BlackBerry Users: how do you connect with others? Paying It Forward

I love it when I can connect with other BlackBerry users, regardless of where they geographically are, what level of usage they use their BlackBerry, or their level of experience.

I connect with BlackBerry users via the following sites (of course non BlackBerry users can also connect with me):
• Twitter (http://twitter.com/TferThomas)
• Facebook (http://facebook.com/TferThomas)
• BlackBerry Messenger (255B9281)
• FriendFeed (http://friendfeed.com/TferThomas)
• LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasskennerton)
• Xing (http://xing.com/TferThomas)
• Tumblr (http://tumblr.com/TferThomas)
• Blip.fm (http://blip.fm/TferThomas)

The good thing is most of these sites are available right from your BlackBerry, which is what I am all about...sharing the love about the BlackBerry way of getting things done, and paying it forward to anyone who needs assistance/advice/or even an ear or shoulder.

I enjoy the real satisfaction, a warm glow, when someone asks for BlackBerry advice, or if one of my friends introduces me to another BlackBerry user.

But I am not alone on this. No, my findings are crystal clear and validated, and the verdict has been reached; BlackBerry users, generally speaking, are a helpful bunch, and love nothing more than to be able share their BlackBerry knowledge, jump in and help out one of their own, or give their opinions to all and sundry regarding BlackBerry experiences.

I love it, and so glad to be part of this intriguing bunch!

So if I can help you, if you would like to share something with me, or even connect with me on multiple sites, please do, and together we can pay it forward.

Love the BlackBerry.

Social networking / media direct from my BlackBerry Bold

Anyone who knows me, both personally or say on twitter, realise how attached to BlackBerry I am, and how much I rely on the BlackBerry to manage as much as possible, my social media/networking duties. What follows is the list of applications I regularly use to achieve all of this.
Row one, left to right:
• Messages:
What the BlackBerry does best. All of my 7 email addresses, google alerts, Facebook alerts, twitterlerts, meeting requests, etc all land.
• Calendar:
I have taken the bold step of combining all calendars (including Facebook) into the one calendar. For me, that equates to ease of referencing from the BlackBerry, and synced to Outlook.
• Address book (contacts):
All of my contacts, business and personal, are included here, even my BlackBerry Messenger contacts, and all synced to Outlook.
• Tasks:
My business life, right here, and again, synced to Outlook. At last count, I had 134 tasks spread over 6 months. Being an Account Manager for a time and workload management training company (Priority Management: http://prioritymanagement.comau/) means these tasks are the be all and end all critical part of my worklife, which frees up time for my social media/networking activities.
• MyListyPro:
My personal life, right here, with cloud computing, and soon to be connected to a web app as well, for your desktop/laptop. I find it easier to keep my personal & work related tasks separate, for now. I can share a task/list with someone else via email or BlackBerry PIN or even post to twitter.
• BlackBerry Messenger:
Of course, using BBM 5.0. The BlackBerry Messenger is like instant messaging but between BlackBerry devices, using the PIN (a combination of numbers and letters unique to each device) as the address. I have 143 contacts currently in my BlackBerry Messenger.
Row two, left to right:
• SocialScope:
I can use twitter more effectively and quicker on the BlackBerry with SocialScope than with any other application (including desktop clients). SocialScope also utilises the native BlackBerry shortcuts and auto-text. It also integrates with Facebook. No other twitter client in my opinion comes close.
• Viigo:
Awesome free RSS reader which in its fullest form, has an inbuilt twitter client and weather app. With Viigo, you can select websites to subscribe to, and post links from these, directly to twitter, Facebook, Delicious, or even email to yourself. I guess you could call Viigo the workhorse of my social networking/media strategy, with SocialScope being the racehorse.
• Facebook:
Accept friend, meeting/event requests, comment on your friends' status, receive and send Facebook emails, right here.
• Xing:
Similar to LinkedIn this is a world wide business networking site (http://xing.com/). Enough said.
• tumblr:
I have both a tumblr and posterous blog. I can post to either using email from my BlackBerry, or in the case of tumblr, this client, whether it is text, photo and text, quote, or links.
• SugarSync:
Recently updated to support BIS this application allows you to access files and photos etc from your PC/laptop from your BlackBerry. Very handy to aid with blogging. I purchased a 30gig plan.
Row three, left to right:
• Wicked Blogging App (wordpress):
This blog is of course on Blogger, but I have a parallel blog on WordPress, for the very reason so I can use the Wicked Blogging App. Again, ScreamingToaster uses cloud computing to keep the memory footprint low. Compared to the free WordPress app, Wicked is much more user friendly and flexible. You can share locations, meet new users, post to twitter and PIN message other BlackBerry users directly from this app. Blogger and TypePad support through Wicked is coming.
• DulyNoted Pro:
This is the third ScreamingToaster app on my BlackBerry, and yes, again, uses cloud computing. It too can post to twitter & share information via email or BlackBerry PIN. I use DulyNoted for my work in progress social media projects, as distinct to MyListy Pro. All three Apps integrate with each other, and will all soon be linked to a web app on your desktop/laptop (so my BlackBerry has five twitter clients).
• Browser:
(this is where I access fftogo (FriendFeedToGo) from and of course any worthwhile links I come across or are referred to. I really can't be bothered using a third party browser, as the native BlackBerry browser is perfectly adequate for my requirements.

• Twitterlerts:
Awesome app to conduct close to real time searches on twitter, using specific keywords. I can state here that I have paid it forward to a some BlackBerry users who were having issues of varying degrees, and we haven't previously met on twitter.
• Shazam:
Music forms a great background for me to blog with or when I am working on a project. If I hear a song I like, I can find it using Shazam, and even purchase it. Awesome for resurrecting that old '80's playlist ;)
• BlackBerry Application World:
here in Australia we only get access to the free apps, or apps that do have a free trial period, but it is a good place to keep an eye out for new BlackBerry apps, especially those which will boost my online experience, right from the BlackBerry.

I have other smaller, integrated apps that assist with my productivity and ensuring my BlackBerry experience is a very positive one, and one blog post soon, we shall go through these in detail.

I hope this helps someone out there...the BlackBerry really is a mobile workhouse, with a social media/networking tendency.

Enjoy!

Paying it forward .... twitter style

The amazing thing about twitter, is the almost instantaneous nature of the conversation (or referred to as "tweets" from the twittersphere). The tweets are usually short and to the point, and really, how can they not be, when you are only allowed up to 140 characters per tweet?

So how does one pay it forward on twitter?

Firstly, paying it forward...

Paying it forward, if you weren't sure, is a concept by which I try to live my life by, and I know others do the same. To pay it forward, simpl means helping out someone randomnly (unplanned) in a way that potentially may give that person the necessary leg up so that they can achieve something important in their life. To you it is nothing of any great significance, and doesn't really cause you any discomfort, mentally, emotionally, physically, nor financially.

