New to BlackBerry?

New to BlackBerryThinking about getting a BlackBerry? Here’s the place to start. On this page we run down everything you need to know about the BlackBerry, from the research to the purchasing experience to the setup process.

If you already have a BlackBerry, you’ve also come to the right place. Here we share some basic tips on what to do once you’re ready to start using your device. Find a theme and set it, change your wallpaper, set a new default email — there is plenty you can do with your new BlackBerry. BBGeeks is here to help you along the way.

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Preparing to purchase your new BlackBerry

Before you make any purchase, it’s important to review all of your options. That’s even more important when choosing a smartphone. Not only is the device itself expensive, but in most cases you have to sign a two-year contract, which includes a monthly rate that can reach $100 per month. Make sure to check out our list of BlackBerry models to see which might best fit your needs. Before you do that, though, here are a few issues you might consider first.

BlackBerry Network: CDMA vs. GSM

In North America there are two different types of networks. GSM is the global standard, which makes it easier for users to travel abroad. In America AT&T and T-Mobile operate GSM networks, while all three major Canadian carriers — Rogers, Bell, and Telus — have GSM networks. All of these companies also offer 3G BlackBerry models, so you can experience the best possible speed.

CDMA networks exist in North America, though many BlackBerry models that run on CDMA networks also have a GSM feature, so that users can also travel abroad. While CDMA is considered a more advanced cellular technology than GSM, it does have its limits. Its 3G network, EVDO, provides consistent speeds but sometimes doesn’t stack up to the more advanced GSM networks.

Eventually, most U.S. wireless carriers plan to implement LTE 4G technology. This will help bridge the divide between GSM and CDMA.
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BlackBerry Keyboard: QWERTY vs. touchscreen vs. SureType

BlackBerry models come in three types. The first is the most popular, the full QWERTY keyboard. These are the standard models that made BlackBerry famous. The full keyboard allows for faster and, after practice, more accurate typing. Many users enjoy the familiar layout, since it mirrors a traditional computer keyboard.

BlackBerry also features a number of models, mostly the Pearl, with a half-QWERTY keyboard. This is dubbed SureType. Many users prefer the half keyboard because it makes the device smaller and easier to store. The buttons are also a bit bigger making it easier to hit the right one. It takes a bit more practice to become accurate with SureType’s text input method, but it can also be faster for users who have grown accustomed to T9 predictive text on feature phones.

RIM also currently has a few touchscreen models (Storm). These have no physical keyboard. Instead, users type on a virtual keyboard on the touch screen. The screen can provide haptic feedback in the form of vibrations, which lets you know that you’ve pressed a key. As with SureType, it takes a bit of practice to get the hang of typing without a physical keyboard.
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Curve vs. major model BlackBerry devices

BlackBerry has two series which currently feature full QWERTY keyboards. First is the Bold series, which also includes the original BlackBerry Tour. These are the major models, ones designed for the enterprise market but which can also fit a consumer’s needs. They typically have slightly faster processors and better screen resolutions than their Curve counterparts.

The Curve series is aimed at the consumer market, and has almost become BlackBerry Lite in recent years. Though it provides all the advantages of a full-QWERTY BlackBerry, the Curve often lacks in secondary features. For basic use, though, it performs just fine.
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Postpaid BlackBerry vs. Prepaid Blackberry

In recent months many companies have started offering BlackBerry devices on prepaid plans. These offer an advantage because they don’t require you to sign a two-year contract. Many prepaid BlackBerry plans are also cheaper on a per-month basis than post paid plans. There are, however, a number of restrictions. Some carriers only offer regional service, which hinders traveling businesspeople. Also, because there is no contract, carriers do not offer a subsidy on the handset. This means that a two-year-old BlackBerry model can cost $250, and a brand new one can cost up to $500. Prepaid services also typically don’t offer roaming areas, further inhibiting travel.
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After you make your BlackBerry purchase

Once you’ve gone over these issues and have chosen the BlackBerry model that best fits your needs, you’re ready to make your purchase. Make sure that you are completely set up and running before you leave the store. Do not leave if you cannot make and receive phone calls. Most importantly, though, make sure that the sales clerk has given you a BIS username and password. This is essential. Everything on your BlackBerry, from the internet to email, runs through a BlackBerry Internet Service server. If you don’t have your BIS username and password you cannot add email addresses.

In fact, if it is possible, you should set up your primary email address while still in the store. This will ensure that you have a working BIS account. It will also allow you to receive email from one account if you have trouble adding others later.
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BlackBerry Email

While BlackBerry has gained many features during the past few years, the core element remains the push email service. Every time you receive an email on an account linked to your BlackBerry, you will see a notification on your device. You can set up multiple accounts for each device, so you can keep track of both work and personal email in one place.

To add, edit, or delete an email address, you need to login to your BIS account. You can do this from either your computer or from the handheld itself. Here are some quick tutorials on how to find your BIS login address, how to set up an email account, and how to set the default email service for your BlackBerry device.

It is also useful to know that there is an alternative to the BIS email which is geared more towards corporate users. This service is known as BES (BlackBerry enterprise Server). Here are a couple of articles discussing BES for the beginner.

