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Radiation levels published for three BlackBerry models

Russell Shaw — 2006-06-04T12:28:00+00:00

CNET.com has published a compilation of cell phone radiation levels, as cited by the FCC.

The levels are expressed in SAR, or Specific Absorption Rate. SAR is a way of measuring the quantity of radio frequency energy that passes through the body.

If a cell phone has rate higher than 1.6 watts per kilogram, it won't pass FCC muster.

The Motorola Slvr L6 barely makes the grade at 1.58, watts per kilogram, the worst ranking.

The best ranking is Audiovox PPC66001, with only 0.12 WPG.

The three rated BlackBerrys came out in the middle of the pack.

BlackBerry 7100g was rated at 0.86. The BlackBerry 7250 and BlackBerry 7750 each scored 1.27.

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BlackBerry 7750 user: how do I remove the Power-on-Password?

Russell Shaw — 2006-04-08T18:20:00+00:00

Filed under: Support, Tips, 7750

We're resuming the daily countdown of the ten most viewed questions and answers on the BlackBerry section of the technology advice site Experts-Exchange. I believe this a good place to gage what imponderables are on the minds of BlackBerry users.

Today, I will spotlight the fourth-most viewed BlackBerry-related question asked on Experts-Exchange:

The question is "resetting a power-on password BB 7750."

Found a 7750 BB in a pile of IT JUNK that I was given," Joe Cistaro writes. "Is there a way to remove the Power - on - password so I can see if service is on this thing?

Joe notes that he even tried the "paper-clip in reset hole," but apparently without results.

But as he does so often on Experts-Exchange, the all-knowing JConchie comes up with a solution.

"This is a little cumbersome, but will do the trick if a hard reset, using the reset hole doesn't do it," JConchie writes.

"Go to the RIM website....or the website of whatever provider you are thinking of using....download the latest Desktop Manager package and install it on a desktop," he adds. "Then download the latest hand held OS (probably 4.0) to the same desktop. Hook the handheld up to the desktop and run the OS installer."

JConchie correctly notes that performing this action will take you back to factory defaults with no power-on-password set.

Then Joe notes that after he ran the OS installer, and entered the wrong password 10 times, he was able to reclaim the factory default setting he needed.

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A "Roseberry" reviews a BlackBerry

Russell Shaw — 2005-12-13T06:24:01+00:00

Filed under: 7750

No, really.

Catherine Roseberry is About.com's Guide to Mobile Technology.

I've just stumbled across her review of the BlackBerry 7750, the device you see there on the right. Roseberry gives this BlackBerry four of five stars.

She likes the phone quality with no feedback or echoes, the clear display, the security password protection and the clip-on Headset's ease of use.

On the other hand, Roseberry gives a "raspberry" to the BlackBerry 7750's lack of a built-in SD Card/Multimedia Card, and to its modest 14 mb of memory.

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Now you can do fingerprint capture, scanning and more on your BB

Russell Shaw — 2005-11-30T23:51:04+00:00

Filed under: 7730, 7750, 7780

Total Solution Technology has just released its ArmorPlus for BlackBerry line, a BlackBerry systems board hardware add-on with software capable of such applications as fingerprint capture, credit card processing and even some camera functionality.

Basic pricing is $395, with extra functionalities priced on an a la carte basis.

Currently, ArmorPlus is available for the BlackBerry 7730, 7750 and 7780.

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No brand warranty possible on eBay BlackBerry purchases

Russell Shaw — 2005-09-25T00:52:53+00:00

Filed under: Support, Verizon, 7750

On the Yahoo! BlackBerry Users Group, Member Larry posts a question about this new BlackBerry 7750 he's just bought on eBay.

Larry's contacted Verizon Wireless about a warranty, but he says that Verizon would bot insure an eBay purchase.

In Larry's opinion, he thinks this is "an illegal act by Verizon" to force buyers to purchase a BlackBerry from them.

C. Mark Wagner - one of the more active and expert participants in the Yahoo! BlackBerry Users Group - posts a reply that explains Verizon's policy accurately and concisely.