To the recipient however, your paying it forward may just be the missing piece in the puzzle for them to achieve something positive/life changing/life saving from their life, for their life. For example, placing some spare change into a parking meter, allows a person to park (they may actually have no money), and make that critical job interview on time, therefore win the interview process, get the job, and become employed for the first time in two years. What did it cost you.... $3.20 perhaps. But for them, that $3.20 helped them get their life back on track.

So, I understand the concept of paying it forward, now how can I pay it forward on twitter?

Twitter works on building a social/business network by finding people to follow, and people follow you..... and so it goes.

• You can pay it forward by simply connecting two people, who may not know each other, together, and you have paid it forward, because you are the middle link.
• Someone may be on hard times and needs that leg up.... you know someone who can assist, and by bringing them together, you have paid it forward.
• You come across some information tweeted by someone you follow, and you think it is interesting enough to retweet (share it again)... this information then goes out to all of your followers, maybe onto someone who really needs this tweet... you have paid it forward.

Paying it forward on twitter can really work. What does it cost you? Apart from your time... nothing.
So, the next time you feel an urge to share the love, I have three words to share... Pay It Forward.

Thomas

Forced comparison: BlackBerry Curve 8300 vs BlackBerry Bold 9000

The day occurred that all BlackBerry users dread....the trackball on my Bold failed (failed for the downward scroll, which let's face it, is probably the most critical movement for the trackball).

With one month left on my warranty (how good is that!) the Bold has been returned to Telstra for repair/replacement (I have been advised full replacement, so shall wait with baited breath), which will take approximately two weeks.

So...what does a BlackBerry user do in circumstances like this? Easy...pull another BlackBerry out of the drawer. I have two in the drawer now; a Pearl 8100 and a Curve 8300, so the Curve was chosen.

Why the Curve? Well quite simple really. It is the newer of the two spare BlackBerry devices (by about a year), has had less use than the Pearl (the Curve was in use only for six months prior to the Bold arriving), and it has a proper qwerty keyboard (compared to the Pearl's SureType 2 letters per key setup).

Now the Curve has been back in use coming up to a week, and I now can start to make some comparisons (regardless of whether you want to or not, comparisons are inevitable).

SIZE:
The Bold is quite a hefty BlackBerry, both in dimensions and weight. The Curve on the other hand, seems to fit into your hand (and not your hand fit the BlackBerry, as in the case of the Bold), and feels quite delicate. The pocket test (how it feels sitting in your pants pocket) obviously belongs to the Curve; much more unobtrusive.

QWERTY KEYBOARD:
The Curve got its name from the curved shape of the qwerty keyboard, which in retrospect, works well, with the keys, though small, easily found, being both raised and spaced apart). It took me no time to get reaccquainted with the Curve's keyboard.

The Bold's keyboard adopted the curved qwerty keyboard look of the Curve, but the key design of the 8800; that corporate workhorse. So even though the keys are placed up against each other, the extra girth of the Bold allows for a more spacious keyboard & slightly larger keys (again similar to the 8800). The Bold's keyboard makes thumbing out emails an easier task (although it took me a little bit more to become familiar with the design).

Where the Curve's keyboard trumps the Bold's is in the area of one thumb operation. You know the situation I am sure; your better half is sound asleep next to you & your arm just happens to be in "use", leaving you just one hand to operate your BlackBerry. Let me just say, the Curve's smaller keyboard is less of a chore with one thumb, than the keyboard of the Bold.

SCREEN:
You just have to love the Bold's screen... Big bright and delivers beautifully rendered images...especially when compared to the Curve's. I miss the Bold's screen.

OPERATING SYSTEM (OS):
The first thing I did when I pulled out of the drawer, out of "semi retirement" was to google up the latest OS, and came up with 4.5.0.161.

The Bold was running 4.6.0.293 although I have made a note of 4.6.0.301.

And the second number of each is the whole key to the BlackBerry experience. 4.5 OS is found to be quite lacking in its looks (and for once I am not a fan of old world charm) compared to 4.6 OS. The 4.6 OS on the Bold, in conjunction with its screen and processing power (see below) is just a whole other level in superiority to the Curve's 4.5 OS. It is like comparing the 4.2 OS found on some older BlackBerry devices (example any 8800 that has not been upgraded) to the latest 4.5 OS and then another big step forward.

SIGNAL AND BATTERY LIFE:
The Bold is a 3G and 2G device with WiFi, where as the Curve is a 2G device only. In 3G mode (which is my chosen selection on the Bold) the Bold is a far superior downloader than the 2G Curve, as you would expect.

But 3G has a disadvantage though...it loves using the battery, and even with a larger battery, the Bold suffers. I consider it a good day to get through a day without having to recharge with the Bold (to its defence, I do run a number of auto refreshing applications which is not a battery friendly position to be in).

The 2G Curve though is much more economical with its battery usage.

PROCESSING AND MULTI TASKING:
Now this is probably the biggest area of difference. As all BlackBerry users know so well and love, and the Apple fanboys cringe about, is a BlackBerry device can multi task like no other, and multi task until the cows come home (and still Apple's iPhone, even in its latest illustrious format, cannot multi task).

The Curve can multi task just as the Bold can, but you need to give the Curve some good old "Indian stretch time". By that I mean, things will take longer to do the same thing on the Curve, as it does on the Bold, and this is exaggerated on the Curve when you are running multiple applications at once.

The Bold just goes about doing its multi tasking as if it was born to multi task (which I guess it was) where as the Curve was the learning impaired poorer cousin....it will get the job done...in time.

How or rather why, is this so? Quite simply, with a new evolutionary OS, oh almost twice the processing power, and with 3G at its disposal, the Bold was always going to be able to do its thing, faster, more efficiently, & with less effort.

While I haven't tried it personally myself, there have been quite a few reports about the speed and abilities of the Curve 8900, which although lacking 3G, has more processing power and new OS than the older Curve 8300, and somes close to the Bold's abilities as a result.

THIRD PARTY APPLICATIONS:
As more developers move to more intensive multitasking applications, and cloud computing, the older OS is being excluded. Case in point is Screaming Toaster's Wicked Blogging application (only available for 4.6 or 4.7 OS (4.7 is for the Storm, Tour, etc) and as a result I am without this application, until my Bold is returned.

Expect developers to move away more from less than 4.6 OS as we approach the 5.0 OS (standard for the Onyx and which the Bold will definitely move to, but I am doubtful about the Curve).

SUMMARY:
Horses for courses, but my Curve 8300 makes a good spare (my Pearl is about to be given to a mate of mine as his first BlackBerry), and I can hardly wait for the Bold to be returned.

