We’re a bit late in putting this out, but there’s a time for everything I guess.  Switching BlackBerry seems to be a dilemma with many today, and we’d like to make sure you all are properly doing it.  Tragic incidents such as resending folks your new PIN is just sad.  There’s no need for that.  Now we all will hit this task one time or another so after talking to Mac we decided it would be good to write up a guide on how to ! (The easy way) I am going to run 2 guides. 1 guide is for all you Berry lovers who don’t have access to your own PC. The other is for those who do. First up, no access to your own PC. Let’s go!

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This is all based off a newsletter PDF being passed on by T-Mobile BlackBerry agents to retail store representatives.  We found it to be useful and hopefully you all will as well.  These BlackBerry Consumer Quick Links are based on a variety of official links from Research in Motion including social networking apps.  Hit the jump to check out the full list of quick links.

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BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express released publicly and free to all to download the other day.  With that said, some folks interested may not be so tech savvy with all its ins and outs so RIM has provided a how to walk through for it.  It’s more of an animated slideshow, but it is very helpful to watch, especially if you’re looking to start your own BlackBerry Enterprise Server yourself.

• Check out the full tutorial on BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express >>

-by Mac Jadalhack

Here’s just another tip out of the hat for you all.  Some Berry users aren’t fond of scrolling through menus and selecting applications.  Seriously I have a friend with an 8700g who has hidden all his home screen icons (in a Dimension theme) and uses strictly home screen shortcuts.  Of course you don’t have to hide all your icons to use these, but they can be useful, especially if home screen dialing just isn’t your cup of tea.

(Note – you must disable home screen dialing first to use these)

• “F” – Profiles
• “N” – BBM
• “C” – Compose (typically email)
• “V” – Saved Messages
• “B” – Browser
• “M” – Message (Email unless you have them grouped then both)
• “L” – Calendar
• “K” – Keylock
• “D” – Memopad
• “S” – Search
• “A” – Address Book
• “W” – Wap Browser (unless you have Berry Weather then it’s that app)
• “T” – Tasks
• “U” – Calculator
• “O” – Options
• “P” – Phone

UPDATE: If you have OS 5.0, shortcut “F” will not work as it is now called Sounds not Profiles.  There is no current shortcut for it.  Thanks for the tip Scott!

-by Collin Sorp

A lot of you have been using these while a lot of you were completely unaware.  Here are some AutoText shortcuts you can use to help simplify inserting device info and such when chatting, emailing, texting, etc.  All of these are not case sensitive so feel free to use uppercase or lowercase.

Legend: _=space meaning any time you see the ” _ ” push the space button.

• Local Date: LD_
• Local Time: LT_
• Your BlackBerry Pin: mypin_
• Pastes your Lock Screen Message into a Message: sig_
• Inserts your BB Model and OS into a message: myver_
• Inserts your device name (whatever you named it): usrid_
• Inserts your Phone Number into a Message: mynumber_

Hope you found this information useful.  Enjoy.

-by Mac Jadalhack

Some themes may switch up your signal meter to graphical meters and what not.  Here’s a simple trick you can do with your BlackBerry to transform those bars as seen above to a numerical value instead.  I don’t know how useful you may find it, but it is definitely more “cool” than it is savvy.

• 1. Go to your home screen.
• 2. Start off by pressing the ALT key, and press NMLL to change to numerical value.
• 3. To switch back, perform the same function by again pressing the ALT key, and press NMLL to change to bar value.

UPDATE: For the BlackBerry Storm:

• 1. Open the keyboard on home screen.  Easy way of doing this is setting one of your convenience keys to “Virtual Keyboard.”
• 2. Hold  the ‘!?123′ button to enable the number lock.
• 3. Type an exclamation point, a comma, and two sets of double quotation marks.
• 4. Type the same thing over again to go back to graphic bar display.

-by Mac Jadalhack

Are you a consistent chatter on BlackBerry?  You might be emailing and BBMing quite often and AutoText may just help you.  Just as a quick recap, AutoText is used as typing shortcuts.  As seen above for example, I typed in “hru” into the first box that reads Replace. Next it says With where I typed in “how are you.”  Now everytime i type “hru,” the phrase “how are you” will appear.  Get it?  So head over to Options, then select AutoText to start adding your customized word replacements today.

-by Mac Jadalhack

We’re not giving out free information on how to unlock your BlackBerry without any unlock code or anything.  These instructions are for those who do have an unlock code, but don’t know the means of putting into the actual BlackBerry.  This 10 step process should take no longer than 4 minutes.

• 1. Turn off all of the wireless connections (manage connections – turn all connections off)
• 2. Go to the Options icon on the device
• 3. Select Advanced Options
• 4. Select SIM Card
• 5. On a Storm, hit Menu key to select Show Keyboard, on a QWERTY/SureType, advance to Step 6.
• 6. Type “mepd” (keep in mind that you won’t be able to see what you type)
• 7. Then type the letters  “mep2″
• 8. Now it will say ‘Enter network mep code’
• 9. At this time you’ll have to put in your unlock code.
• 10. Enable your wireless connection with the new sim card inside and you’re good to go.

-by Otoniel Bruno

Silly of me to show you now, but there are many folks out there that strongly believe the Memory Cleaner app does not even exist on their BlackBerry.  I am here to tell you that if you are currently rockin’ OS 4.5 or above, then you got it.  Now, to enable the Memory Cleaning app…

• 1.) Go to the Options
• 2.) Security Options
• 3.) On OS 4.5+ go to “General Settings”, On OS 5.0 go to “Advanced Security Options”
• 4.) Select “Memory Cleaning”
• 5.) Change the “Disabled” to “Enabled” and scroll down to “Show Icon on Home Screen” changing it from “No” to “Yes”

There are other options of course in this menu including to clean when your BlackBerry is holstered or even idled.  Those options are up to you.  Now the Memory Cleaning app is located on your home screen which can be moved around any where, in a folder, or even hidden again if you prefer.

-by Mac Jadalhack

Just another old trick out of the hat we want to share with you.  Did you know you could sync your Microsoft Outlook with your BlackBerry in 5 easy steps? This isn’t really a new trick out of the hat or anything but many still don’t know how to get their Outlook contacts synced with their BlackBerry.  Traditionally, users like you end up syncing through Google Sync, and take it no further.  As a matter of fact, Microsoft Outlook syncing to the BlackBerry was available way before Google Sync was.

• Install Blackberry Desktop Manager through the CD which comes in your BlackBerry box or you can download it easily from http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/desktop/
• Next, connect your BlackBerry to your PC using a USB cable and allow the BlackBerry device driver install. When device driver install is complete, it will come up saying “hardware installed successfully” in your windows task tray.  Thumbs up.
• After that, go ahead and open BlackBerry Desktop software and choose SYNCHRONIZE option.
• Choose CONFIGURE and you may select CONTACTS, CALENDAR, NOTES, and TASKS databases by clicking check boxes next to each. After you select each item, it will ask which application you would like to sync it with, you will choose OUTLOOK for all.
• Now click OK out of all windows until you are at the main BlackBerry Desktop Manager screen. click SYNCHRONIZE. Make sure that the SYCHRONIZE ORGANIZER DATA check box is checked. Now click SYNCHRONIZE NOW to begin synchronization.

-by Otoniel Bruno

Image via: 611Connect