"You might have a case if you had bought the BB7750 from (BlackBerry-maker) RIM (Research In Motion) but you didn't," Mark writes. "Neither you nor Verizon know why the seller sold it through eBay but if I were Verizon's (warranty) issuer," I would be suspicious."

Mark adds that a key reason no warranty was issued because the device's sales channel (via eBay, not via Verizon-authorized channels) means the device has an unknown history.

"Caveat Emptor," writes Mark.

That means "buyer beware," and I agree.

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Users debate BlackBerry 7750 OS 4.0 vs. OS 3.7

Russell Shaw — 2005-09-14T08:32:28+00:00

Filed under: Support, Tips, Verizon, 7750, 7250, BlackBerry OS 4.x

On the Yahoo! BlackBerry Users Group, several users have been debating the memory and other performance factors of the BlackBerry 7750 OS 4.0.

"I have some enterprise business users who have 7750 devices that are currently on the 3.7 device OS," Joe writes. "We are migrating these users to the 4.0 BES and I also want to upgrade their device OS to the 4.0 platform as well."

He asks other Members for a memory comparision between the 4.0 and 3.7 OS.

"Based upon this I may opt to upgrade these users to the 7250 device which has more memory than the 7750 (32mb vs 16mb) and would give them Bluetooth capability," Joe adds. "These users can have hundreds if not thousands of contacts in their address book so memory is very important."

User C. Mark Wagner responded with a mixed, but specific verdict.

"I had no problem upgrading my Verizon BB 7750 to v 4.0," he writes. "The device was noticably slower -- but I did not find it intolerably so."

As to memory, Wagner writes that with just the RIM suite of applications, "free memory seemed to drop from about 2 MB to about 500KB but it worked fine."

The added factor here, at least for Wagner, was the fact that Version 4.0 will let you set up file compression. He writes this capability "helps a lot and allowed me add thrid-party apps and to run with under 100KB."

Still, Wagner finds it necessary to point out that on the BlackBerry 7750, his perception was that OS 4.0 seemed to provoke a memory leak. He solved that problem as well.

But, whenever memory was so low as to cause sluggish behavior," he writes, "a soft reset would free-up quite a bit. I would definitely suggest trying OS 4.0 on the Blackberry 7750) --at least to hold you over until you are ready to upgrade to the BB 7250."

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BlackBerry carriers to cut breaks to Katrina region customers

Russell Shaw — 2005-09-13T17:45:01+00:00

Filed under: 7100g, 7750, 7520, 7290, 7250

Most cell carriers with BlackBerry data and voice plans now say they will either cut rates or be flexible on invoice payment for subscribers in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Areas such as New Orleans, as shown in this photo by photographer Smiley Pool of the Associated Press.

Here's a rundown:

Cingular Wireless, which sells the BlackBerry 7100g and BlackBerry 7290 will give its New Orleans and Biloxi-area custmers a one-time 50 percent credit on their monthly fee. These customers will not be charged for roaming, extra minutes, long-distance or text messaging from late August up thru September 30.

Cingular subscribers in metro Mobile, Ala., Jackson, Miss, Baton Rouge nd Lafayette, La., will get a one-time 25 percent monthly fee credit, as well as unspecified discounts on roaming and text.

Verizon Wireless, which sells the BlackBerry 7250, says it will work on a case-by-case basis with customers in the region, and as Cingular is doing -temporarily will stop collections and disconnects due to non-pay.

SprintNextel, which sells the BlackBerry 7750 and BlackBerry 7520, says it will also suspend collection and termination actions in the region. The company will give a month of free wireless service to subscribers in hard-hit areas and would also offer free long-distance, roaming, text messaging and extra minutes to customers in areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina.

