1. While viewing the BlackBerry Hub, tap the action key

     

2. Tap Settings followed by Email Accounts



3. Tap an email account, set Auto Signature to On and enter your desired signature

     

4. When finished, tap Back to save your changes

Tip: When you are finished entering your signature, to hide the keyboard, tap and hold the space key or using two fingers, swipe down from the top of the keyboard.

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.

Learn more about BlackBerry Protect and more after the break.

1. Automatic Backups and Location Reporting

I always encourage my family and friends to install BlackBerry Protect, since it provides several useful features such as the ability to automatically back up your smartphone as well as locate your device in the event you’ve misplaced it.

To learn more about BlackBerry Protect including how to get started, check out our post on five reasons why you should use BlackBerry Protect.

2. Device Password

Another tip I always recommend is setting a device password so you can prevent others from accessing your smartphone when you’ve left it unattended.

For a quick overview of how to set a device password as well as the various settings available to you when setting a password, check out our post on how to set a password on a BlackBerry smartphone.

3. How to reset your BlackBerry ID

It’s not uncommon to forget a password, so you should know what to do when you’ve forgotten your BlackBerry ID password. Provided you have access to the email address that is used to access your BlackBerry ID, to reset your password simply visit the BlackBerry ID Password Reset website.

A very important thing to remember is when you reset your BlackBerry ID, the email with the link you’ll need to click to change your password is not sent your BlackBerry smartphone. This is a security precaution to prevent someone who has stolen your device from being able to reset your BlackBerry ID password.

For more information on resetting a BlackBerry ID, visit KB26361 – How to change or reset a BlackBerry ID password.

4. Password Keeper

On the same topic, another app that I recommend trying out is Password Keeper, because it allows you to store all of your passwords in one place. Think of it as a secure vault on your smartphone that you can use to record login credentials, account numbers and more. I’ve been using this app for several years and it has saved me countless times from having to reset a password because I’ve forgotten it.

To learn more and get started, check out Heather’s post on how to set up and use BlackBerry Password Keeper.

5. Learning More and Getting Help

I saved the most important tip for last because I cannot stress the value of learning more about your smartphone. Your smartphone offers lots of features and settings, so to start learning more right away, make sure you check out the Help app that can be found on your device.

In addition to tips, tricks and more contained within the Help app, I’d also encourage you to check out Brian’s post on tips for finding help for your BlackBerry smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook, where you can find information on how to connect with BlackBerry support as well as other BlackBerry customers.

Got a question or comment? Leave it below and let us know!

A BlackBerry® smartphone comes packed with features that help you keep your data safe and secure, and setting a password for your BlackBerry smartphone is a cornerstone of that security. I’ve spoken with everyone from customers who use a password because they wanted to keep their siblings out of their text messages, to an engineer who designs space satellites who needed a password…well, because he designs space satellites!

Today I’d like to take a look at setting a BlackBerry smartphone password. I’ll explain the options available to you and what you should know before setting a password. If you are looking for BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet password information, we have a blog post titled How to password protect and secure BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 which you should check out.

You Need to Know

The most important thing you need to know is you cannot recover a forgotten password. If it’s forgotten, you have a maximum of 10 attempts before the device is security-wiped, after which all personal information, contacts, messages and other information you wouldn’t want falling into the wrong hands is removed from the device.

This might seem a little drastic at first, but think about the personal information you keep on your BlackBerry smartphone and how you wouldn’t want it falling into the wrong hands. I’m not a space robot engineer but I’d like to keep my personal stuff, well, personal.

Perform Regular Backups

If you frequently read the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog, you know I’m a backup advocate, so use BlackBerry® Desktop Software, the BlackBerry® Protect™ app, or any other methods we provide you to enable the recovery of your information. You also have the option of encrypting your backup files using BlackBerry Desktop Software for PC or Mac for extra security. To learn more about these backup options, check out the following list:

• Backup using a PC
• Backup using a Mac
• Backup to your Micro SD card
• Backup wirelessly using BlackBerry Protect

Setting a Password

Setting a password is pretty straightforward, so let’s do that first and then we’ll go over the settings.

