognize many of the titles developers have already brought to BlackBerry World that are built on the Unity platform:

Air Attack, CreaVures, Dark Nebula: Episode One, Fractal, Gravity Lab, Psychoban, Roboto, Samurai II Vengeance, SHADOWGUN and Sushi Chop

But in true BlackBerry World Wednesday fashion, here’s a list of many of the new titles to hit the BlackBerry World storefront this week. Head on over to BlackBerry World and kick off your summer with these awesome apps and games:

BlackBerry Z10 Apps:

Business & Finance:

• SAP Customer Financial Fact Sheet (SAP AG)
• SAP RealSpend (SAP AG)
• SAP CFO Vantage (SAP AG)
• mySunLife (Sun Life Financial)

Gaming:

• Cut the Rope (ZeptoLab UK Ltd.)
• Modern Combat 4 (Gameloft Inc.)
• Team Stream (Bleacher Report)

Navigation & Travel:

• Qatar Airways (Qatar Airways)

Health & Fitness:

• Endomondo Sports Tracker for BlackBerry 10 (Endomondo)

BlackBerry Q10 Apps:

Gaming:

• Where’s My Water? (Disney)
• Where’s My Perry? (Disney)
• Worbble 1.0 (Milestone Interactive Private Limited)

Photos & Video:

• Arab Idol (MBC Group)
• Pocoyo TV (Zinkia Entertainment S.A.)
• ColorUp Pro – Color Splash Editor (esDot Development Studios)
• XENOZU Player for YouTube (XenZu Technologies LLC)

News & Information

• Le Parisien (le Parisien)
• Rediff News (Rediff.com)
• Top Gear – News For BlackBerry 10 (BBC Worldwide)

Shopping Tools & Utilities:

• Shopping List – myShopi (Agilys)
• CNBC Alarm Clock (CNBC)

Food & Drink:

• OpenTable (OpenTable)

BlackBerry Dev Picks of the Week:

Here are the top 5 ‘must-haves’ apps according to our developers here at BlackBerry:

1. Haunted Factory Hidden Objects Quest Kids Game (WHRMedia) “Sports application game– it’s more interesting because the application provided a story line.”
2. Zeeek Run (Midgar Studio) “Amazing game with cool graphics and powerful sound make this game really attractive.” “Great runner game and have a lot of levels.”
3. Basic Theme for BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 (rak theme) “Great app to spice up your Z10 and Q10 display. It has numerous themes you can apply for your phone.”
4. Wallpapers Cafe (nextGen) “Nice wallpaper app with lots of HD quality image selection to choose for your devices.
5. 50 Home Workouts (Qubical) “With this app you can manage task, organize the way you want to, plan your time and locate your task, really complete and simple for organize your time and schedule.”

Latest App News: Keep an eye out for MTV News, Money Center and Sesame Street apps which will be available on the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 in the upcoming weeks.  Also coming soon to the BlackBerry Q10: Vueling Airlines, Yellow Pages, Ultimate History Quiz, Manulife Insure Right and Fly Porter apps.

For a look at all BlackBerry 10 apps, head to BlackBerry World. and let us know what your favorite apps and games are on BlackBerry 10.

Onstage at the BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando, Thorsten Heins, President and CEO, BlackBerry just announced that all of you BlackBerry Z10 customers are in for a treat. An update to BlackBerry 10 software has been released with new features designed to keep you moving. BlackBerry 10.1 is a free update that will be rolling out with carrier partners over the coming weeks.

I’ve chatted with the product development team about what you can expect in the update and there are definitely some exciting changes and features to highlight, and best of all updating is free and easy to do over a WiFi® network.

New BlackBerry 10.1 Features:

• BlackBerry Hub: The BlackBerry Hub lets you access all your messages and notifications in one place. With BlackBerry 10.1 support for PIN to PIN messages for direct communication between BlackBerry smartphones has been added to the BlackBerry Hub. Plus, improved attachment support in the BlackBerry Hub makes it easier to view emails which have been sent as attachments to other messages.
• Notifications: With BlackBerry 10.1 you can personalize the notifications for your accounts and contacts so you always know what is happening around you. Customize ringtones, vibration and the LED light by contact or by account for more personalized notifications.
• Fine Cursor Control: BlackBerry 10.1 makes it easier and more accurate to pinpoint exactly where you want to type. Tap once to bring up the cursor. Grab the blue circle and drag it around to place it exactly where you need it. Tap either side of the circle to move left or right by just one character. It’s easy to move around with speed and precision.
• Camera: BlackBerry 10 lets you create the perfect shot by moving parts of your picture backwards and forwards in time with Time Shift mode. BlackBerry 10.1 adds an HDR shooting mode for beautiful images in tricky lighting conditions. A standard image takes a picture at one exposure level. Where you have high contrast between light and dark areas of the photo, fine details can be lost. High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode takes multiple pictures at different exposure levels and layers them automatically to produce a single photo that combines the best of the dark and light areas.
• Lots more to discover: You’ll find lots of new improvements across the BlackBerry 10 OS like landscape support for the calendar, easier international dialing, improved red eye reduction in the picture editor and much more. The first step to discovering these new features is to update your BlackBerry 10 software.