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Consultants release two BlackBerry how-to e-books

Russell Shaw — 2005-08-30T10:48:38+00:00

Filed under: Support, Tips, 7100, 7100t, 7100g, 7100r, 7100x, 7100v, 7700, 7730, 7750, 7780, 7500, 7510, 7520, 7200, 7230, 7280, 6700, 6710, 6720, 6750, 6200, 6220, 6230, 6280, 5800, 5820, 7250, BlackBerry OS 4.x, 7270, BlackBerry Enterprise Server

Ned Johnson and Martin Trautschold are consultants with more than eight years of combined experience working with BlackBerry using corporate and individual clients. Trautschold, in fact, has presented at the Annual RIM BlackBerry Wireless Enterprise Symposium.

Now, Trautschold and Johnson have combined to write two BlackBerry Made Simple 150-plus page PDF formatted e-books for BlackBerry users.

BlackBerry Made Simple covers 6500, 6700, 7200, 7500, 7700 and 7100 series BlackBerrys.

BlackBerry Made Simple- The Definitive Guide for 7100 Series covers all BlackBerry 71xx models.

Both books are $19.95 apiece.

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Consultants release two BlackBerry how-to e-books

Russell Shaw — 2005-08-29T09:48:38+00:00

Verizon Wireless site introduces a way improved BlackBerry help section

Russell Shaw — 2005-08-15T10:14:41+00:00

Filed under: Support, Tips, Verizon, 7750, 6750, 7250
This morning, Verizon Wireless debuts a Data Technical Support site that's about 5,000 times better than the jumbled and too-disassociated help resource that they offered before.

The new site has separate sections for most handhelds offered with Verizon Wireless service. BlackBerry section? Natch.

Take for example the BlackBerry 7750 section. It is organized into six basic sub-sections, including Top FAQs, Blackberry (general questions), Verizon access questions, text messaging issues, Advanced Help,and Downloads.

The Verizon Wireless Data Technical Support resource also has sections for the BlackBerry 7250 (shown at right) and the BlackBerry 6750.

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FCC Approves Sprint-Nextel merger: what does it mean for BlackBerry?

Russell Shaw — 2005-08-05T13:07:10+00:00

Filed under: Nextel, Sprint, 7750, 7520
Sprint and Nextel have received the Federal Communications Commission's approval to merge.

The companies expect to close the merger shortly. The combined firm will be known as SprintNextel. That's one version of the new SprintNextel logo.

Sprint offers the BlackBerry 7750, while Nextel sells the BlackBerry 7520.

Since both Sprint and Nextel offer BlackBerry, it will be interesting to see what the BlackBerry line from the new entity will look like. I think they will probably keep their inventory and current rate structure intact. Wouldn't look for big changes in the near term.

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Sprint gets into mobile consulting business- but is it really sales?

Russell Shaw — 2005-07-25T15:11:17+00:00

Filed under: Nextel, Sprint, 7750, 7520, 7250
Sprint says it is readying a consulting force to advise large businesses on how to increase productivity through the use of mobile devices.

The venture will be called Sprint Mobile Business Assessment, and will be organized around on-premise, four-to-eight week deployments by Sprint consultants.

Thes consultants will collect information about how the company they are analyzing is communicating wirelessly, going along with field employees as they enter and process data, analyzing the way in which data is used and working with clients to develop strategies to increase mobile productivity.

I believe this initiative represents both an opportunity and a hazard. While Sprint is taking on the role of traditional business process consultants, is is true that such consultancies do not often conentrate on wireless applications and strategies. But I have to ask if there is a reason why they don't, and if Sprint- anticipating its merger with Nextel- will be able to overcome the urge to recommend BlackBerrys - or other devices they distribute to the companies they do consulting for.

As far as BlackBerry is concerned, my question would encompass the BlackBerry 7250 (at upper right) and BlackBerry 7750, both of which are offered by Sprint PCS; as well as the Nextel BlackBerry 7520.

So in other words, is this Sprint Mobile Marketing Assessment legitimate consulting, or is it merely an effort to get inside businesses and define reasons why they should be deploying specific devices?

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BlackBerry 7750 battery life debated

Russell Shaw — 2005-07-04T06:58:32+00:00

Filed under: Tips, 7750, Gear
There's an interesting thread on the Yahoo! BlackBerry Users Group about the apparent inability of one member's BlackBerry 7750's battery to hold a charge.