BlackBerry Device Software 5.0 and below

1. Select “Options” from the Home Screen or from within a folder
2. Select “Security” and then “Password”
3. Set the Password field to “Enabled” and click “Set Password”
4. Type a password
5. Press the Menu key and select “Save”.

BlackBerry® 6 and BlackBerry® 7 OS

1. Select Options from the Home screen or from within a folder
2. Select “Security” and then “Password”
3. Select “Set Password”
4. Enter a password and then press the trackpad to enter the password a second time
5. Press the Menu key and select “Save”.

Password Settings

You can customize how the smartphone password behaves by changing these settings:

• Number of Security Attempts – This sets the number of failed attempts before the device is security wiped.
• Security Time out or Lock After – Choose the length of idle time before the device is locked and the smartphone password is required to use the device.
• Prompt on Application Install – Choose to have the device prompt you for the device password when installing an app or game from the BlackBerry App World™ storefront.
• Allow Outgoing Calls While Locked – Check this to allow anyone to make calls when the device is locked. A use-case scenario would be that during an emergency, someone wouldn’t need your password to call emergency services.
• Lock Handheld Upon Holstering – If you have a BlackBerry-branded holster or case designed for your model of BlackBerry smartphone, enabling this setting will cause the device to lock when placed in the holster.

Note: If you see a lock next to any of these settings, it indicates that you have an IT policy blocking you from disabling the feature. Contact your IT department for more information on your IT policy.

Have a question or comment about setting a password on your BlackBerry smartphone? Leave a message below!

If you already have a BlackBerry® ID (BBID), you know it is a convenient way to access BlackBerry products and services. Simply put, a BlackBerry ID allows to you download and manage your apps from the BlackBerry App World™ storefront and log into any BlackBerry services that support BlackBerry ID.

For those who already have a BlackBerry® 7 OS smartphone or are accessing BlackBerry App World from a BlackBerry smartphone, then you already have an existing BBID. If you don’t – and if you are about to set up a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet – then keep reading as I will be discussing the process for you.

Let’s begin:

The first time you turn on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, the setup process will help you get your tablet configured and requires you to enter a BlackBerry ID. If you don’t have a BlackBerry ID, you will need to create one.

To create a BlackBerry ID, all you need is a valid email address that you can access from a web browser on your desktop, laptop or tablet. An important thing to keep in mind is that this email address does not need to be associated with your BlackBerry smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

Creating a BlackBerry ID during setup of a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet

1. When you reach the point in the setup process where a BlackBerry ID is required, click on “Create a BlackBerry ID”.
2. Review and accept the license agreement if you are in agreement with the terms.
3. Fill in the required fields marked with an asterisk (*). There are three fields in particular you should be aware of when signing up for a BlackBerry ID:

User Name – A user name is a valid email address that can be accessed from a web browser on a desktop, laptop or tablet.

Screen Name – Although not required, setting a screen name is recommended as this is the name that will appear on BlackBerry websites; for example, when you review an application in BlackBerry App World.

Password – When creating a password, it is highly recommended that you choose a secure password only you would know since any BlackBerry App World purchasing information you add will be linked to your BlackBerry ID.

4. Click Sign up at the bottom right of the screen after entering the required information.
5. The setup of your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will continue using your new BlackBerry ID.

After completing the tablet setup process, make sure you confirm your BlackBerry ID email address – click the link in the BlackBerry ID sign up confirmation message that was sent to the email address you specified.

Now that your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet setup is complete, I recommend tapping on the BlackBerry App World icon and exploring the store. Enjoy!

Have a question or comment? Please don’t hesitate to let us now as we’d love to hear from you!

#TeamBlackBerry – If I asked you for your BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet PIN, would you know where to find it? For those of you that don’t know the answer to this question, here are a few of the locations where you can obtain the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet PIN.

