We at BBHacker.com are happy to announce our latest BlackBerry Application ZenMinder (www.zenminder.com) – A simple and elegant reminder application for your BlackBerry smartphone. Readers of BBHacker.com get a 7 USD discount to purchase the application!

Are you overwhelmed by the many different tasks in your life? Do you forget important things because you are overwhelmed by so many things in your life? Do you have challenges to remember recurring activities like watering the plants and taking your medicines? ZenMinder will help you with these challenges!

ZenMinder is a simple and elegant
mobile application for BlackBerry smartphones
that will help you to bring order in your life.

With ZenMinder you can easily set multiple reminders for activities, tasks and other important issues and get reminded by your BlackBerry with notifications that remind you gently of the things you should not forget. The convenient repeater functionality it is possible to create recurring reminder that help you maintain new routines and habits.

Some situations where ZenMinder is used and helpful:

• Reminds you to take your medicine or drink enough water
• Get reminded to water the flowers every second day
• Get reminded to follow a new habit
• Schedule important calls every few months
• Set alarms to get up in the morning and set reminders to go to bed
• Define a personal mission statement and remind yourself regularly

ZenMinder uses beautiful graphics and pleasant reminder melodies to create a real Zen-style experience.

Statements from users:

• “It’s a much better interface than the native task app and I totally love the alert tone.”
• “Simple, elegant easy to use!”
• “Aesthetics are very good. It looks really professional.”
• “The user interface is amazing, because most BlackBerry applications just have an ugly interface”

An overview of the features:

• Simple and elegant user interface for a remarkable user experience
• Set reminder at a certain date and define recurrences
• Four available Zen reminder sounds
• Possibility to play custom sound files from your BlackBerry
• Unlimited number of reminders
• Notification with vibration
• Deactivation of reminders on weekends or manually
• 12/24 hour time format
• Optional auto-delete of expired reminder

A helpful, elegant and easy to use reminder application that helps you to focus on the important things in life.

Available for all

BlackBerry smartphones.

Download a free trial!

or

Buy the full version!

Use the promotion code BBHACKER7 and get a 7 USD discount of the original 14,99 USD price on your purchase!

Using AutoText for signatures

The BlackBerry has the built in functionality of auto text which is used to correct common spelling mistakes but which can also be used to replace certain text when you enter certain text. The idea is to setup autotext for a special phrase which will then be replaced with your signature.

Setting Up Auto Text

Open your BlackBerry options and select AutoText. Now you can define by pressing the BlackBerry menu button and selecting new. Define a text that should be replaced and the text that you want to insert instead. An example is “sig1” and replace it with “ sent from John Smith, 555 –6789”.

Write your text and insert your signature

If you write a text message and you type the text “sig1” it will be replaced with you signature. Of course this also works if you want to write an email. If your text does not get replaced, you have to activate AutoText for SMS, you can do change this setting in your BlackBerry Options >> SMS >> Disable Auto Text: No.

Do you have any other creative uses for AutoText? Share them in the comments!

The new features are well accepted and a quick survey shows that most users are happy with it.

The Good

sherrylancaster @BBHacker I love the new facebook so far…its a lot better now!

 

RogerQ @BBHacker FB 1.6 Rocks

 

Trilandun@BBHacker love the new facebook. It has come a long way since the first version.

 

Azacel @BBHacker: what do you think about the new facebook? any experiences so far? I like it…

 

knitch @BBHacker eh. It seems okay. I like the photo feature.

 

kimlmrx @BBHacker you mean the new facebook for bberry? Meh. Nothing new.

 

Aethilas @BBHacker - Love it. I still need to figure out the keyboard shortcuts…if any.

 

zuppaholic @BBHacker: what do you think about the new facebook? any experiences so far? love it or hate it?- Love it! ?

 

adlyx@BBHacker installation said it had some problems. But thus far. Pretty cool! Wish I could choose the default screen.

 

sameer_nafdey@BBHacker I liked the new feature of associating my bb contacts and their facebook accounts, get their updated pics in your bb contacts…

The Bad

xraytid@BBHacker its great but the spell check annoyed me into near insanity other than that its been great so far

 

adlyx@BBHacker okay this sucks. I can’t stop it from using my data. It autoloads status’s!

adlyx@BBHacker installation said it had some problems. But thus far. Pretty cool! Wish I could choose the default screen.

 

zuppaholic@BBHacker notification for the comment if I commented on my friends’ quiz or..it’s just appear like ‘notification’ or not at all..

 

tjunkie@BBHacker Facebook chat is missing from blackberry

 

Xxw0lfxX@BBHacker I would like to be able to change my profile pic fron it…. But no go!

 

DaveWDixon@BBHacker Facebook CHAT!!!!!

