Tips and Tricks Thread for the 8130

[Gibralter]

Thought it would be a good idea to have people post their personal tips or tricks to using the Pearl, maximizing effciency, or just some cool nugget of wisdom in one centralized location.

Post away!

Here is a real basic one but very useful: To close a program, instead of simply pushing the red button (which doesn't actually close the program) go through the menu button and do it. Or if you are at your home screen and want to delete programs running to improve battery effeciency, hold down alt (the button with the down black arrow, up grey arrow in bottom left corner) and press the escape button (first button on right next to trackball). This will display running programs and you can close all but the main 5 (browser, call log, home screen, messages and blackberry messenger [or so mine seems]).

[Wegmans]

Press the letter that corresponds to the menu command you desire.. for example instead of scrolling to CLOSE, hit the 7(CV) key!

makes navigation much faster, especially once you get the hang of it.

[Gibralter]

Excellent, a trick on a tip! Keep 'em coming!

[Member_No.1]

Gibralter, since you are the originator of this thread, and a good idea at that, if you can't do it, maybe ask on of the mods to pin this so it will stay at the top.
I'm sure this will come in handy.

[vlalra]

Originally Posted by Member_No.1

Gibralter, since you are the originator of this thread, and a good idea at that, if you can't do it, maybe ask on of the mods to pin this so it will stay at the top.
I'm sure this will come in handy.

I agree see what you can do about keeping this one on top. I have a 8310 red but these work for me also so far.

Thanks

Keep them comming!!

[archer823]

Since the Pearl cannot do a Soft Reset using the keyboard shortcut regular BBs can, you can do one by using the excellent program SoftReset

geek and proud - BlackBerry Software

[corn1010]

I dont know if others do this, but I create folders and label them. I put some icons i never use much in them so my main screen isnt loaded with icons I never ever use.

[Impulss]

Nice post Gibralter..

Here is a link to my compose messaging shortcut - My shortcut for Messaging...

Basically, I assign a shortcut key to "compose" and save some steps.

[shemmy]

Originally Posted by corn1010

I dont know if others do this, but I create folders and label them. I put some icons i never use much in them so my main screen isnt loaded with icons I never ever use.

I use folders for the opposite purpose, organization. If I never use an application, I remove it. If it can't be removed, I hide the icon (highlight the icon, hit the menu key, and select hide). Folders, OTOH, are my filing system. I have one for applications, one for entertainment (games, media), and one for utilities (alarm, calc, settings). The only thing I keep on the top level of the application list are my address book, note pad, task list, connections manager, and power icon (and the folders). Between using the Vodafone Today screen and having the app switcher mapped to the left hot-key, I'm pretty happy w/ quick access to what I use the most and easy access to everything else.

[Jerode]

To lock the phone hold the *(SYM) button.

[Impulss]

To automatically change your ringer (profile) to vibrate, press and hold the # key

[daddybear]

i posted this a while ago...hope this helps-

here is a list of shortcuts i copied from pinstack.com

they are for the 8100 but most of them work for the 8130...

hope this helps.