Location #1 – During the Setup Wizard

If you are setting up a brand new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or setting up the tablet again after performing a security wipe, you’ll be shown the Setup Wizard, which helps you get your tablet set up and updated to the latest version of the BlackBerry® PlayBook OS. To get the tablet PIN while in the Setup Wizard app, complete the following steps:

1. On the Wi-Fi® network screen, tap the Gear icon (in the red box) that appears at the bottom left corner of the screen.

2. The PIN will be displayed (in the red box); for example, 500XXXXX.

Location #2 – BlackBerry PlayBook tablet settings

If you have completed the Setup Wizard, you can obtain the tablet PIN by reviewing the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet settings. To do this, complete the following steps:

1. On the home screen, tap the Gear icon
2. Select “About”
3. Toggle ”View Information about your tablet’ to Hardware”
4. The PIN is displayed (in the red box); for example, 500XXXXX.

Location #3 – BlackBerry Desktop Software

If you aren’t already using it, a tool I recommend all BlackBerry PlayBook tablet owners install is BlackBerry® Desktop Software, as it allows you to backup and restore your tablet in addition to synchronizing media.

After installing BlackBerry Desktop Software for PC or Mac, the next time you connect a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet the PIN will be displayed on the main screen in addition to other devices details, such as your software version and when you last performed a backup.

Below is a screenshot of how the PIN appears if you are using BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac version 2.2:

Got a question about your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet? Leave a comment and let me know!

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

One of best features available in BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) is Groups, as it’s a great way to stay organized and in touch. Using Groups, you can chat, share pictures and lists, create appointments and much more with family, friends, or co-workers. (Also, to get an idea of how you can use Groups, check out Alex’s post on Starting a BlackBerry Messenger Group to see how he uses it stay on top of everything!)

Let’s take a look at how to set up and manage a BlackBerry Messenger Group. To learn additional important things such as how to administer your group, check out the BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 User Guide.

Create a group

When you create a group, you automatically become the group administrator. As an administrator, you can delete pictures and appointments for all members in a group. Administrators of a group can also control membership of the group, set or change the administrator password, and delete the group. (Depending on your wireless service provider or organization, you might not be able to use the BBM Groups feature.)

1. On the contact list screen, press the Menu key and select New Group. You can also scroll down, expand BBM Groups and select New BBM Group.

2. Type a name for the Group.
3. Type a description that people will see when they receive the invitation to the Group.
4. Change the Group Icon field.
5. To prevent members from inviting other people to the group, change the Allow Non-admin Members To Invite Others field to “No”.
6. Click “Create Group”.

Note: Each group can have up to 30 members, and you can be in a Group with people who aren’t part of your BBM contact list.

Add a group to your home screen

When you add a shortcut icon for a Group to the home screen of your BlackBerry smartphone, you can access the Group quickly without first opening BlackBerry Messenger.

1. On the contact list screen, in the BBM Groups category, highlight a Group.
2. Press the Menu key and select ”Show on Home Screen”.

Invite members and share the Group barcode

When you invite a BlackBerry Messenger contact to join a group, the contact must accept your invitation before the contact is added to the group.

1. In a Group, select “Members” followed by “Invite to BBM Group”
2. Choose “Select from BBM contacts”.
3. If necessary, change the Category field.
4. Select the checkbox beside the Contact.
5. Click “Send”.

When you display the barcode for a Group on your BlackBerry smartphone, other people can scan the barcode to join the Group. You can also save a copy of the Group Barcode and post it on your website, email it to friends or add it to a poster.

1. On the Contact List screen, in the BBM Groups category, select a Group.
2. Press the Menu key and select “View Group Details” followed by “Display Group Barcode”.
3. To save the Group Barcode, press the Menu key and select “Save Barcode Image”.

Change Group options

1. On the Contact List screen, in the BBM Groups category, select a Group.
2. Press the Menu key and select “View Group Details”.

