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.
Showing posts with label facebook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label facebook. Show all posts
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Social networking / media direct from my BlackBerry Bold
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!
Monday, August 3, 2009
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.
Monday, April 13, 2009
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.
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