My thoughts.

Handy apps to assist with my mobile BlackBerry productivity

It is no secret that I am working towards being able to do everything I need to from my BlackBerry.

For social/networking I use the following:
• SocialScope for twitter and Facebook (http://SocialScope.net or @SocialScope on twitter)
• Facebook application for BlackBerry
• Viigo for all my RSS feeds (http://getviigo.com or @Viigo on twitter)
• Bit.lify (URL shortener for BlackBerry directly from your menu)
• Snap2twitter
• Xing application for BlackBerry (http://xing.com or @xing on twitter)
• BrightBerry
• GyPSii (http://GyPSii.com or @GyPSii on twitter)

For blogging:
• WordPress Wicked App from ScreamingToaster (http://screamingtoaster.com or @Izabel_Idris_ST on twitter)
• Tumblr for BlackBerry
• Email for blogger (although ScreamingToaster are working on integrating blogger & Typepad blogs with their awesome application)
• SnapScreen or ZonaSnap (screen capturing)

Helpful business/productivity applications:
• Anagram (captures data from email signatures and adds into your contacts)
• Action Pad (currently in beta) replacing your original Memo Pad (not to be deleted though)
• Copy All: able to copy a complete email simply & quickly
• Save Number as: instead of the default saving number as work number, this one provides you with home, mobile or work options.
• Forward with edit: allows you to edit an email prior to forwarding onto someone else.
• Onto task: turns a received email into a task, which then in turn, synchronises with Outlook.
• Onto calendar: turns a received email into a calendar entry, which in turn, synchronises with Outlook.
• Remind Me Later: a simple added menu option to remind you of a call, SMS, email, appointment at a later time.
• Send Timely SMS: never forget an important anniversary ever again. Program in a message and time its delivery...set and forget.
• QuickLaunch: assign a hot key to quickly access the myriad of applications installed on your BlackBerry
• IntelliLaunch: a search function for anything that is stored in your BlackBerry whether it is the internal memory or on the SD Card. Also shows battery life and BlackBerry PIN
• MindBerry: mind mapping on your BlackBerry and exportable to your laptop/PC
• QuickPull: quickly and easily do a soft reset of your BlackBerry without having to complete a battery pull.
• WhatsApp: allows other who are connected to you to see if you are available, without having to ask (@WhatsAppInc on twitter).
• Google Maps: self explanatory.
• Vlingo: voice activation. You can create emails, SMS others, create tasks, remind yourself, call people, search for things, as well as post to twitter and Facebook, all of which activated by one hot key.

Inbuilt applications in the BlackBerry that may not be commonly used:
• AutoText: a simple way of creating words/phrases/signature panels/whole sentences simply by keying a couple of letters into an SMS, email, SocialScope, BlackBerry Messenger etc, and hitting the space bar (eg. "pif" becomes #payingitforward from my AutoText list)
• Tasks: anyone who practices the 4D's (delete, delegate, do it, & date activate) with time and workload management, would welcome the Task folder, which synchronises perfectly with Outlook.
• BlackBerry Messenger: a BlackBerry to BlackBerry (or PIN to PIN) messenging service: quick, simple and free. Like Instant Messaging, it requires other users to accept you as a contact.

This is the list of applications that I use on a daily basis... I haven't provided links to everything here, but as they say in the classics... google is your friend.

I hope it helps you also.

#followfriday: my twitter list

Followfriday is a phenomenon on twitter, and if you don't know about it, you are either very new to twitter, or have been living under a rock. Basically, #followfriday (the hashtag is to assist with search visibility) is a process whereby twitter users recommend some of their followers for others to follow ....a sort of #sharingthelove or #payingitforward in the twitterverse.

There are various ways people undertake #followfriday:

1. Mass blanket list of recommended followers with no background;



2. Individual #followfriday recommendations with a tweet filled with why others should follow this person;



3. Group #followfriday tweets (eg. a BlackBerry group of twitterers)... this is the option I used;



4. Retweeting someone else's list; either as a way of saying thank you, or a self-promoting exercise by someone trying to increase their friends on twitter; or



5. Someone hijacking another's #followfriday tweet and turning it into their own (this is maninly a sefl-promoting exercise to increase friend numbers).

Now remember, I am not condemning, nor condoning any of the afore mentioned methods, as I respect an "each to their own" process here. But I am changing mine... and the reasons are simple.

Currently in my work, I commute between Brisbane and Melbourne (two capital cities on the eastern seaboard of Australia), and the half the commutes are undertaken on a Friday, usually smack in the middle of #followfriday, so therefore I place a huge amount of pressure on myself to not only respond to everyone else's tweets, but to get my #followfriday tweets out as well.

And so comes this blog post.... my #followfriday list recommendations. I will over time update the lists as my friends and followers evolve, but for now, this is the one.

Inspirational #followfriday twitterers:

• Sharon Hayes (http://twitter.com/SharonHayes)
• Sasha (http://twitter.com/SashaKane)
• Ariaa Jaeger (http://twitter.com/AriaaJaeger)
• Shonika Proctor (http://twitter.com/teenbizcoach)
• Kimyon (http://twitter.com/THEDIAMONDCOACH)
• Naina Redhu (http://twitter.com/Naina)
• Reg Sadler (http://twitter.com/Zaibatsu)
• Donnette Davis (http://twitter.com/Donnette)
• Marcome (http://twitter.com/MARCOME)
• Shelly Kramer (http://twitter.com/ShellyKramer)
• Wayne Mansfield (http://twitter.com/WayneMansfield)

Good friends #followfriday:

There are my good friends who don't fit into my allotted categories....yet, and perhaps they never will, but one thing I know, they are there for me when I need them, and I am there for them:

• Alf Welch (http://twitter.com/whitsundays)
• NicoleJensen (http://twitter.com/NicoleJensen)
• Kathleen Joy (http://twitter.com/kissability)
• Kath Juestel (http://twitter.com/Nana_Mex)
• Shonah Kennedy (http://twitter.com/MissShonah)
• DINA (http://twitter.com/_DINA)
• Burcu Akyol (http://twitter.com/burcuakyol)
• Kamla Bhatt (http://twitter.com/kamla)
• Priya Florence (http://twitter.com/PriyaFlorence)
• Collin McKenny (http://twitter.com/FijiLomalagi)
• Ronald (http://twitter.com/Mossyy)
• Anna Johnston (http://twitter.com/AnnaJ31)
• Chris Cotter (http://twitter.com/CotterHUE)
• Rahul Sah (http://twitter.com/rahulsah)
• Howard Bowling (http://twitter.com/Howard74)
• Bob John Bear (http://twitter.com/BearBob)
• Tyler Rear (http://twitter.com/lifroc)
• Brooke (http://twitter.com/spkspanglish)
• Just call me Ted (http://twitter.com/Ted_Stiker32)
• JUST SAY (http://twitter.com/justsay)
• Ashlei Romero (http://twitter.com/ashleiromero)
• Michael Lang (http://twitter.com/CongoTwitt)
• Ryan (http://twitter.com/ryangerritsen)
• Nadia Linda Hole (http://twitter.com/AlohaMD)
• Trumaine Smith (http://twitter.com/Hollywood_Trey)
• Yvonne (http://twitter.com/vene2ia)
• Nurul Ambia (http://twitter.com/Nurul54)
• Selina Ray (http://twitter.com/Wayshower)
• Johannes Fridenstrom (http://twitter.com/fridenstrom)
• Anshree Singh (http://twitter.com/Anshree)
• Nicholas Rayner (http://twitter.com/aussienick)
• BlokesLib (http://twitter.com/BlokesLib)
• Dave Olsen (http://twitter.com/PheasantPhun)
• Chris (http://twitter.com/ScooterWrecker
• mcangeli (http://twitter.com/mcangeli)
• Jo Hart (http://twitter.com/JoHart)
• Bestcamdance.com (http://twitter.com/bestcamdance)
• niva (http://twitter.com/proxy_man)
• Blanca (http://twitter.com/Blanquis26)

iPhone friends/sparring partners #followfriday:

These are my iPhone friends (can a passionate BlackBerry user/abuser ever be friends with an iPhone user? Well, of course he/she can, and I am):

• Mara Gordon (http://twitter.com/MaraBG)
• Laurie (http://twitter.com/Loz62)
• Ed Sullivan (http://twitter.com/edo_au)
• Shelly Terrell (http://twitter.com/ShellTerrell)
• Ahmad Nassri (http://twitter.com/ahmadnassri)
• Malvin Latief (http://twitter.com/ascorve)
• Paul Zammit (http://twitter.com/pawl03)

BlackBerry #followfriday legends:

These probably are my core group of twitter friends, mainly because they too are very passionate about BlackBerry devices, they are mobile (so are on twitter a lot of the time), and they are truly a helpful and friendly bunch (just don't rubbish the BlackBerry without having very good evidence on your side) (in no particular order):

• Giulia (http://twitter.com/ItalyBerryGirl)
• Nathalie (http://twitter.com/PinkBerryGirl)
• Kathy Hopkinson (http://twitter.com/khopkinson)
• Paul Rasmussen (http://twitter.com/Paul_Rasmussen)
• Matt (http://twitter.com/casus_belli)
• Aniya (http://twitter.com/TheEngTeacher)
• Dan Kemble (http://twitter.com/kemblepdx)
• Fabian Heuwieser (http://twitter.com/FabianMH)
• Nan Palmero (http://twitter.com/nanpalmero)
• Mark Ruddock (http://twitter.com/RuddockMH)
• CiderGuru (http://twitter.com/CiderGuru)
• Pedrito (http://twitter.com/sirpedro83)
• Jason Anderson (http://twitter.com/jasonlanderson)
• MissCindyBabyyy (http://twitter.com/MissCindyBabyyy)
• Virgil83 (http://twitter.com/Virgil83)
• Febiandi (http://twitter.com/febiandi)
• Gary Brant (http://twitter.com/garybrant)
• Nanda Aditya (http://twitter.com/NandaAditya)
• Monica (http://twitter.com/Monicks)
• Izabel Idris (http://twitter.com/Izabel_Idris_ST)
• EvilBlade (http://twitter.com.com/evilbladeuk)
• SocialScope (http://twitter.com/SocialScope)
• Tungle (http://twitter.com/TungleRocks)
• Viigo (http://twitter.com/Viigo)
• GadgetGirl28 (http://twitter.com/Gadgetgirl28)
• Mark Bowden (http://twitter.com/JMarkyBB)
• Mark Clapham (http://twitter.com/Fevberry)
• Zoe Earp (http://twitter.com/zoelearp)
• G Style Magazine (http://twitter.com/GStyleMagazine)
• Melina Taylor (http://twitter.com/mixd_ladee)
• Cecilia Guerrero (http://twitter.com/cecig22)
• Denise Heng (http://twitter.com/Sn0wrose)
• Christine Cattaneo (http://twitter.com/chriscattaneo)
• Pinswap (http://twitter.com/pinswap)
• Daytripper67 (http://twitter.com/DayTripper67)
• Angela Reid (http://twitter.com/aug1698)
• Cydni Ambrosio (http://twitter.com/ChardonnayLuvs)
• Barry Dunn (http://twitter.com/barryjdunn)
• Monica (http://twitter.com/bbgeekchick)
• Emma (http://twitter.com/iRockaBerry)
• Bla1ze (http://twitter.com/videos4BB)
• Aniya (http://twitter.com/AniyaBerry)
• BlackBerryChick (http://twitter.com/BlackBerryChick)
• BerryReview (http://twitter.com/BerryReview)
• Christopher Ray (http://twitter.com/inhabitedvoid)
• Life_Today (http://twitter.com/Life_Today)
• Samuel JJ Sanders (http://twitter.com/samuels)
• Kriti Arora (http://twitter.com/KritiA)
• Dominic (http://twitter.com/d3athly)
• Alessandro Rovacchi (http://twitter.com/Bubino75)
• BlackBerry Rocks (http://twitter.com/BlackBerryRocks)
• Gayle ideaswoman.com (http://twitter.com/ideaswoman)
• Justin (http://twitter.com/justiniiams)
• Angel (http://twitter.com/Berrygurl919)
• Christine (http://twitter.com/killtheex)
• Vitri Maulana (http://twitter.com/BerryVee)
• Torrie Rankins (http://twitter.com/TRankins24)
• Leah Chantelle (http://twitter.com/LeahChantelle)
• Luis Merlos (http://twitter.com/DonLuiG)
• Jennifer (http://twitter.com/CoolBBThemes)
• xoticbeauty (http://twitter.com/xoticbeauty)
• Mr Brayden of Style (http://twitter.com/wardrobeguy)
• Mike Cheung (http://twitter.com/mikecheung)
• Morena Azucar (http://twitter.com/MorenaAzucar)
• Cindy (http://twitter.com.com/CindyLeigh)
• Gary Brant (http://twitter.com/garybrant)
• Kathy (http://twitter.com/helloo_kitty)
• Bruce Burgess (http://twitter.com/BBICON)
• Alex Trinidad (http://twitter.com/TZduzit)
• Justin (http://twitter.com/BerryReporter)
• Yes (http://twitter.com/kkaarrggaaa)
• Daniel Sharpe (http://twitter.com/sharpie9)
• Marc Postle-Hacon (http://twitter.com/mpers)
• Luca Filigheddu (http://twitter.com/filos)
• Tom Whitby (http://twitter.com/tomwhitby)
• BBCrackman (http://twitter.com/BBCrackman)

So this is my #followfriday list.... I will no doubt realise this isn't a complete list and will make some adjustments as the upcoming weeks roll out.