• To change the Group icon, change the Group Icon field.
• To share or stop sharing your status with members, change the Share My Status Message field.
• To turn on Group Chat History, change the Save Chat History field to Device or Media Card.
• To save Group pictures, change the Save Pictures field to Media Card or Device.
• To prevent Group activities from appearing in the Messages application, beside the Message List Integration field, click “Settings”. Select an option. Click “OK”.
• To stop receiving notifications for Group activities, change the Turn Off All Notifications For This Group field to “Yes”.

3. If you are an administrator of the Group, do any of the following:

• To change the Group description, type a new description.
• To prevent members from inviting other people to the Group, change the Allow Non-admin Members To Invite Others field to “No”.
• To change the password that a member can type to become an administrator of the Group, click “Set” or “Change”.

4. Press the Menu key and select “Save”.

Got a question about BBM Groups? Leave a comment and let us know!

If you’ve just purchased or plan on purchasing a BlackBerry® smartphone with BlackBerry® 7 OS, one of the first things you should do is set up your email address(es). (Be sure to check out our other post about setting up BlackBerry smartphone email accounts if you’ve got a BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry® 6 OS or lower!) Today, I’ll be walking you through the email setup process for BlackBerry smartphones with BlackBerry 7 OS. When we’re through, you should be able to access up to 10 different email accounts on your BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry 7 OS using BlackBerry® Internet Service as well as being able to receive corporate email from a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server.

If you are upgrading to a BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry 7 OS from a different BlackBerry device, such as the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 smartphone, I’ll also be providing instructions on how to move your email accounts to your new smartphone.

So grab your BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry 7 OS and let’s get started:

When you turn on a BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry 7 OS – such as the BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone – for the first time, you’ll be asked to make a connection to the wireless mobile network if one doesn’t already exist so you can sign in using your BlackBerry® ID. As per the screenshots below, select “Connect” followed by “Continue” after making a connection to the wireless mobile network.

After a connection is made, the following screen will appear asking you to sign into your BlackBerry ID account. If you do not have a BlackBerry ID, tap on “Create New” to register an account.

A BlackBerry ID is designed to give you convenient access to multiple BlackBerry products and services. After you create a BlackBerry ID, you can use a single email address and password to log in to any BlackBerry website, service or app that supports BlackBerry ID. With BlackBerry ID, you can manage apps that you download from the BlackBerry App World™ storefront and keep apps you downloaded to a previous BlackBerry smartphone. To learn more about BlackBerry ID, visit the BlackBerry ID website.

If you already have a BlackBerry ID, log in using your credentials to transfer settings, such as previously set-up email accounts, to your new BlackBerry smartphone.

After creating a new BlackBerry ID or signing in to your existing BlackBerry ID, the next thing you’ll be shown is the Setup Wizard, which helps you set up your new BlackBerry smartphone. To set up a new email address or transfer your existing email address(es) to your new device using BlackBerry 7 OS and using your existing BlackBerry ID, just select the “Email Accounts” icon.

Depending on what type of service plan you have, one of two options will appear after selecting the “Email Accounts” option. In case you are wondering, the “(1)” that appears in the screenshot above is because I have 1 email address currently set up on my BlackBerry smartphone.

• Internet Mail Account – Use this option to associate your BlackBerry smartphone with one or more existing email accounts (Windows Live™ Hotmail®, for example), or to create a new email address for your BlackBerry smartphone.
• Enterprise Account – If your administrator gave you an enterprise activation password, use this option to associate your BlackBerry smartphone with your work email account using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

At this point, if you are setting up a BlackBerry smartphone with a new BlackBerry ID, select the preferred email account option and enter your email account login credentials to set it up. Depending on what type of Internet Mail Account you are integrating, you may have the ability to synchronize your contacts and calendar information. To learn more about integrating your email, check out the BlackBerry Internet Service User Guide.

