Common BlackBerry Faults and Resolutions

This piece covers several common faults with BlackBerry handsets with advice on how to easily resolve them.

Cracked or damaged display

A faulty BlackBerry display can manifest itself in several ways, from the obvious cracked or leaking display to dead pixels, leaking colors or even a very dim back-light. Usually a replacement is the only way to resolve this, however daunting this sounds it is usually very easy due to the mass-production involved in smartphone assembly meaning all parts are created to be modular and easy to replace.

My BlackBerry screen has frozen

This type of fault can be common to most electronic devices and computers. Like your PC, the most common fix is a reboot.

You can reboot your BlackBerry by either holding down ALT+CAP+DEL to perform a soft-reset, or by locating the hard-reset button on the back of your device which can usually be pressed using the end of a paper clip.

Should your BlackBerry not have a hard-reset button, removing the battery for 60 seconds should do the trick.

My recent call logs and text messages have disappeared

A symptom of low memory on your phone. Since smartphones can run multiple applications at the same time (known as multi-tasking) the available memory can be consumed quite easily. Not a problem on older phones, since they would typically run one task at a time.

To remedy this fault try closing any web browsing or multimedia (music players etc) sessions you may have running in the background. In future try to make sure you quit applications when you are finished using them instead of moving onto the next task - all too easy to do without realising.

Your recent calls and messages will not re-appear, but any new messages and calls will should be logged properly. If you are still having trouble try a full cold reboot by removing the battery for 60 seconds.

Track ball no longer clicks when pressed

If your roller ball moves and tracks as expected but the click function no longer works, you will need to replace the trackball contact switch. We will have these in stock soon.

Track ball no longer moves, or sticks

If your roller ball intermittently moves or gives jerky movement you could have some lint or pocket fluff stuck in there.

The first fix you should try is blowing some compressed air into the roller to clear it out. If you find the roller ball is faulty, we stock replacement roller balls and have BlackBerry disassembly instructions available.

Replacement parts including detailed fitting instructions are available from The Mobile Site - http://www.themobilesite.co.uk/

View the original article here

The Most Common Cell Phone Service Options

Researching cell phone service providers is a lot like attending an insurance seminar or a mandatory staff meeting. You can pay attention for about five minutes before your eyes start to glaze over as the details and minutiae pile up like dead flies on a windowsill. Before you begin to explore the options available in your area, it helps to have a solid general overview of the basic types of mobile service plans that other consumers typically choose. Having a good understanding of the mobile carrier landscape will help you to make a more informed decision down the road.

The Major Carriers

For unlimited voice and text, high-speed downloads, and superior coverage and data, the major carriers like Verizon,AT&T, and Sprint are the way to go. They offer the best possible mobile experience, but they come with a catch. These mobile behemoths boast massive, labyrinthine bureaucracies and customer service systems that leave much to be desired. Major carriers are more likely to provide lackluster customer service because they assume that you're not aware of any alternatives.

Budget Wireless Resellers

An increasingly popular way to get cell phone service without breaking the bank is to use a regional reseller carrier. Companies like Cricket Wireless, Republic Wireless, and MetroPCS offer an alternative to the mobile heavyweights. Typically, these companies run their services on top of the wireless infrastructures of the bigger providers. They typically offer no-frills plans, stripping out extras to deliver basic unlimited service at a lower cost. The download speeds are often slower, but if that's not a huge sticking point then regional providers should do the trick just fine.

The WiFi Phone Option

For the extreme bargain hunter, there's always the option of using wireless Internet service to make calls. Thanks to VoIP applications like Skype and Ekiga, making calls over the Internet is actually quite reliable and painless. In order to do this, you'll need to buy an iPod Touch 4G, Samsung Galaxy Player, or any other WiFi music player that runs a mobile operating system. Then, just visit either the iTunes App Store or the Android Market and download the free Skype client. Now you can make calls anywhere for free as long as you're within range of a WiFi hotspot. You can even use Gmail's built-in Talk plugin to make free VoIP calls to any cell phone or land line in the continental United States and Canada.

In Conclusion

There's a broad spectrum of available options when it comes to getting decent mobile phone service regardless of where you live. You can save yourself a lot of money by being a smart shopper and learning how to track down the best deals. Hopefully, the information above will give you a good idea of how to begin. In any event, getting a good deal from a cell phone service provider isn't impossible if you play your cards right.

View the original article here