I can wholeheartedly recommend any of these fabulous individuals. #payingitforward

Thomas

Having worldwide friends on twitter, and using twitter to revive a dead BlackBerry

The other night I was routinely doing a clean out of my BlackBerry Bold via the DeskTop Manager, removing a couple of applications that I no longer required, and loading one that I wanted to use again (you see some applications run hot and cold with me, and others, like Socialscope, Viigo, Google Maps, Wicked App and Tumblr, I never tire of).

The process seemed to go well, but I realised something must have gone awry when my Bold got stuck in a never ceasing reboot cycle...not a pleasant sight to behold...and this was at 9pm, on a week night.

So jumped straight into trusty google and conducted a search, as this has never happened to me with any of my previous 3 BlackBerry devices, and I really didn't know what to do.

Hmmm, this was going to take a while going through the search results. Hang on, it must be coming into the morning for the UK and Europe, so hunting through twitter, I wanted to find a couple of good experienced BlackBerry friends (thank goodness I follow as many BlackBerry users on twitter as I can) who may be able to assist, and sure enough Fabian (@FabianMH) and Rob (@evilbladeUK) had come online.

Trying a hard start (full battery pull for half an hour) didn't cut the mustard, but Fabian had quickly found the relevant links to both JL Commander (a Windows program to nuke your BlackBerry) and what to do with a continually cycling/rebooting BlackBerry, while Rob promptly found me instructions on how to push through the replacement OS via Windows DOS commands.

Now Fabian and Rob are very busy guys on twitter and elsewhere, but I was still able to get advice and encouragement staggered from both of them, which was just like having one person on call, just for you.

So then the process started at approximately 11pm that night, sitting in an office by myself, frustrated and bewildered, but with the comfort of knowing both Fabian and Rob not too far away (even though they were on the other side of the world)...the value of twitter being a real time communication and networking tool.

I came to a grinding halt with entering of the DOS commands, until I remembered something, an extra move required...on a Vista laptop, don't forget to right click and "run as administrator"...I lost half an hour, and almost lost what hair I have left.

It was a great sense of relief when the OS was pushed through to my crippled BlackBerry via Windows and not the DeskTop Manager, and then the Bold came to life...that in itself was a wait that seemed to last an eternity.

Yes I lost everything: data, contacts, 3rd party applications, settings...BUT I did something one day earlier which saved me a lot of time. Let me explain...

Nan Palmero (@NanPalmero) posted a blog about how to back up specific data etc via your DeskTop Manager, over and above what you would normally do with the standard automated back up...and I paid attention. More to the point, I acted on his suggestions. So I was able to retrieve I would suggest about 95% of what I lost.

Rob gave me one further piece of excellent information...a link to the BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 which I could not seem to locate.

So at 1am I headed to the apartment with a functional BlackBerry, SocialScope, Viigo and BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 added.

No dinner that night, but amazing lessons learnt. A big heartfelt thank you to Fabian, Rob and Nan...if you are a BlackBerry user and are on twitter...friend these three.

Now to pay it forward... If anyone wants more information as to the steps I used, the links that came in handy etc, let me know. I have learnt, and now in a position to share the love.

Another....paying it forward twitter style... a successful outcome

I talk (tweet?) to a diverse range of people on twitter, something I am really proud of. No two of my twitter friends are the same, which is just brilliant for me, as one of my initial main reasons for signing up to twitter in the first place, was to simply learn from people... something I am pleased to say, happens many times every single day.

As you may well know, I use a hashtag quite a bit, and that one is #payingitforward and i have explained my views on paying it forward and how I try to pay it forward in this blog.

One morning, I was DM'd on twitter by a gentleman in the United States with a proposal that he thought I may be interested in, and let's be honest here, how many of these are simply "not my cup of tea" (I am sure you know what I mean)? Anyway, as is the case of the majority of these, I read them, check out any links and have a think. Yes or no, good or bad, interesting or not, they were the decisions to be made.

This one caught my eye... he was looking for a way to promote/introduce Australian artists in America, and whilst I didn't have a clue as to how to do this, or even where I would start, I immediately thought of one avenue....

You see, I know people within a government department whose job it is is to promote the export of Australian goods/services/talent to overseas markets. Perfect!

So I asked him to forward me a quick outline to my gmail account & I passed it onto my contacts.... paid it forward.

That was a couple of weeks ago, and today got notification that yes the government department would love to assist and contact was made.

Regardless of the outcome, I know from within myself, I have paid it forward.

So as I sit here and type away (on a keyboard that is way bigger than my BlackBerry Bold's qwerty keyboard), I feel a nice warm glow descend over me.... i have made a difference to someone else, and it literally cost me about 30 minutes of my time.

So, if ever you get the chance, go on, try paying it forward.

TferThomas

twitter: @TferThomas' rules ... Setting up your account

One of the main things that keeps me constantly drawn to twitter, over most other social / business online sites, is the wide diversity of my friends on twitter, and the different approaches these people implement, to run their twitter lives.

That said, the following is an overview of my initial twitter rules of engagement... how I believe a twitter account should be set up.

SETTING UP YOUR ACCOUNT:

1. HAVING A SIMPLE USERNAME: I have used TferThomas for a number of reasons; it includes my first name, I believe it is a little catchy, it is not embarrassing, it doesn't make you believe I am something I am not, and I believe it is relatively easy to remember... all good networking positives.



2. HAVE A GOOD PROFILE PHOTO: I use the photo above for basically everything I do online, for the following reasons; it is a happy photo, it display all of my face relatively close up, it represents a professional side of me (yet not coldly), it is a friendly photo... all good networking positives. The photo remains a constant for me, which makes it easy for my friends to find me in their twitter stream, especially my BlackBerry friends who are using one of the many BlackBerry twitter applications (SocialScope, yatca, Ubertwitter, twitterberry, etc) and as such the avatars are smaller.


3. HAVE A BIO: A small summary of what you are about as your bio is probably one of the easiest, yet most effective way of convincing others to follow you. and it needs to be stated here, that your bio needs to actually reflect you... be yourself. If you are here to market, then say so. 140 characters per tweet does not leave any room for deceptive marketing. If you don't have a bio, what are you actually hiding?
4. INCLUDE A FULL LENGTH URL IN YOU BIO: nothing flags more as potential spam as a tinyurl or bit.ly URL in your bio. Including a full length URL will help encourage others to actually click on it, and get to know you that much more intimately.
5. LOCATION: I believe it is more effective to have your actual location listed, and I am not talking micro-details. I show Brisbane, Australia as my location enabling my followers to know exactly where I am geographically, allowing them another choice.
6. BACKGROUND: I use @twitbacks as the source of my backgrounds and happy to promote their services here. I believe having a non standard background is important from an attention grabbing perspective... ie. making your account stand out from the crowd. Remember twitter is all about rapid fire 140 character tweets, and the twitterverse moves quickly.