If you are moving your Internet Mail Accounts from a previous BlackBerry smartphone to your new BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry 7 OS, you’ll be asked to enter your login credentials for each email address you integrate. This will complete the process, allowing you to send and receive mail.

If your BlackBerry smartphone shows the Internet Mail Account option only, you still can use BlackBerry Enterprise® Server Express or MDaemon™ Messaging Server, BlackBerry edition. To use these options, you will need a compatible BlackBerry smartphone data plan and an enterprise activation password provided by an administrator at your place of work. All you need to do is install the Enterprise Activation app, which can be found in BlackBerry App World. This app is designed to allow you to perform an Enterprise Activation.

Got a question about setting up email accounts on your BlackBerry smartphone? Leave a comment and let me know!

Protecting information on your BlackBerry® smartphone and finding it in case you misplaced it is made easier thanks to the BlackBerry® Protect™ app. This free application allows you to take advantage of several features such as automatic backups of your contacts, calendar entries and more. It is a great way to help ensure you do not lose important contact information; for example, if you happen to lose your BlackBerry smartphone.

Today I’d like to show you five reasons why you should be using BlackBerry Protect if you haven’t set it up already:

1. Automatic Backups

You can use BlackBerry Protect to automatically back up your data daily, weekly, or monthly. When you turn on the automatic backup feature, BlackBerry Protect backs up your data at the specified frequency when your BlackBerry smartphone is connected to the wireless network and you are not using it currently. If your smartphone is turned off or not connected to the wireless network when a scheduled backup is due, BlackBerry Protect backs up your data the next time that your smartphone is turned on and connected.

Note: Password Keeper and Wi-Fi® Network Profiles will be available for backup on BlackBerry® 7 smartphones only. If you use BlackBerry® 6 or earlier, please make a backup using BlackBerry Desktop Software to ensure Password Keeper and Wi-Fi Network profile information is backed up safely.

2. Protect your Information

If you ever misplace or lose your BlackBerry smartphone, there are several features offered by BlackBerry Protect to help you protect your information. One setting in particular that’s extremely useful is the ability to display a message on a BlackBerry smartphone that can include your contact details in case someone finds it.

3. Find your BlackBerry smartphone

Recently I couldn’t find my BlackBerry smartphone and thought I might have left it at a friend’s after leaving a party the night before. Thanks to BlackBerry Protect, I was saved a trip across town – I was able to log in to the BlackBerry Protect website and view my BlackBerry smartphone’s current location, which indicated it was in my house somewhere. Then, instead of spending time looking around my house, I used the “make my BlackBerry smartphone ring” feature which helped me find my BlackBerry smartphone (in between the cushions of my living room couch!).

4. Switch BlackBerry smartphones

BlackBerry Protect makes it easier to switch to a new BlackBerry smartphone, such as the recently-released BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone. All you need to do is perform a backup using BlackBerry Protect on your current phone, followed by logging into BlackBerry Protect on your new BlackBerry smartphone and selecting the restore data option.

5. Remote Backup

In addition to performing automatic backups on a set schedule, you also have the ability to perform a remote backup. This setting is very useful if you have misplaced your BlackBerry smartphone and a backup hasn’t been made recently. Just visit the BlackBerry Protect website, where you can perform a remote backup that can be followed by a remote security wipe to remove your personal information, in case you cannot find your BlackBerry smartphone using the location features provided.

As you can see, BlackBerry Protect is a great way to manage your BlackBerry smartphone and is something I recommend every BlackBerry smartphone user, not using a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server or BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express, install it. If your BlackBerry smartphone is using a BlackBerry Enterprise Server or BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express you will be unable to install BlackBerry Protect, or access it from the Setup Wizard included in BlackBerry 7. For more information, check out KB25065 – Unable to use BlackBerry Protect when the BlackBerry smartphone is active on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server which can be found in the BlackBerry Technical Solution Center.

