AutoText and Other BlackBerry Tips

BlackBerry AutoText

One of the greatest features on the BlackBerry is the AutoText feature. Not sure what it is? Start composing an email and try typing in the following:

cant

then press the space bar.

Did you notice the apostrophe was automatically put in there for you?

Try typing wer and press the space bar.  It should have changed to we're automatically.

So AutoText is great to help you with shortcuts when you're typing out emails. But, you can also go in and set up your own AutoText words or even whole emails.

So you may be asking, "Why would I ever need to create my own AutoText?"

Here's one that I use a lot:

Anytime I go visit a potential customer for the first time, as soon as I leave their office, I immediately want to send them an email thanking them for meeting with me. I have an AutoText set up with the word meetme. When I type meetme in the body of an email it automatically enters a pre-typed email that thanks the person for meeting with me. The email also gives them some websites to view as well as a couple of current customers contact info that I use as references.  I can usually have an email sent to the person I met within three to five minutes after leaving their office. I've even had a couple of people call me and ask how I was able to get them an email so fast. It creates another opportunity for me to talk about BlackBerry and another face to face meeting with them.

To set up your own AutoText do the following:

• Go to Options
• Go to AutoText
• Press the Menu Key
• Select New
• Fill in the "replace" and "with" fields however you wish
• Press the menu key
• Select Save

Other BlackBerry Tips

Did you know you can add up to 10 email accounts to your BlackBerry smartphone? This means you no longer have to log into your hotmail, gmail, or yahoo accounts ever again. With push technology your emails will find you and staying connected has never been easier. The phone provider you use will determine how you need to set up your email accounts on your BlackBerry. 

When scrolling through messages:

• press space to move page up

• press shift and space to move page down

When typing an alphanumeric phone number (ex.1-800-FLOWERS)

• hold down the alt key to input letters into a phone number

BlackBerry Media Solutions

If you use your BlackBerry's media player, and you use iTunes, then you need BlackBerry Media Sync.  It allows you to copy your iTunes playlists right onto your BlackBerry.  It's fast, easy, and free.  Click here to go get the free download.  

To get the most out of your music experience on your BlackBerry, try using the MOTOROKR S9 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones.  This is great to use at the gym or when you're walking, running or biking because there are no wires to get in the way.  And, it still works for phone calls at the same time.  If you receive a call while listening to music, the BlackBerry automatically pauses the music while you take the call. I've actually had this item for quite sometime and I love it.  It also is a great thing to use when you fly because it is small and easy to throw in a carry-on. It is a quality item and it takes the same car charger as your BlackBerry.

I have recently been testing the MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth Speakerphone.  I was skeptical at first, but this has proven to be a great product.  This Bluetooth includes a digital FM tuner so you can not only listen to music from your BlackBerry media player through your car stereo, but you can also listen to phone calls in stereo through your car speaker system.  The quality of the call is so good that the person you're talking to doesn't even know you're using a speakerphone.  If you spend a lot of time behind the wheel, then you want this product. This item also uses the same car charger as your BlackBerry.

Google Maps

So most everyone knows I use a BlackBerry.  Today I'm in Farmington on a 2 day sales trip.  I needed to find a location in an area I wasn't familiar with, and once again Google Maps worked great.  It's a free download on your BlackBerry, and if you don't already have it on yours you need to download it.  On your BlackBerry browser, go to www.google.com/gmm, and download away.   The more you use it, the more you'll realize how great it is.  It is a GREAT tool, and it's absolutely free!