Anyway, that's my thoughts on setting up a twitter account. Later, I shall pass on my thoughts about how to tweet, how to interact, and maintain your little part of the greater twitterverse.

Until then, be safe,

TferThomas

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

twittering from the BlackBerry Bold

Most of my tweets come via my BlackBerry Bold, and as of today I have most of the popular BlackBerry twitter clients installed and in use. So starting from left to right:

Socialscope (@SocialScope):
• This is still my favourite twitter application
• Really effective twitter and facebook integration
• Good search and follow functionality
• Easily move from Replies, Direct Messages, Timeline, and Facebook via top menu tabs
• Quite quick with updates & low battery life usage
• Post photos into your twitter timeline
• The rarest of all twitter applications (alpha testing)

Ubertwitter (@Ubertwiter):
• The newcomer for me, given they both have BIS support
• Location notification
• A little slower in responsiveness compared to Socialscope
• Includes separate timeline of your own tweets
• Locational search function

Viigo (@Viigo http://getviigo.com/alpha):
• Basically one of the most useful applications available for a BlackBerry
• Tweet interesting stuff directly from your RSS feeds (afterall Viigo is first and foremost a RSS reader)
• It is also a twitter client as well, though more responsive than twitterberry, but less than SocialScope and Ubertwitter

Pinwall (we shall leave this one for another time)

twitterberry (http://www.orangatame.com/twitterberry/):
• I guess from my perspective, the original twitter client for my BlackBerry devices, and ever dependable
• Slow compared to SocialScope and Ubertwitter
• Has a separate screen for your own timeline

yatca (yet another twitter client application: yatca.wordpress.com/):
• I cannot get this one to work well for me due to the integration of it into the native BlackBerry Messages folder (when you have 4,000 + followers tweeting, your Messages folder gets a little out of control). So for me, updates have been switched off
• Good simple application for posting a photo (whether taking a photo and posting at the same time, or extracting a saved photo) into your twitter timeline, and can be done from the menu function of any application you are working in at the time
• The above also applies to tweeting.

So overall, SocialScope remains my favourite, with Ubertwitter keeping it honest. Note, I have not tried tweetgenius yet, as at the time of writing, it does not have BIS support (update... now it does, but it is a pay for application).

Hope this helps someone out there.

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

Paying it forward...using twitter (it's happening right now)

So a small group of us went out to a movie on Saturday night (saw Angels & Demons) and after it we went to a little cafe for so delightful crepes and hot chocolate, where the conversation took an interesting turn... and I could pay it forward.

One of our friends (a small time film maker, embarking on a documentary) had enlisted the assistance of a prominent Australian muso, but had now lost contact with him, and could not get a further response.

I may have a solution, or at the very least, an avenue to pursue... from my BlackBerry Bold, I opened up SocialScope Lite and DM'd one of my good twitter friends, and asked if there was a way to contact the muso in question. Hey, it couldn't hurt, and I had a good feeling.

Within half an hour, the reply was back (received on the drive back to the CBD)... there were two ways contact could be made, both very successful in the past.

Our film maker now had a way to get the project back on track, all because of a social media network called twitter, my positive helpful friend on twitter, and my BlackBerry.

Where the story is at....

A draft email is currently being penned, which will be forwarded from our film maker friend, to my twitter friend, for forwarding to the muso, whose help with the project will greatly assist 1. the project but more importantly, 2. some needy individuals.

Don't underestimate the power of paying it forward.

I shall update this as the story unfolds.

Until later,

TferThomas

BlackBerrys and battery life

For anyone who didn't know the BlackBerry has an almost unequalled ability to run multiple appplications in the background, meaning you can actually multitask on a BlackBerry (unlike other smart phones, which require you to close an application, prior to running another).

You can also run media in the background as well, and many a time have I had my tunes playing in the background whilst using twitter, reading my RSS feeds on Viigo, or even composing an email or text message.

There is a downside to this multitasking though.... it does put a strain on the normal battery. But I do have a couple of suggestions for you, plus the little gadget shown above.

Here are a couple of setting changes you can make which will improve battery life:

• If you have Wi-Fi and don't use it regularly, switch it off
• If you don't use BlueTooth, switch it off
• Check any applications that auto refresh (twitterberry, Google, SocialScope, Viigo, yatca and similar), and only have the ones you need to auto refresh set that way... the other's switch to manual updates
• If you are listening to music, when finished listening, turn the music off (otherwise it will run in the background and use battery power)
• But the biggest killer of battery time is low reception levels. The BlackBerry will hunt for better signal strength, and therefore use more power.

If all else fails, and you don't want to lash out for another battery, there is a stop gap solution:

• The Energizer portable charger

It takes 2 x AA batteries and has almost enough grunt to fully charge my BlackBerry Bold from almost empty to full, and has saved me at a number of airports over the past few months. and for Australian readers, Coles is currently selling these at AUD $15 (roughly half price).

I hope this helps out with prolonging your battery life on your BlackBerrys.

Enjoy,

TferThomas

Paying it forward .... twitter style

The amazing thing about twitter, is the almost instantaneous nature of the conversation (or referred to as "tweets" from the twittersphere). The tweets are usually short and to the point, and really, how can they not be, when you are only allowed up to 140 characters per tweet?

So how does one pay it forward on twitter?

Firstly, paying it forward...

Paying it forward, if you weren't sure, is a concept by which I try to live my life by, and I know others do the same. To pay it forward, simply means helping out someone randomnly (unplanned) in a way that potentially may give that person the necessary leg up so that they can achieve something important in their life. To you it is nothing of any great significance, and doesn't really cause you any discomfort, mentally, emotionally, physically, nor financially.

To the recipient however, your paying it forward may just be the missing piece in the puzzle for them to achieve something positive/life changing/life saving from their life, for their life. For example, placing some spare change into a parking meter, allows a person to park (they may actually have no money), and make that critical job interview on time, therefore win the interview process, get the job, and become employed for the first time in two years. What did it cost you.... $3.20 perhaps. But for them, that $3.20 helped them get their life back on track.

So, I understand the concept of paying it forward, now how can I pay it forward on twitter?

Twitter works on building a social/business network by finding people to follow, and people follow you..... and so it goes.

