Blackberry Review, Things Done

Newest to Oldest.

1/9/04

Download and install 3.6.1 Desktop Software; hoping it might have an option to delay forwarding messages from my Inbox so that my spam filter has a chance to move spam out of if. Don't see any new options at all.

Download and install 3.6 Blackberry Software; update applications on handheld. Add Blackberry Attachment Service. Takes a while. Get only "gprs" connection; power off/on, get "GPRS".

This seems to fix the crashing problems.

1/8/04

Remove and replace battery to see if crashes-when-answering-calls stop, as per WLM. I don't get a lot of calls so it is hard to say if that helps or not.

(For remainder of 2003, use it every day for email, calendar, sms, some phone calls; still crashes occasionally, usually when I *really* want to make a call.)

4/14/03

No GPRS signal all weekend, just "gprs"; got SMS messages but no mail. In office -- still just "gprs"; 3-4 bars. Follow problem determination for this here. Says to remove SIM and reinsert. Now works. Mail message from Friday on received (all w/ 11:42 today as time stamp).

4/11

Check filed messages -- with handheld setting "Hide Filed Messages" all my filed messages have stayed on the handheld. Thought I had this setup to delete file messages, but turns out I have 114 on it (looking at only 6). Try various options on handheld and for Intellisync; don't see how to delete filed messages from handheld.

Look for WML info; toolkits, dev kits, etc. Search on MSDN; download and install Microsoft Mobile Internet Toolkit 1.0 which is for Visual Studio .NET from http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/downloads/list/netdevmit.asp. Compile a Mobile Web Form . . . looks like the web server needs the MMIT too.

3/21

Sync now working as I want it.
Look into SMS format -- can the "000000000" be replaced with something useful? Look for SMS format specs. Not a lot of good hits. Maybe this.
Try Yahoo Mobile; "from" is still "000000000".
Try to build and load an app:
- Download "Jave 2 re standard 1.4.0_03" and "Blackbery_IDE_3.2.1.exe", install both
- Note dev guide at http://www.blackberry.net/developers/na/java/doc/bbjde/blackberry_jde_devguide_321.pdf
- Try to build demo app "helloworld"; get "I/O Error: ... build error=2."
- dev guide says you need "Java Communications API, version 2.0, but URL doesn't exist. Regeister with java.sun.com; download javacomm20-win32.zip; no installer. Read readme.api. Link for "Installation Instructions" fails (shesh, how had could it be to make a relative link). Find that file (PlatformSpecific.html); references a c:\jdk1.1.6\bin dir which I don't have; use C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.0_03\bin\ instead. Follow install steps (ugh). Get build completed message, but not sure anything was built.
- Can't find output . . . do Debug/Go, simulator starts, but no HelloWorld icon. . . .
- HARD FREEZE -- was just clicking around the JDE; first time ever on this machine; power cycle.
- Try another hour to get sample apps into simulator. Second hard freeze, this time on starting the JDE. Change simulator command line, adding /b according to readme.txt.
- Try selecting project HelloWorld; then build fails. Output is:
Deleting C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\samples\com\rim\samples\device\helloworld\com_rim_helloworld.cod.

Building com_rim_helloworld ...

C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\bin\rapc.exe -quiet import="C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\lib\net_rim_api.jar" codename=com\rim\samples\device\helloworld\com_rim_helloworld com\rim\samples\device\helloworld\com_rim_helloworld.rapc "C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\samples\com\rim\samples\device\resource\HelloWorldRes.rrh" "C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\samples\com\rim\samples\device\helloworld\HelloWorld.java" "C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\samples\com\rim\samples\device\helloworld\img\helloworld_jde.gif"

I/O Error: CreateProcess: javac -target 1.1 -g -O -d C:\TEMP\rapc_46133.dir -bootclasspath "C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\lib\net_rim_api.jar" -classpath "C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\lib\net_rim_api.jar" "C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\samples\com\rim\samples\device\helloworld\HelloWorld.java" "C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1\samples\com\rim\samples\device\resource\HelloWorldResResource.java" error=2

Error while building project
- Uninstall the JDE and reinstall in c:\jde instead of C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 3.2.1
- Try again; same error. Note that:
  - C:\JDE\samples\com\rim\samples\device\resource\HelloWorldResource.java was created.
  - Readme says the JDE is for Windows NT/2000, and I'm using XP (have no W2K system handy to try it on).
- Try other samples, same error.
- Give up.
Run the Application Loader Wizard . . . select all the available updates . . . am I going to be sorry . . . probably should have checked versions . . . takes quite a while . . . about 20 minutes. All user data re-added; all messages on handheld are gone, and the "Top 20 Tips" and "Welcome" are there. I would think a warning should be given about this process.