The Battery Life thread started with member C. Mark Wagner noting the problem on his year-old device and year-old battery. He wonders whether the battery was getting a little long in the tooth, and if he should buy a new one.

Member Dan Edwards replied that BlackBerry batteries should last four years, and suggests that Wagner try a spare battery to see if the charge-hold issue is related to the 7750, or a prematurely gray battery.

Several other members then debated how long a BlackBerry battery should last. Some said a year; some said up to four.

If I were Marc, I would work with the facts at hand, and try a new battery. They cost around $30, and are available on such sites as Shop BlackBerry-Research In Motion's official accessories store. Link below.

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Sprint PCS adds the BlackBerry 7250

Russell Shaw — 2005-06-22T06:52:04+00:00

Filed under: Sprint, 7750, 7250, BlackBerry Enterprise Server
Sprint PCS is now offering the BlackBerry 7250 on its wireless network.

They are offering the $489.99 list-priced BlackBerry 7250 for $241.99. That price includes an instant $150.00 rebate in a Sprint Store if you sign a two-year service contract; as well as a $98.00 "special discount" good thru July 9.

The carrier is marketing the device under the name of Sprint PCS Smart Device-BlackBerry 7250. Its a 7250 with the usual acoutrements, including wireless backup and PIM synchro, rotate, zoom and pan support for graphical file attachments; wireless email; and calendar enhancements such as marking some appointments "private."

The BlackBerry 7250 is Sprint PCS' second BB. The wireless service provider already offers the BlackBerry 7750, currently marked down from $549.99 to $289.99.

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Leave the sync cradle at home: use one of these instead

Russell Shaw — 2005-06-17T12:48:10+00:00

Filed under: 7730, 7750, 7780, Gear
The BlackBerry news and reviews site RIM Road has a new review of a mobile synchronization tool called MiniSync Plus.

I found the review helpful, as well as incentivizing to find out more.

Taking that device on the road with you is so much easier than dragging around a synching cradle. It extends to 35 inches in length, and works with most BlackBerry models. Manufacturer BoxWave has added new versions for the BlackBerry 7780, BlackBerry 7750 and BlackBerry 7730. Listed at $24.95, these MiniSync Plus' are on sale from the BoxWave site for $18.95.

Here's how the product handles synching:
Gently tug the BlackBerry connector and USB connector. This will extend your miniSync cable.
Connect one end of the miniSync cable to your BlackBerry and the other to your PC. You are now ready to sync up.

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Here's an easy but powerful PC-to-BlackBerry photo transfer tool

Russell Shaw — 2005-06-16T10:20:13+00:00

Filed under: Software, 7100, 7100t, 7100g, 7100r, 7100x, 7100v, 7730, 7750, 7780, 7230, 7280, 7290, Fun
Pix2Phone is one of the coolest PC-to-BlackBerry digital photo import tools I've seen. Plus, its free.

Here's how it works.

Point your PC Web browser to the Pic2Fone website at (you guessed it!) www.pix2fone.com.
Download and install the Pix2Fone browser extension. The extension works with Internet Explorer and Firefox.
When you are ready to import a photo from your hard drive to your BlackBerry, open the folder on your PC where your photos are stored.
Right-click on the file name of the photo you want to export to your BlackBerry.
A drop-down menu appears. Select Save Picture to Mobile Phone. Your chosen image is sent from your PC to the Pix2Fone Web service.
The Pix2Fone service will process your request and format the image you have chosen for optimum display on your BlackBerry. (If you are using the Pix2Fone service for the first time, you will be asked to enter the name and model number of your device.
After the photo is formatted, a download code appears on your PC.
Print out the download code, and then point your BlackBerry Web browser to: wap.pix2fone.com.
When your BlackBerry browser calls up that address, enter the download code you received on your PC. The picture then loads to your BlackBerry.
Pix2Fone is compatible with BlackBerry 7100 series models, as well as BlackBerry 7230, BlackBerry 7280, BlackBerry 7290, BlackBerry 7730, BlackBerry 7750 and BlackBerry 7780.
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Cleaning up those ugly "orphaned reminders"

Russell Shaw — 2005-06-14T10:58:36+00:00

Filed under: Support, Tips, 7750, BlackBerry Enterprise Server
Few things are as intellectually stimulating as diagnosing a mystery, and then solving it.