You can pay it forward by simply connecting two people, who may not know each other, together, and you have paid it forward, because you are the middle link.

• Someone may be on hard times and needs that leg up.... you know someone who can assist, and by bringing them together, you have paid it forward.
• You come across some information tweeted by someone you follow, and you think it is interesting enough to retweet (share it again)... this information then goes out to all of your followers, maybe onto someone who really needs this tweet... you have paid it forward.

Paying it forward on twitter can really work. What does it cost you? Apart from your time... nothing.

So, the next time you feel an urge to share the love, I have three words to share...

Pay It Forward

Why I choose BlackBerry as my communication device

If you didn't already know, I am @TferThomas on twitter, and it is crystal clear from my tweets I am very passionate about BlackBerrys and mobilised technology, and yes, I will fess up, I am biased.

Having said that though, I will NEVER EVER rubbish a person's mobile/smart phone choice. It is a basic fundamental right, as individuals, to be just that, an individual, and choose your weapon... oops, I mean phone, of choice.

As a result of my passionate tweeting of all things BlackBerry, a number of people have actually taken the time to ask me .... well, why? So the point of this blog post, is to try to explain why I choose BlackBerry as my weapon for communication (ha ha).

For the purpose of this blog post, I will use specifically my 9000 Bold as the example (I also have an 8100 Pearl and an 8300 Curve), and cover off what features and add on's that I use (this is NOT an exhaustive list).

Standard capabilities, staying in touch:
The BlackBerry Bold has a number of standard inbuilt features to enhance and make easier your day to day communication with others:​

• It is a phone....
do I really need to explain this any further, apart from a lot of people don't realise you can make conference calls, straight out of the box.​

•It has an email function...
apart from linking your web based email addresses to your BlackBerry (which can be done with basically any phone these days), by utilising a BlackBerry BIS plan (Business Internet Service, and no I am not going near BES, Business Enterprise Service, in this blog), you can have up to 10 email addresses pushed to your BlackBerry. Currently I am running 8 email addresses, neatly and tidily. Under most BlackBerry plans that I have seen, for a monthly BlackBerry plan fee, the number of emails per month is unlimited.​

• It can SMS...
Or as a colleague of mine calls it "Short Message System". Again, I don't need to waste time here.​

• It has MMS...
Multi-Media Messaging Service. Basically like a text message but for multi-media.​

• For BlackBerry owners across the world, we are spoiled with PIN messaging...
A messaging service between BlackBerry devices, using their individual PINs that are unique to each BlackBerry device (consisting of alpha and numeric characters). It is included in your BlackBerry Plan, and to talk to someone else, you must first introduce yourself and ask they accept you (sort of instant messaging, but only between consenting BlackBerrys)​

• IM...
Instant Messaging. This is the same service you can access and use on your PC, lap top or Mac etc, but is a mobilised, cut down version. A good example of this is the third party applications from MSN, Google and Yahoo. I must say, as a result of twitter, I very rarely use Google Talk these days, but it is still on the BlackBerry... just in case.

So, yes, you say, most of these are available (apart from PIN messaging) on my phone or smart phone. That's true, but then we start adding to the communication (both social and business) ability of the BlackBerry with dedicated specifically designed third party applications:

twitter...
Who hasn't heard of twitter? Basically twitter is a social and business networking tool, where you start by answering a simple question... "what are you doing?" which needs to be provided in 140 characters or less. You find people to follow, and people follow you. Yes, I know you know what it's all about, and there are a heap of twitterers out there who blog about using twitter every moment of every day, so I don't need to reinvent the wheel here.

Currently, I have access to 5 twitter tools:
1. twitterberry (twitter for BlackBerry) via a dedicated icon on your home screen (or wherever you decide to place it)
2. SocialScope (tool which integrates with twitter and facebook, via a dedicated icon)
3. yatca (yet another twitter client application, which works not only from a dedicated icon on your home screen, as well as from your option menus from any program's menu (very handy)
4. Viigo (as it is in beta testing, cannot say anything else here), but has a dedicated icon, and one of my used third party applications, and
5. Another one that is even more secretive from an existing webmail provider (and is integrated within the menu options). ;)

And as you only have 140 characters, you need to be able to shorten any posted url s, and sure you can use tinyurl.com (a web based url shortening site) or you can download bit.lify by Ubiquitous Systems onto your BlackBerry, which then adds a further option in your BlackBerry menu within any BlackBerry program.... very handy. Again, unlike tinyurl, this is a third party application that has been designed to integrate into the BlackBerry's menus.

Facebook:
Yep, I still have the "L Plates" on here as only a very recent, albeit unconvinced, Facebook participant. Via Facebook for BlackBerry 1.5 I can converse with my friends, view comments, send messages, upload photos, write on walls, etc.

I also use Socialscope which enables me to do some of these things, including uploading photos. And from the other "secret" web based application, again similar functions. Further, I can send a tweet (including photos, using twitpic.com as the bridge) to twitter, & it also updates my Facebook page... pretty cool hey?

Vlingo:
Voice activation is hear to stay with the BlackBerry, and with every application designed, it keeps getting more and more refined. Vlingo allows you to:
• Complete searches on the internet
• Compose and send updates to twitter and Facebook
• Compose and send SMS'
• Compose and send emails
All by using your voice (Google has recently introduced a voice activated search function as well for BlackBerrys (and no doubt almost every other phone operating system type). Furthermore, Vlingo again, like yatca and bit.lify is integrated into the BlackBerry's menu options.

Flickr:
I am sure most people have heard of Flickr, and the BlackBerry version, from a dedicated icon on your home screen, allows you to upload your photos to your Flickr account, which people can view etc. Why have I included Flickr as a communication tool?

Have a read of this....

"You've been sent a Flickr Mail from Emma J. Williams:

------------------------------------------------------------

:: Schmap Melbourne Seventh Edition: Photo Inclusion

Hi Thomas,

I am delighted to let you know that your submitted photo
has been selected for inclusion in the newly released
seventh edition of our Schmap Melbourne Guide:

Flinders Street Station
http://www.schmap.com/melbourne/sights_historic/p=70689/i=70689_76.jpg

On a desktop computer, you can see exactly how your photo is displayed and credited in the our guide at:

Flinders Street Station
http://www.schmap.com/?m=iphone#uid=melbourne&sid=sights_historic&p=70689&i=70689_76

Finally, if you have a blog, you might also like to check
out the customizable widgetized version of our Schmap
Melbourne Guide, complete with your published photo:

http://www.schmap.com/guidewidgets/p=32020117N05/c=SK50024930

Thanks so much for letting us include your photo - please enjoy the guide!

Best regards,

Emma Williams,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides
www.schmap.me/emma.williams

------------------------------------------------------------"

By uploading this picture onto Flickr, via my Flickr account, Emma and I were able to connect.