I wanted to share one more thing as well for those of you using a BlackBerry 7 smartphone. You can prevent a person who finds your smartphone from deleting the BlackBerry Protect application by turning on deletion protection using the following steps.

1. Open BlackBerry Protect
2. Press the Menu key and select Options
3. Select the Enable Deletion Protection checkbox
4. Press the Menu key and select Save

To learn more about BlackBerry Protect, such as how to install it and use the features I’ve described above, visit the BlackBerry Protect website today.

Got a question about BlackBerry Protect? Leave a comment and let me know!

As promised in the first BlackBerry® 7 Getting Started Guide, here is a complete overview of every option available in the Setup wizard. For those wondering, I will be using a BlackBerry® Torch™ 9860 smartphone in this post.

Before we begin, opening the Setup app can be accomplished two ways. The first is when it opens automatically after starting up a new BlackBerry 7 OS smartphone. The second is when you open it by selecting the Setup icon that appears on the Home Screen if you’ve already set up BlackBerry 7 on your smartphone. With this being said, let’s dive in.

Setup

Email Accounts – Setting up your personal or work email is pretty easy. If you use the BlackBerry® Internet Service only, you can setup your Yahoo!® Mail, Gmail®, AOL®, Windows® Live or other email addresses using the Email Account wizard (the image on the left below). If your data plan supports the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server as well, you also have the option to setup an Enterprise Account; in other words, the ability to perform an Enterprise Activation (the image on the right below).

Something to keep in mind here is if you plan on using BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express or MDaemon™ Messaging Server and your data plan only supports the BlackBerry Internet Service, you can take advantage of the Enterprise Activation app available in the BlackBerry App World™ storefront. This tool allows you to gain access to advanced functionality with your organization’s email servers such as wireless synchronization of email, calendar, contacts and more. Before using this app please check with your organization first to verify you are allowed to use it.

Social Networking – Set up your social networking apps such as Facebook® and Twitter®!

BlackBerry® Protect –BlackBerry Protect is designed to help you back up the data on your BlackBerry® smartphone and find your device if you have misplaced it. I cannot recommend this tool enough! Visit the BlackBerry Protect website and log in using your BlackBerry® ID to learn more.

Wi-Fi® – Connect to a Wi-Fi network by selecting it from the listing, or use the “Other ways to connect” option to use the Wi-Fi Protect Setup (WPS) option. You can also enter your Wi-Fi network information to manually connect to an available Wi-Fi network.

BlackBerry® Bridge™ – You can download the BlackBerry Bridge application to your smartphone to get access to your email, calendar, contacts, memo pad and tasks — while using the large display screen of the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet. Depending on your wireless service provider, you can even browse the web using the data plan of your existing BlackBerry smartphone. Since BlackBerry Bridge comes preinstalled in the BlackBerry 7 OS, if you own a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, select this option to set it up.

Bluetooth® – If you own a wireless Bluetooth headset or BlackBerry® Visor Mount Speakerphone, you can set it up by selecting the Bluetooth option. Always refer to the user guide for the Bluetooth accessory you plan on using so you can identify how to pair it with your BlackBerry 7 OS smartphone. For an example, check out my post on how to pair your BlackBerry smartphone with a Bluetooth Wireless Headset.

Device Switch – Device Switch is a useful tool if you plan to move to another BlackBerry 7 OS smartphone in the future. Device Switch is designed to allow you to save and transfer your BlackBerry application data using the media card. You also have the option of using BlackBerry® Desktop Software to move to a different BlackBerry smartphone.

Personalization

Ring Tones – Set the ring tone, LED light and vibration setting for phone calls. You can also set these and additional notifications by using the Sound Profiles app that’s displayed on the Home Screen.

Wallpaper – Select from your camera pictures, picture library or built-in wallpaper to personalize the Home screen background of your BlackBerry 7 OS smartphone.

Language and Input Options – You can set a typing input language to use when you type, as well as the display language used. The typing input language can be different from the display language. When you set a typing input language, AutoText and other typing options change to the selected language. For example, you might use your BlackBerry smartphone in French, but type messages in English.