If you are interested in learning a little bit more about the providers that offer Hosted Exchange for your BlackBerry you should head over to the BBGeeks Hosted Exchange Reviews section.
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BlackBerry Contacts

Essential to the BlackBerry experience is the address book. This not only makes for quick phone calls and text message, but also serves as a quick way to enter email addresses. You can store multiple phone numbers and email addresses for each contact.

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Social networking on your BlackBerry

BlackBerry devices have become not only multimedia devices, but also networking devices. You can use your BlackBerry to stay in contact with people on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social networking sites. BlackBerry also features the world-famous BlackBerry Messenger, which provides a quick and easy way to stay in contact with BlackBerry users worldwide.

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Pimping your BlackBerry

While all the most important aspects of your BlackBerry are already on the device, you can make it do so much more. There are thousands of applications, both free and premium, which can help you do even more on your device.

You can find plenty of apps at the BBGeeks Store. You can also access the store right from your handset by installing the BBGeeks Superstore.

Here is a list of essential apps for your BlackBerry:

Installing these applications can mostly be accomplished over the air (OTA). If you prefer to download the software to your computer and load it onto your BlackBerry from there, then check out our guide to installing third party software. You should also make it a habit to back up all BlackBerry data, including these third party applications. Here is a guide on how to back up third party applications.

To make your BlackBerry pretty and user-friendly, you can choose from among thousands of themes. We’ve compiled lists of themes for each available BlackBerry device. You can find premium BlackBerry themes here. They provide more advanced interfaces and functions. If you prefer to save some money, you can also check out free BlackBerry themes here. Every other Wednesday we review three premium BlackBerry themes. You can check out our premium BlackBerry theme reviews here. If you just want to change the background image and leave everything else the same, check out how to change your BlackBerry wallpaper. Just to be sure, here’s a guide to changing your theme.

Your BlackBerry can also be an entertaining gaming device. If you seek cheap fun, you can check out our monster list of free BlackBerry games. You can find premium games both at the BBGeeks Store and at bPlay.

Last but not least on the topic of pimping your BlackBerry are all the cool personalization options available through skinning and adding custom ringtones to your device. Check out these few posts for resources to help you personalize your new BlackBerry.

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Common terms used when talking about BlackBerry service

In the course of reading about BlackBerry and finding software, you might run into a few unfamiliar acronyms and terms. Fret not. They’re mostly simple. Here’s a quick reference chart for the most common ones.

  • OTA: Over the Air. This refers to software delivered over a wireless network directly to your BlackBerry device. Receiving data OTA will incur data charges, so an unlimited data plan is suggested for any OTA transfers.
  • BBM: BlackBerry Messenger. This is the BlackBerry-exclusive instant messaging system. You can find users by their BlackBerry PIN or their email address. Once added, you can then communicate with them instantaneously.
  • OS: Operating System. This is the software that powers your device. Different BlackBerry models will run different operating systems. Most current BlackBerry devices can run at least OS 4.5, while anything released after November 2008 can run OS 4.6. RIM currently has a version of OS 5.0 for new devices.
  • DM: BlackBerry Desktop Manager. It is the PC or Mac software used to manage your BlackBerry.
  • Service Books and Host Routing Tables: Read this post for a quick explanation.
  • Menu button: The button to the left of the trackball/trackpad that has the seven-dot BlackBerry logo.
  • Escape button: The button to the right of the trackball/trackpad that has the back arrow on it.
  • Today theme: A theme that lists recent messages and calendar events. Themes for newer operating systems often have a Today preview, which displays these items when you scroll over the messages or calendar applications on the home screen.

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Common errors and issues BlackBerry users experience

At some point or another you’re going to run into problems with your BlackBerry, whether that be hardware or software. Software problems can be more easily corrected. If your BlackBerry is malfunctioning, try pulling the battery. That fixes plenty of problems.

You also might encounter an error message at some point. These are never good, but you can recover from most of them. Here are the errors we have written about so far:

Sometimes you might find your BlackBerry beyond repair. If it’s just a software issue, you can check out the last video in this post on how to fix your nuked or bricked BlackBerry.

If your device suffers water damage, you might have hardware issues that eventually render your device unusable. To give your device the best chance for recovery, make sure to read up on what to do if your BlackBerry gets wet. We also recommend you read what not to do when your BlackBerry gets wet, just so you can avoid common pitfalls.

Finally, the dreaded missing or unresponsive trackball. This is also quite common and it is a good idea to have a couple of shortcut lists handy in the event that you lose your trackball or it simply stops working. Check out this post for BlackBerry Homescreen Shortcuts and this post for BlackBerry Browser Shortcuts. Also be sure to check out a few more posts on BBGeeks detailing how to access and clean the trackball on various BlackBerry devices:

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You are now up to speed!

There you go folks. A comprehensive guide for the BlackBerry newbie. Hopefully we have addressed the majority of the topics and issues you need to consider when joining the ranks of fellow BBGeeks worldwide. In the event that we did not answer your question in this post, please feel free to send a quick comment or question to us via twitter. We can be reached by sending a message to @BBGeeks .

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