That dynamic's been going down on BlackBerryForums.com.

The mystery was first posed by user "phaser63", who started an Unknown Icon When Keyboard Locked thread on Friday. He said that when he locks his BlackBerry 7750 (running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.0), an unwanted icon appears at the top left of the screen. Apparently, it looks like a sticky note with the bottom right corner turned up.

Further complicating the mystery, phaser63 seemed stunned ("Star Trek" reference, get it)? about the number that appears to the left of the icon. Apparently, that number is subject to change, but at the time phaser63 first posed this question, the number was"4."

Fellow Forums member "kieron" posted his thoughts, but then this morning, phaser63 got back with a new post saying that he determined the icon was an orphaned reminder to check something he had overlooked.

Here's how phaser63 phased out the orphan reminder:

On his PC he went into Outlook and called up the By Category view of calendar/tasks;
Right clicked on the column heading and chose Field Selector;
Added a column for the Reminder indicator;
Synched his BlackBerry and his PC;
Removed the BlackBerry battery and waited 30 seconds;
Placed the battery back in the BlackBerry. The "orphaned reminder" icon was gone.

"Of course, no more reminders," phaser63 notes, but "I guess that is a small price to pay to get rid of the minor annoyances.

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Got BlackBerry 7xxx? This service offers more than 1,000 ringtones for one price

Russell Shaw — 2005-06-06T06:57:18+00:00

Filed under: Software, 7100, 7100t, 7100g, 7100r, 7100x, 7100v, 7700, 7730, 7750, 7780, 7500, 7510, 7520, 7200, 7230, 7280, 7290, 7250, 7270, Fun
I've just noticed that BlackBerry Ring Tone Megaplex has just passed 23,000 downloads on Handango.com.

Given that many other fun and useful utilities do well with amassing 100 downloads, the popularity of the Ring Tone Megaplex is that much more amazing.

For that one price, you get unlimited download access to the more than 1,000 tones in the Ring Tone Megaplex library. The library inventory is updated at least once a week, sometimes more.

Ring Tone Megaplex is compatible with most 7xxx series BlackBerry devices. Once you purchase, download and install Ring Tone Megaplex, you access the service via their proprietary interface, not through an open Web site.

RingTone Megaplex' list price is $19.95, but I found it listed on mobile software site Handango.com for $17.96. That's 10% off.

As you might suspect, the Read link below this post takes you to the main BlackBerry Ring Tone Megaplex page on Handango.

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Verizon Wireless to introduce new BlackBerry data plans

Russell Shaw — 2005-05-16T14:11:53+00:00

Filed under: Verizon, 7750, 6750, 7250
Starting a week from today, Verizon Wireless will add new data service plan options for BlackBerry users.

These options will include unlimited data service for $49.99 or 10 megs of service for $29.99.

BlackBerry handhelds offered by Verizon include the BlackBerry 7750, BlackBerry 7250 and Blackberry 6750.

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To win this game, make your balls disappear

Russell Shaw — 2005-05-10T06:50:52+00:00

Filed under: Software, 7100, 7100t, 7100g, 7100r, 7100x, 7100v, 7700, 7730, 7750, 7780
A new downloadable game for BlackBerry rates your skill on the amount and numerical value of balls you can make disappear on the playing board (shown at right).

Players get points for each ball that they disappear. Generally speaking, if you move one ball to an adjacent box with a same-colored ball already there, one ball disappears and you get points for it. You can move balls horizonally, vertically or diagonally.

Designed for the BlackBerry 7700 and 7100 series, KoLines costs only $2.95 and is downloadable from the Web site of mobile device software developer Handango.com. I've placed a hotlink to KoLines' download page in the Read link directly below this post.

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