Working Sm@rt with BlackBerry... overcoming the digital deluge

One of the biggest concerns which is raised with me when someone is considering using a BlackBerry, is will the BlackBerry take over my life? And without the proper groundwork, training and implementation of that training, any device accessing email, internet and the like, can try to take your life over.



Priority Management (whom I work for in their Brisbane & Melbourne offices in Australia) have a very effective half day training program for BlackBerry devices, & it's called Working Sm@rt with BlackBerry.



In their words...



"If you have a BlackBerry, and have learnt the basics, we have the process for increasing your productivity.



We created this workshop in conjunction with Research In Motion when the world's largest distributor of BlackBerry devices wanted to train their employees to use this tool more effectively.



Graduates of this class maintain increased productivity and enhanced on the job performance by knowing how to match the right process and skill set when using their BlackBerry."



This half day training program is delivered either in a training room environment (for a group of individuals or a group from a specific company), or across the internet wherever in the world you are, via WebEx (as long as you have a computer accessing the internet and you have a landline.... you need to "play" with BlackBerry during the training).



For more information, check out Working Sm@rt with BlackBerry at Priority Management http://prioritymanagment.com.au/ or email me thomas.s@prioritybrisbane.com



Get your life back! Use the BlackBerry for what it is intended for.... a tool to assist your productivity.



Thomas

SnapMyLife

Picked this application up the other day (it is free download from BlackBerry Application World) and it is quite an interesting application that relies on the BlackBerry (or any camera phone) and its user's mobility.

SnapMyLife in their words:
"Instantly share and view photos on your mobile phone.
SNAP a picture with your camera phone.
SEND to friends, family or the world.
VIEW everyone's photos from your phone."

It's free to join and I as I said before, the application for BlackBerry is also free. In fact, as the screen shot shows, there are two applications for twitter, and three ways to upload photos:
1. SnapMyLife application for BlackBerry: upload your photo as soon as you take directly to your SnapMyLife account. The SnapMyLife application runs in the background & pops up as soon as you have taken a photo.
2. Email the photo to your SnapMyLife account directly with the use of an email address specific to your account (attach the photo as a file, and type the comments for the photo in the subject field of the email)
3. Snap2twitter application for BlackBerry: take a photo and the Snap2twitter application for BlackBerry pops up (runs in the background), refer second screen shot) and prompts you with either save or save and send to twitter & allows you to add some commentary. It also then sends the photo and comments to your SnapMyLife account.

SnapMyLife suggest you may have to disable one of the SnapMyLife applications for BlackBerry to avoid potential conflict, so I guess there may be some developmental work underway here.

Two main disadvantages to these useful & extremely easy to use BlackBerry applications:
1. Applications are only available to be downloaded from the BlackBerry Application World (although to their credit, the developer emailed me the applications (here in Australia, RIM have not provided us with access to the BlackBerry Application World) with great descriptive instructions on how to load)
2. At this stage, the applications only run via your phone carrier's data plan, and don't have BIS support (at the time of writing, I am still awaiting the developer's thoughts of when BIS support will become available), so ensure you have a good data plan.

My SnapMyLife account can be found http://snapmylife.com/users/tferthomas

For more info contact Mobicious Inc's site http://snapmylife.com/

Enjoy,

TferThomas

The BlackBerry email itch... it's contagious

In your current group of friends and/or colleagues, how many are BlackBerry users? In my group, at really any given time, there is at least three BlackBerry users, and sometimes up to eight.



One of the BlackBerry claims to fame is the ability to remain in contact with your friends and colleagues, wherever you are (providing you have phone range of course). But it has a darker side... BlackBerry users are some of the most vigilant handset watchers out there!



Here's the test...



Next time you are with a group of BlackBerry users, have someone send you an email (or perhaps you get then constantly anyway), or tweet from twitter. When you receive the email (and for me, the only way you would know is the flashing LED light, as my emails and twitter applications do not have an alert), pull out your BlackBerry, open the email, read it and reply (or read the tweet, and then tweet a reply).



Now see what the others are doing...



Yep, that's right. Guaranteed, they all will have their own BlackBerry devices out, checking and/or reading the latest email/tweet... they could not simply help themselves, but to look at their own BlackBerry devices... the BlackBerry itch has struck again!



I have never seen a group of Nokia or iPhone users do a similar thing... it seems to be BlackBerry centric, and we just can't help ourselves.



The BlackBerry itch... it's contagious!



Until later,



TferThomas

BlackBerry: master of communications

Upfront, I will admit to being a BlackBerry fan... even go as far to say a CrackBerry addictwas, so upfront you know I am biased.

I am on my fourth BlackBerry... from a 7100, drifted to the "dark side" with a Nokia E61 (BlackBerry connect,of course), then back on track with a 8100 Pearl, 8300 Curve and now a 9000 Bold. And each one has been a forward step forward... well, the Bold was more of a leap forward,but you get the picture.

Now standard, the Bold has email (upto 10 separate email addresses), phone, sms, mms, BlackBerry messenger... now add a couple of third party applications, and you add to your communications arsenal: instant messaging, twitter, flickr, voice assistance, and Voip / Skype.

So really.... something for everyone's taste... whatever your communicating requirements, the BlackBerry Bold appears to have it covered, which lends the Bold well for both the traditional role of a business SmartPhone, and that of a SmartPhone for the technologically savvy personal user.

And the really good thing... not all my friends / clients / peers prefer the one type of communication means, which means I have choices to suit each one.... and I can also actually sit down with any of them and just talk.

www.BlackBerry.com/Bold

My thoughts for now.

Thomas