 

xraytidRT @BBHacker: What are the features you are still missing on the facebook for blackberry app?<- changing my profile pic and inbox

 

jpinchefsky @BBHacker I can’t reply to what people write on my wall

 

bnitty @BBHacker: What are the features you are still missing on the facebook for blackberry app?~"like" option, profile info, & IM option

 

salaciouslq@BBHacker alerts notification

 

Trilandun @BBHacker pic tagging, Recommending friends to others, Mafia wars

 

moosc@BBHacker Doing mafia wars or other apps

What will the next version bring?

I think it would bee good to see an integration of Facebook Chat in one of the next version. Integration of other applications will be difficult but implement profile picture change should be easy to realize as well.

What do you think will we see? What is still missing? Let us know in the comments!

1. Open the BlackBerry menu and select the “Profiles” icon.
2. Now the profile manager opens and you can change to different profiles. To change the profile setting scroll down and select “Advanced”.
   
3. Now the different profiles are shown. Scroll to the profile you would like to edit and press the BlackBerry menu button. Then another menu is shown and you should select “Edit” there.
   
4. There are different applications listed and you can scroll and highlight the application for which you want to change the notification options. Press the BlackBerry menu button and a menu will be shown. Select Edit to change the notification options.
   
5. In the last step you can now change the notifications setting, vibration, LED notification.
   
    
6. In the last step you can press the escape button and you can save your settings.

Now you can setup customized notifications for different applications on your BlackBerry and customize your BlackBerry to really get the notification you would like to have.

One very practical feature of email is the ability to receive confirmations when your email has been successfully been delivered and also when it has been read by another person. This way you can ensure that people don’t have an excuse to say that they didn’t get your email even if you are 100% sure that you have sent it to them.

This is a feature that you can set on most email clients and also on your BlackBerry. By setting the options on your BlackBerry you can also get confirmation about emails sent from your mobile device and you have certainty to know if your email has been read or not.

Setting Delivery and Read Confirmations on your BlackBerry

To active these options on your BlackBerry just go into your messages view and select Options>Email Settings and there are Confirm Delivery and Read options that you can enable. This is all you have to do to receive the confirmations.

Don’t Be Bored – Instant Fun Right on your BlackBerry

Don’t Be Bored is a small web-based application that shows you the funniest pictures on the Internet customized for viewing on your BlackBerry. Don’t Be Bored will put a smile on your face and definitely stave off boredom.

An easy app launcher that you can download below allows quick access and delivers the fun with a simple click. A collection of 1000+ pictures are waiting to be explored in this easy to use app. Just open the link below in your BlackBerry browser and you can easily install the application.

Download Don’t Be Bored for FREE and OTA!

Can’t install applications? Just open www.bbhacker.com/dbb on your BlackBerry Browser and the fun starts.

Background

We put together this app in less than a day, so we am curios to hear your feedback. Leave a comment if you love it and also if you hate it. But please, don’t write me if you are offended by any of the pictures. It’s just for fun

Viewing the Event Log

The Event Log can be accessed by holding down the ALT key and then typing “LGLG.” The Event Log will then appear, and you can click a specific event for more information or hit your BlackBerry MENU key more options.  Additionally you can copy event information using the MENU key and define specific logging settings.

Clearing the Event Log

The Event Log records all events on your BlackBerry and your available memory can therefore quickly become clogged. To free up some valuable device memory to keep your device running smooth it is recommended that you occasionally delete the Event Log.

If you want to delete the Event Log, hit the BlackBerry MENU key while any event is highlighted and then click “Clear Log.” If you confirm this your Event Log will be deleted and your BlackBerry should be running faster again.

In case you are preparing for your next mobile working trip, here are some tips that can help you get the most out of your time where ever you are.

1 Downsize your equipment

The first thing you have to do when you want to work anytime and anywhere is to downsize. This not only means to get smaller electronic devices but also to strictly reduce the number of things you are carrying around with you. It starts with the notebook you want to bring, then it is the charger, then the mouse, maybe some documents, then headphones, an additional battery, a book to read, an mp3 player. your mobile phone. Too much.

You have to realize that when you want to work anytime and anywhere you have to downsize and only bring the things that are really essential. Even though it might be difficult to let go of the different devices in the beginning , you will soon realize that it is much easier to to work and travel with less.

2 Backup your data

When you are working mobile you have to keep in mind that your equipment will be used more intense than if you just sit at your desk in your office. This does not just mean the outside of your devices but also what is inside your devices for example also the hard disk. The little movements to your notebook while working on a train can gradually have an impact on your hard disk and render it useless. An additional risk is of course that your equipment might get stolen and you lose not just your devices but also your data which can - compared to you your devices - not be replaced anymore.