Basic Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in many applications:
To move the cursor, roll the trackball.
To exit a screen or to move to a previous page in a browser, press the Escape key.
To move upwards in a screen, press 3.
To move downwards in a screen, press 9.
To move to the top of a screen, press 1.
To move to the bottom of a screen, press 7.
To move to the next item, press 6.
To move to the previous item, press 4.
To move to a list item or menu item, type the first letter of the item.
To select or clear a check box, click the trackball.
To select adjacent items, hold the Shift key and roll the trackball.
To delete a selected item, press the Delete key.
To switch applications, hold the Alt key and press the Escape key. Continue holding the Alt key and select an application. Release the Alt key.
To return to the Home screen, press the End key.
To lock the keyboard, from the Home screen, hold the asterisk ( * ) key.
To unlock the keyboard, hold the Send key and press the asterisk ( * ) key. Type your password.
To switch between the Default and Vibrate notification profiles, from the Home screen, hold the pound ( # ) key.
To turn on a theme or notification profile, select a theme or notification profile, then press the Space key.
Phone Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the phone application or during a phone call:
To answer a phone call, press the Send key.
To place an active phone call on hold and answer a second incoming phone call, press the Send key.
To view the contact list, hold the Send key.
To insert a plus sign ( + ) when typing a phone number, hold 0.
To add an extension to a phone number, press the X key, then type the extension number.
To assign a speed dial number to a key, from the Home screen or in the Phone application, hold the key you want to assign. Type the phone number.
To check your voice mail, hold 1.
To view the last phone number that you dialed, scroll to the top of the Phone screen, then press the Enter key. Press the Send key to dial the number.
Camera Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the Camera application:
To take a picture, press the Right Convenience key.
To zoom the camera in, press the Volume Up key.
To zoom the camera out, press the Volume Down key.
Message Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the Messages application:
To compose a message from the message list, press the comma ( , ) key.
To reply to a message, press the exclamation point ( ! ) key.
To reply to all, press the question mark ( ? ) key.
To forward a message, press the period ( . ) key.
To view received messages, hold the Alt key and press 3.
To view call logs, hold the Alt key and press the period ( . ) key.
To view voice mail messages, hold the Alt key and press 7.
To view SMS text messages, hold the Alt key and press the question mark ( ? ) key.
To view your message list again, press the Escape key.
To move up a message in the list, press 2.
To move down a message in the list, press 8.
Typing Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used when typing text in an application:
To type the alternate character on a key, hold the Alt key and press the character key.
To type an accented or special character, hold the letter key and roll the trackball left or right. Click a selected character.
To type a symbol, press the Symbol key. To view more symbols, press the Symbol key again. Type the letter that appears below the symbol to enter the corresponding symbol.
To insert a period, press the Space key twice. The next letter is capitalized.
To capitalize a letter, hold the letter key until the capitalized letter appears.
To turn on NUM lock, hold the Shift key and press the Alt key.
To turn off NUM lock, press the Alt key.
To insert an at sign ( @ ) or a period ( . ) in an email address field, press the Space key.
To type a number in a number field, press a number key. You do not need to press the Alt key.
To type a number in a password field, hold the Alt key and press the number key.
To type a letter in a number field, hold the Alt key and use the multi-tap input method to enter the letter.
To switch typing input languages, hold the Alt key and press the Enter key. Select a language, then release the Alt key. Note: To allow this functionality, on the Language screen, verify that the Use Input Method Shortcut field is set to Yes.
To select a line of text, press the Shift key and roll the trackball.
To select text character by character, hold the Shift key and roll the trackball left or right.
To cancel a text selection, press the Escape key.
To cut selected text, hold the Shift key and press the Delete key.
To copy selected text, press the Alt key and click the trackball.
To paste your cut or copied text, press the Shift key and click the trackball.
Search Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used when searching in an application:
To search for a contact in a list of contacts, type the contact name or initials separated by a space.
To view the criteria of your last search, in your list of searches, press the Menu key. Click Last.
Attachment Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used when viewing attachments:
To search for text in an attachment, press Q.
To switch between the table of contents and the full content of an attachment, press O.
To change the size of a column in a spreadsheet, press Z.
To move to a specific cell in a spreadsheet, press A.
To view the content of a cell in a spreadsheet, press the Space key.
To view a slide show presentation, press A.
To stop a slide show presentation, hold the Escape key.
To switch presentation views, press Z.
Browser Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the browser applications:
To insert a period ( . ) in the Go To dialog box, press the Space key.
To insert a forward slash ( / ) in the Go To dialog box, hold the Shift key and press the Space key.
To open the bookmark list from a web page, press 5.
To add a bookmark from a web page, press the question mark ( ? ) key.
To view a thumbnail version of a web page, press X. To return to the normal view, press any key.
To stop loading a web page, press the Escape key.
To move to a specific web page, press the period ( . ) key.
To hide the banner on a web page, press the exclamation point ( ! ) key. To view the banner on a web page, press the exclamation point ( ! ) key again.
To close a browser, hold the Escape key.
Media Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the Media application:
To pause a video, press the Mute key. To resume playing the video, press the Mute key again.
To zoom in to a picture, press 3.
To zoom out from a picture, press 9.
To return to the original picture size, press 5.
To rotate a picture, press the comma ( , ) key.
To pause a slide show, press the Space key. To resume the slide show, press the Space key again.
To pause a song, press the Mute key. To resume playing the song, press the Mute key again.
Maps Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the Maps application:
To zoom in to a map, press L.
To zoom out from a map, press O.
To view the status information at the top of a map, press Q. To hide the status information at the top of a map, press Q again.
Calendar Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the Calendar Day view:
Note: To allow shortcuts in Day view, in the Calendar options, set the Enable Quick Entry field to No.
To schedule an appointment, press the period ( . ) key.
To move to the next day, press 6.
To move to the previous day, press 4.
To move ahead one hour, press 2.
To move back one hour, press 8.

-db

cause I'm feeling the crackberry love today....

[livspop]

Ok, maybe I missed this and excuse me if I did. The very comprehensive list above nails about everything. However, how do I see my "outgoing messages" in the message application. On the 8830 I hit alt+o, however on the 8130 "i" and "o" use the same key.....

[Gibralter]

Holy smokes db! Lol my eyes started to glaze over after the 2nd paragraph.

Originally Posted by Member_No.1

Gibralter, since you are the originator of this thread, and a good idea at that, if you can't do it, maybe ask on of the mods to pin this so it will stay at the top.
I'm sure this will come in handy.

I'll see what i can shake free.

[jersh55]

Is there a way to assign an application to one of the speedial keys instead of contacts? Thanks