How to update to BlackBerry 10.1:

Updating to BlackBerry 10.1 is free and easy to do. To update your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone to BlackBerry 10.1 look for the alert in the notifications section of the BlackBerry Hub. You can also check for software updates through the settings menu by visiting the software updates section. The download will happen in the background and the update will be applied without needing to back up your smartphone. All of your information remains safe. As always, we recommend you have a current backup of your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone readily available. For more information on how to update your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, visit www.BlackBerry.com/update

There you have it – BlackBerry 10.1 will soon be available for your BlackBerry Z10 device. Please let us know what you think of these features and refinements in the comments below.

Happy Friday #TeamBlackBerry!

On deck this week, five tips for the BlackBerry 10 camera, such as how to geotag photos and how to access your photos and more from a DLNA compatible device.

1 – Use different Shooting and Scene Modes

The BlackBerry Z10 has lots of options to help you capture the perfect picture depending on your situation, so after opening the camera make sure you review the various options available to you.

For example, in addition to the Normal shooting mode, you also have the option of using a Stabilization or Burst shooting mode. Stabilization is great if you’re like me and can’t keep still when taking pictures. Burst on the other hand is a great way to capture the perfect action shot, such as your dog catching a tennis ball or jumping into the family pool (ed – make sure you are out of the splash zone!). On top of Shooting Mode options, you also have several Scene Modes available to you such as Action, Whiteboard, Night and Beach or Snow.

To access these options tap the icon with three dots that appears in the bottom right corner and customize the settings to your desired preferences.

Read more at the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog »

This video will show you how to peek into the BlackBerry Hub, use the compact side bar, restart the BlackBerry Hub, turn off delete confirmation, access Voice Control and control your music using the volume keys.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

What is your favorite tip to keep moving while using a BlackBerry Z10? Leave a comment and let us know!

To learn about a feature on your BlackBerry 10 smartphone or troubleshoot an issue, there are several great options available to help. Visit www.blackberry.com/support for access to product manuals, how-to demos, tips and tricks, YouTube videos, support forums, knowledge base articles, Twitter support, and contact information for your region.

Originally posted on the Inside BlackBerry Help blog »

This year’s BlackBerry Live will give you our most mobile conference experience yet. We have some very exciting news: conference attendees will receive a BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, courtesy of Brightstar, our premier mobile sponsor!

Your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone will be a valuable tool throughout BlackBerry Live. The Mobile Conference Guide application has been designed to leverage features unique to BlackBerry 10, making it easy for you to:

• Build and edit your conference schedule in the Session Catalog while on the go
• Scan into breakout sessions using NFC functionality
• Interact with sponsors
• Complete conference surveys
• Much more

Quantities are limited, so register for BlackBerry Live today! To learn more about Brightstar, head over to www.brightstarcorp.com.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Learn more information on switching devices at www.blackberry.com/deviceswitch. For more How To articles, tips, and tricks, head over to the BlackBerry Help Blog.

What better day than Wednesday to check out some new additions to the BlackBerry World storefront? It’s mid-week and it’s time to take an app break. Walk away from your computer, pick up your BlackBerry 10 device and give yourself a well deserved (but quick), gaming break. Last week, I confessed my healthy addiction to online poker – this week, I’m getting in some classic gaming action with Bejeweled 2 for BlackBerry 10.

New BlackBerry 10 Apps and Games

Gaming

• Draw War: Save Yer Booty (Synqua Games)
• Bejeweled 2 for BlackBerry 10 (Electronic Arts, Inc.)
• MONOPOLY for BlackBerry 10 (Electronic Arts, Inc.)

News & Magazines

• Maxim (Maxim)
• AP for BlackBerry 10 (The Associated Press)
• Grazia UK Magazine (Bauer Media)

Utilities & Productivity:

• Measure Treasure (InfoStretch Corp.)
• ClipMan Clipboard Manager (QtHelex)

Lifestyle & Entertainment

• Event Cinemas (The Greater Union Organisation)
• eCoffeeCard (EatDigital)
• Clipp (Clipp Pty Ltd)
• Tobit.Campus (Tobit.Software)

Navigation & Travel

• Porter Airlines (Porter Airlines Inc.)
• Bus London (mxData Ltd)
• Railroad Germany (QtHelex)

There you have it, a fine list, if I ever did see one – but you should also get excited for some amazing titles that are coming soon to BlackBerry World like: Cosmopolitan magazine, Batman Dark Knight, Galaxy on Fire 2, Sim City Deluxe and OxygenLive. Which apps will you be checking out this week?