3/20

Figured out "file" for messages . . . sync to desktop works.
Give up on importing CT calendar to Outlook; load up OL calendar and sync.
Phone: edit forwarding profile (all numbers were 14122258877); unable to save changes on network
Change message delete option to delete from both handheld and desktop; ahh, better.
Look at software development options.

3/19

Looked for support options; tried to download Desktop Manager service pack 3.5a (web page failed).
Go to attwireless.com/blackberrystart instead; create account; setup Blackberry Web Client; not sure I want that; mail was working fine with desktop redirector; get message about it.
Try attwireless.com/blackberry . . . go for downloads; get to similar page but on www.blackberry.com instead of www.blackberry.net. Get 3.5.0 hot fix, but installer says "not applicable".
The support options link on http://www.blackberry.com/support/documentation/bbee/index.shtml doesn't work.

3/18

Reply to an email on the way to work. And they thought talking on a cell phone was dangerous to do while driving.
Note that SMS messages from WebMon have a "00000000" as the from address -- check.
Cradle and automatic sync.
Got some messages at home

3/17

Battery low (4.5 days since first charge); radio reception turned off.
Setup dock in office; install desktop software.
- Surprised redirector filters defined on laptop found -- must be stored on Exchange server.
Backup to office machine; setup automatic backup for every day.
Try sync with "reconcile email" and "update date/time" in addition to "synchronize PIM" (note, by calendar is empty). Check log (rather long and cryptic). Note some tasks labeled "FAIL RANGE" -- oh, these are marked as done.
Note items put on Outlook -- Memo to Notes, Contacts (two added; two added "differently").
Delete a bunch of old names from Outlook Contacts; sync again. Dialog box to confirm 9 deletions pops up, with option to list details.
Set autostart in Intellisync to do email, PIP and date/time.
Un-cradle; several minutes before email forwarding starts . . . pretty slow, but that's perhaps on purpose.
Re-cradle, redirection turned off; Intellisync runs automatically.
- Note that although the redirector is "disabled", messages pending are still sent after it is cradled (there is a Purge Pending menu item under Options).
Change SMS address for me on WebMon.
Export calendar from CT; import to Outlook; synch. Note reminders are not there; need to check why. (Outlook doesn't have them either.) Try exporting iCalendar file, but results only in one agenda item in Outlook; no reminder set. Look in ics and vcs files; no reminder data. Define some appointments in Outlook and set reminders; cradle and sync; reminders are present on bb.
Home: got a weak signal near an eastern window; enough to get some messages.
Change some browser settings.

3/16

Use browser in car on turnpike; no failures; a few times a little slow.

3/15

Walk around downtown Phila; signal very good everywhere.

3/14 (in Phila)

Send SMS message to other phone.
Use browser to read news articles via ABC news.
Connect docking station to serial port.
Start Desktop Manager . . . connecting to Exchange Server failed (laptop has no network connection at this time).
Set serial port to COM1; detected Blackberry, and connected.
Backup Blackberry.
Start Desktop Manager; says it can't connect to mail system.
Dial in, still can't connect to email system.
Close and restart Desktop Manager; now connects to email system
- says online
- says generating new key
- it seems to have read all server information from Outlook settings (Outlook not open)
Launch Desktop Redirector
- get status message "In cradle - email redirection to handheld disabled".
- hmm, but messages are being put on the Blackberry; need to read documentation.
Undock bb; now able to send email.
Try Intellisync, synchronized tasks.
Dialed back in . . . mail sent from bb not in Outlook, but a message from network@flycatcher.blackberry.net is. Run redirector; message appears on bb.
Try mail to a different account; another flycatcher message show up in outlook.
Start Desktop Redirector; ahh, flycatcher messages disappear.
- Ok, I get it. the redirector sends and receives mail messages to and from the bb.

3/13

Signal alternates between "X" and "SOS" on Tadpole Rd.; about 2 miles north on Whitehall, get signal.
Drive to Philadelphia; signal fairly constant once near Valley Forge (not looking frequently; driving).
Use phone, recall memo.

3/12

Box received from Bill.
Charge battery (done at about 5:30pm), set date and time.
Start web page notes.
No signal at home.
Load desktop software; don't configure yet.
Enter a memo to use later.
Add an entry to the Address Book.

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This page was last modified: 8/12/2004 9:13:11 AM.