For more advanced settings, open the options apps from the Home Screen and select “Typing and language”. To learn more about adding languages, check out the user guide for your BlackBerry smartphone.

Fonts – Change options such as the font that’s used, the size, the style, and whether or not font smoothing is enabled.

Date and Time – Easily verify and, if needed, set the date, time and time zone. When traveling, you also have the option to automatically update the time zone and receive prompts when this occurs.

Keyboard – Since I am using a BlackBerry Torch 9860 smartphone, it displays one of two keyboards based on the field that I am typing in and the orientation of my device. After selecting which type of keyboard to use (reduced keyboard or full keyboard) use the try it option to test it out. For more advanced keyboard settings, open the options apps from the Home Screen and select keyboard.

SIM Contacts Sync – If you have contacts saved on your SIM card, you can copy these to your BlackBerry smartphone contacts so that your contacts are saved in one place. For information on how to save contacts stored on your BlackBerry smartphone to your SIM card, check out the user guide.

Password – A setting I feel everyone should use is the ability to set a password to unlock a BlackBerry smartphone. This is a very simple way to help protect your personal information from someone if you have misplaced your BlackBerry smartphone. You can leave a message when your BlackBerry smartphone is locked as well so someone can contact if you they find your BlackBerry smartphone. To set this up, open the Options app from the Home Screen and select Display followed by Message on Lock Screen.

Personal Information – Create a contact card to store your personal details, or select an existing contact if you already have a personal card in your Contacts.

Convenience Key – Specify which app opens when you press the convenience key on the side of your BlackBerry smartphone. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always set this to the Camera.

Options – The Setup app is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to personalizing and setting up a BlackBerry smartphone. For example, you can select this option to configure Accessibility options, which allow you to change the Home Screen grid layout and color contrast.

You can also enable event sounds which alert you when you turn your BlackBerry smartphone on or off, when the battery power level is fully charged or low, and when you connect or disconnect a USB cable or accessory.

Help & Tutorials

How To – The next time you have a few spare moments, check out this option to learn more about using the BlackBerry 7 OS.

Tutorials – Selecting this option allows you to view several video tutorials, which are great for those who are new to BlackBerry smartphones.

Tips & Tricks – An area of the setup app everyone should explore, you can find out lots of tips and tricks to help you speed around your BlackBerry smartphone.

Glossary – Ever wanted to find out what APN means? Just select the glossary icon to learn about some of the terms you might see when using a BlackBerry smartphone.

Closing Notes

To learn more about the BlackBerry 7 OS, make sure you check out the user guide and icon guide for your BlackBerry smartphone model. The icon guide in particular is really handy as it allows you to identify what various icons mean when using the BlackBerry 7 OS.

• BlackBerry Torch Smartphone Manuals
• BlackBerry Bold Smartphone Manuals

Got a question about setting up a new BlackBerry 7 OS smartphone? Leave a comment and let me know!

Setting up BlackBerry® Bridge™ is really easy – it only takes about five minutes! To begin, you must have a BlackBerry® smartphone running BlackBerry® Device Software version 5.0 or later and a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet. (Click here to find out which version of software your BlackBerry smartphone has.) You’ll need to install the BlackBerry Bridge application on your BlackBerry smartphone, because it’s the software that you’ll use to connect and communicate with your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

Your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet comes with BlackBerry Bridge built in, but it must be installed (instructions noted below) and, provided you’ve completed the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet setup process and you have a BlackBerry smartphone that meets the minimum device software requirement above, all you’ll need to do is install the BlackBerry Bridge application on your BlackBerry smartphone and pair it with your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

Here’s how to do it!

Listed below are the steps to get BlackBerry Bridge set up on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet so you can start using it right away! If you run into some trouble along the way, scroll down for some suggestions on what to do.