Therefore it is essential that you regularly backup your data. Keep your mind free from worrying and ensure that you are able to restore all data to the point when you left for your mobile working trip in case you lose any data while you are on the road.

3 Prepare for traveling

Every trip is slightly different and requires a different kind of equipment. Are you just planning to work for an hour while waiting for a connecting flight? No charger needed, maybe backup battery. Traveling all day long between different locations with the chance to charge your notebook? One battery plus charger. Going to spend some time in a crowded place? Better bring your MP3 player and headphones.

Consciously planning your and thinking about your oasis, the places where you can take a rest and recharge your devices,  will allow you to bring only the things that you need and that you can use during the trip. You don’t need to bring a charger if you know that there won’t be any place or time to charge your notebook.

4 Go completely digital

Are you still carrying paper documents around with you? All the print-outs of emails, memos, presentations that you would like to read while on the road  - you don’t need them. If you drastically want to increase your mobility you should get rid of any paper documents that you still carry around with you. It is just unnecessary, you will have a mess in your bag and after reading through the documents you are going to throw the documents away anyway. You can buy a scanner to scan documents, sketches or comments written on paper. But for everything else it is probably not worth the effort to print a document and bring it with you all the way of your journey.

5 Back Office Support

Even though you can plan and prepare a lot in advance, things will go wrong from time to time and you will be stranded without Internet, maybe without mobile phone and still have to make it to the next appointment. In these case it is very helpful to have an artificial back-office that can do certain tasks for you. Also if you need to change flights or need a table reservation in a restaurant, some back-office support can be very helpful. While it is too expensive for many to hire a full assistant, the increasing availability of virtual assistants through sites like elance.com make it affordable for everyone to hire a virtual assistant.

6 Plan for Flow

When you are constantly on the move it might be sometimes difficult to find the time to really work on the big tasks that need more focus and concentration that we have available while when we are moving from one place to the next. In order to find the time to also work on the important task that are not urgently important, you need to plan for it. Everybody needs something different but the most important helper to get into flow mode are my noise cancelling headphones. Noise cancelling headphones reduce ambient sounds through active noise reduction. With these you can work anytime and anywhere and can easily get into flow mode because most outside distractions are cut off and you can focus just on the task in front of me.

7 Mobile Internet

There are many different solutions available to get emails delivered to your mobile phone, one of the most sophisticated ones is through your BlackBerry. Additionally you can access most website also through your mobile phone. But sometimes you still need to access a website with a real browser and then it is helpful to have mobile Internet available. You can do this either by tethering your mobile phone to your laptop or you can buy a dedicated mobile data card that connects your notebook with a 3G network.

8 Easy packing

When you are moving a lot you will quickly realize that you take your devices very often in and out of your bag. Therefore it is essential to have a bag that supports quick and easy packing while storing everything safely in one place. I am personally not a big fan of bags with too many compartments because I need to do a check whether I have all my things with me. Therefore I have a plain notebook bag with two compartments and a front bag. With this I am usually really fast to find my things I have a perfect overview where my things are.

Images courtesy of [Pascal \o/ - lagarde.info and MichaelMarlatt]

The application is not only free to use, it saves you money by avoiding speeding charges and increased insurance premiums. Here is more information how it works:

The small blue dot follows your GPS location in real time. The blue circle shows your alert radius. As you approach reported trap locations and one or more of the traps come within that blue circle, Trapster® begins playing audio alerts such as “Live Police” or “Red Light Camera”, and animating the associated icons. Of course as with everything Trapster®, you can report new traps and rate the traps that other users have reported.

To download Trapster® to your BlackBerry open your BlackBerry Web browser, choose “Go to…”, and enter “trapster.com“. The correct download link will automatically show. Click on it and the download will start.

If you need more information about the installation just visit the Trapster website at www.trapster.com

Moving the application icon

When you are at the front screen press the BlackBerry menu button and open the BlackBerry menu.

Now you should see all applications that are installed on your BlackBerry. Move the cursor to the application you would like to move and press the BlackBerry menu button again.

In the menu that opens up select “Move” and you can move the application icon to the desired location.

Showing/Hiding application icons

If you want to clean up your application screen or if some applications are missing even though you are sure you have installed them you can do the following.

To hide the application: Move the cursor to the application application icon that you would like to hide. Then press the BlackBerry button and select hide. Now the icon should disappear from your home screen.

To show all applications: Press the BlackBerry menu button and select “Show All”. Now you should see all icons of the applications that are installed on your BlackBerry. The applications that are hidden are shown with a little bit transparency. If you move the cursor the this icon, press the BlackBerry menu button you can unselect hide and the application icon will be shown again.

Here is a picture what it looks like: