BlackBerry Basics for New Users

Three tips that can help you get started with your new Blackberry
By Elise Hines, About.com


IF you've just brought home your first BlackBerry, you will have to adjust the device's initial settings. The setup wizard that runs when you first start up your BlackBerry walks you through configuring some very basic settings, like setting up the time, creating a BlackBerry Internet Service account, and adding e-mail accounts. However, the wizard does not cover all of the settings that a new BlackBerry user should configure. This is how you configure a few key settings to make your BlackBerry experience even better.


Automatically Shutting Off Your BlackBerry
Most people do not wake up in the middle of the night to check e-mail on their BlackBerry, and a lot of people might not even answer it if it rings. If you have a predictable schedule, you can set your BlackBerry to shut itself off overnight. Not only will this save battery power, it will also mean you won't have to manually reboot your device or pull the battery as often. If you are the type of person who forgets to mute your BlackBerry or put it on vibrate before you go to bed, you will not have to remember to do it every night. Most importantly, you will not be disturbed.

1. To set your BlackBerry to automatically power itself on and off, click the Options icon and choose Auto On/Off.

2. Choose Enabled from the drop-down menu next to Weekday, and choose the times you would like to have your BlackBerry turn itself off and on. You can also set automatic on and off times for the weekends.
3. Click the Menu button and choose Save when you are done.

Turning Wireless Connections On and Off
Connecting to your carrier's network and using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi networking consume a lot of power on your BlackBerry. If you know you're going to be in a place where you have poor cell coverage, you can save some battery life by turning the radio off. If you're not using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it is a good idea to turn them off for the same reason. Sometimes you may need to turn these network connections on and off to troubleshoot connectivity problems, or you may need to manually reconnect to them after a reboot. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Manage Connections screen.

1. To turn your wireless connections on or off, choose the Manage Connections icon (in most themes the icon resembles a small cellular tower or antenna).
2. Click the checkboxes next to Mobile Network, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth to turn the connections on and off.

Deleting Installed Applications
Most new BlackBerrys come with a ton of applications that your cellular carrier bundled with the operating system. You may find some of them useful, but chances are you will want to remove some of them from your device. Removing unwanted applications saves space on your device, and may even boost your BlackBerry's performance.

1. To delete unwanted applications, click on the Options icon, and then choose Applications. Your BlackBerry will display a list of all of the installed applications.
2. The list defaults to Third Party applications, but you can also see lists of Add-on and Core applications by choosing them from the drop-down menu.
3. When you find an application on the list that you want to remove, click on it and choose Delete. Click Delete on the subsequent confirmation screen, and the BlackBerry will delete the application you selected.
4. When you are prompted to restart the device, click Yes.

A lot of new users do not know about these settings and take a while to figure out how to delete applications. Making these simple settings adjustments and removing unwanted applications seem like simple changes to your device, but they can drastically improve your overall experience.