In essence...
What I really like about all of these applications (some more so than others) is that they all integrate really rather seamlessly in with the BlackBerry OS (Operating System), which makes it dead easy for me to communicate with others, quickly and very efficiently.

Originally, the BlackBerry was a business tool for the high flyers, large corporates, or key government departments. Now, it's a totally different story... building on the second to none email efficiency and ability, the BlackBerry now appeals to a much wider audience (hey, I even know of a 16 year old girl who has one).

Finally...
The BlackBerry allows me to stay in touch, without the need for a laptop, desk, or even office. And that my friends, the very essence of flexibility and availability, is why I choose BlackBerry as my communication device, my phone.

Paying it forward... simply put

One thing that I can confidently say is on twitter (http://twitter.com), I am well known for promoting the concept of "paying it forward". Well, at least with my twitter friends, and my friends, colleagues and peers in person.



A common question people ask when interacting on twitter, is how do I "pay it forward"? Hmmm, good question, and one that I shall now try to cover off here.



Firstly, paying it forward is never something you could say is pre meditated. Instead, you pay it forward, when the moment grabs you.... or spur of the moment, totally off the cuff. So being in tune with your inner self is important. Some call it your higher self, others refer to it as your sixth sense, but whichever it is... listen carefully to it. It is normally right.



Secondly, a paying it forward action should never have real negative implications for yourself. For example, putting some loose change into a parking meter (something I have done) is not really going to tax your overall position financially, where as spending $5,000 on a random someone just may. Paying it forward comes from someone who "can" to someone who possibly "can't".



Thirdly, paying it forward is done without having to think "what will I get out of this?" The very point of paying it forward, is to do it when you get the opportunity, done randomly, and with zero expectations to receiving anything in kind. Rest assured though, when you are in need, pay it forward comes full circle.



So the next time you get a feeling to help someone out, listen to that feeling, run with that feeling, and pay it forward.

Mobile technology... the third party software application

I love technology, plain and simple. Whether or not I actually understand it, or can fully utilise, well that's a whole other question.

I love reading Stuff magazine (http://stuff.tv/) where I get my monthly dose of gadgets, technology, and of course mobile phones, or rather the increasingly popular smartphones.

I use a BlackBerry Bold and try to "really use" it's capabilities, but its the aftermarket, the third party, applications that really personalise your BlackBerry into something more than the standard smartphone. What follows is a list of a number of key third party applications that I use on my Bold, and which also make life a little more interesting.

twitter:

Starting off with the obligatory question "What are you doing?", you can post your response in a short (< 140 characters) but concise message. You can follow people (keeping the theme going @StuffTV) and people can follow you. Great site for social and business networking. Go to http://www.twitter.com/ and sign up. For BlackBerry users, go to http://www.orangatame.com/ and download the application so you can twitter to your heart's content from your handset.

BerryReview:

A great site for BlackBerry specific applications, updates, whispers, reviews, etc. They have a fabulous BerryReview Store where you can download free applications, or purchase software and hardware. A great feature is there reminders when your purchased software is eligible for an upgrade, usually free. Go to http://www.berryreview.com/ and for BlackBerry users, you can download an icon to your home screen to take to your BerryReview whenever you need to.

Handango:

Another great site for software for a large range of smartphones, whether BlackBerry, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, HTC, etc. Like Berry Review, you select the type of mobile you are using, and it will list the eligible software options for your consideration, ranging from free, up to premium priced software. A mobilised Handango application can be downloaded onto your handset, simply by visiting http://www.handango.com/ from your handset. This mobilised version has a great weather function, where you can enter 3 of your favourite places (and yes, works perfectly for Australian, Indian and Fijian locations).

Viigo:

A useful and very well respected RSS feeder/reader, Viigo brings all your interesting websites to one location. You have a large range of stored RSS sites (covering a vast range of topics) to choose from, or you can simply add your preferred ones to the Viigo list, simply by adding the correct url address. Go to http://www.berryreview.com/ on your handset, go to their OTA section, and simply download Viigo. Add BerryReview to your list of RSS sites, and off you go.

A few applications for your consideration, which can add to your smartphone (in my case, BlackBerry) experience.

My thoughts and twitters,

Thomas

Starting dating again, after a divorce (from a male perspective)

An interesting thing happened while I was at the hairdressers (which normally happens every three weeks)... I was sitting there enjoying a head massage when I was asked to join a conversation between three ladies. The subject... when should a person re-enter the dating arena after a divorce; more specifically, a 35+ lady with a 2 year old daughter. I was asked from,would you believe it, a male's viewpoint.

Well sure, being a divorced male with a couple of relationship trainwrecks in his past, but getting closer to remarrying (and boy,am I the lucky one), I did have a little experience, and it was obvious this lady was hurting (her ex had quickly found another; it only took a month), so I thought why not.

Couple of things important for everyone to know:

1. Give it some time: Don't force a relationship to happen; they need time to develop and to be nurtured. It's not a race to find someone, anyone, but time may be needed to find the right someone.
2. Don't hide things like children from your date: Why hide someone so special from a potential partner? Remember,if that initial date turns into something much deeper, and you have held back critical detail of that significant other person in your life, what does that say about your belief in the strength of the new relationship? And if he doesn't want/like children... why would you string him on?
3. It's not a competition with your ex: Just because he jumped out of one relationship, and virtually straight into another (not allowing himself time to recover and learn from the previous relationship) certainly does not mean you should to (refer back to point 1.).
4. Create a small personal card: This may sound a little contrived, or even a little snobbish, but creating a small personal card, showing your name, a secondary email / twitter address, and a short one liner, but NOT a mobile number, may be an easy way of allowing contact after the date to occur, but without having to disconnect your mobile phone, as a result of a relationship gone south.
5. Meet a blind date in public, during the day: Normally, a date during the day is a lot less easier to extract yourself from, than compared to one during the evening. If the date isn't going according to plan,you can always exit stage right, with an excuse of an appointment / meeting / tweetup, where as a night time date has less escape options.
6. Your life doesn't have to be put on hold just because you have a child: Sounds harsh but in 0 - 18 years or more, that child will have grown up and perhaps moved on. Can you really afford to put your life on hold for that long. If your child is such a big part of your life, then let your life move forwards with your child.
7. See a psychologist: Any momentous change in your life,certainly needs an amount of support to assist with the recovery,and a psychologist is perfect and quite subtle. And really, anything more than three months (unless there were some major issues) with a psychologist, is consdiered to be a waste of time and money.

This is by no means the definitive list, and I am sure anyone could add something here, but it's a starting point, and I certainly hope someone, somewhere, will take advantage of this information.

My thoughts for now,

Thomas