1. On your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s home screen, tap the Gear icon in the top right corner.

2. Tap BlackBerry Bridge.

3. Tap Setup.

4. Create and type in the name of your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet (or keep the default name) and tap Next.

5. Tap Install Now.

6. On your BlackBerry smartphone, open the BlackBerry App World™ storefront.

7. Press the Menu key and select Scan a Barcode.

8. Scan the barcode displayed on on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, and select Download when shown the BlackBerry Bridge installation screen.

9. On your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, tap < Back.

10. Tap Continue.

11. On your BlackBerry smartphone, open the BlackBerry Bridge application.

12. Select Add New Tablet, followed by selecting Continue.

13. Scan the barcode that’s displayed on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s screen using your BlackBerry smartphone.

14. After the pairing process completes, select Ok on your BlackBerry smartphone and tap Done on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

After completing these steps, you’ll notice a new BlackBerry Bridge category appears on the home screen of your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. At this point, all you need to do is tap the application you’d like to use. The BlackBerry Bridge is pretty awesome.

NOTE: Bridge Browser functionality may require a BlackBerry service plan that includes tethering. Please contact your wireless service provider for more information.

Tip: Set a password on your BlackBerry smartphone to help ensure your information is safe if the device becomes misplaced. If your BlackBerry smartphone is ever locked and/or misplaced, you will be required to enter this password on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in order to useBlackBerry Bridge. To learn more about using a password on your BlackBerry smartphone, check out the user guide for your BlackBerry smartphone.

Troubleshooting Suggestions

Bridge has been disabled by your System Administrator

If this message appears when you open the BlackBerry Bridge application on your BlackBerry smartphone, you’ll need to contact your BlackBerry system administrator and request that your IT policy be changed. For more information, check out KB26159 – ‘Bridge has been disabled by your System Administrator.’ message is present when launching BlackBerry Bridge on your BlackBerry Smartphone.

Barcode Pairing Failure

If this error message appears when you’re trying to scan the barcode of your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet using BlackBerry Bridge on your BlackBerry smartphone, make sure you are scanning the barcode that’s used for pairing, and not the barcode used for installing BlackBerry Bridge using BlackBerry App World.

After scanning the barcode on your BlackBerry smartphone to download BlackBerry Bridge, make sure you tap “Back”, and then “Continue” on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The barcode that is displayed on this screen is the barcode you need to scan using BlackBerry Bridge on your BlackBerry smartphone. For more information, check out KB26155 – ‘Barcode Pairing Failure. The barcode does not appear to be a BlackBerry Bridge barcode.’ error appears when trying to pair a BlackBerry smartphone to a BlackBerry PlayBook.

If you are scanning the correct barcode and you are still encountering this error after clicking Retry Barcode Scan, we suggest you complete the setup process manually. To do this, complete the following steps:

1. On your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, tap Manual Pairing.

2. On your BlackBerry smartphone, tap Try Manual Setup.

3. Select your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet when it’s displayed on your BlackBerry smartphone.

4. Verify the numbers displayed during the pairing process match, then tap Yes on your BlackBerry smartphone and on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

5. Enter the secret code displayed on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet on your BlackBerry smartphone – this code is case sensitive.

6. Tap “Ok” on your BlackBerry smartphone and “Done” on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, and you’ll have completed the BlackBerry Bridge setup process.

If you still can’t connect after completing the manual pairing process, your BlackBerry smartphone may have an IT policy that disables Bluetooth pairing, or all Bluetooth connectivity. For more information, you’ll need to contact your BlackBerry system administrator.

If you’re still running into an issue even after completing the steps above, check the BlackBerry Support Community Forums for some additional help – and don’t forget to take advantage of the 90 days of complimentary technical support that is included with your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet purchase once it has been activated. Also, don’t forget to check out the BlackBerry PlayBook How To website to learn more about your tablet.

Bookmark the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog, as I’ll be doing a series of posts on BlackBerry Bridge – if you have any questions, make sure you post them below in a comment!