Frozen Treat: Three tips on resetting your smart phone.

How to Thaw a Frozen BlackBerry (all versions)

The first step to take if your BlackBerry is misbehaving is to reset it. Doing this will clear the internal memory and solve many issues. There are three ways to reset a BlackBerry: soft, double-soft, and hard.

Soft Reset
Press ALT+RIGHT SHIFT(CAP)+DELETE to perform a soft reset.

Use this reset method when you want to stop all applications on a BlackBerry while leaving the device powered on.

Double-Soft Reset
Start by performing a soft reset (ALT+RIGHT SHIFT(CAP)+DELETE). The screen will turn off. When it turns back on, press ALT+RIGHT SHIFT(CAP)+DELETE again. You should then see another blank screen, followed by an hourglass.

Performing a double-soft reset stops all applications on the BlackBerry and is nearly the equivalent of a hard reset. Timing is the key to performing this manuever. This is something to try if you are having difficulty removing the battery to perform a hard reset.

Hard Reset
Starting with the device powered ON, remove the battery for 30-60 seconds. After you put the battery back in, the device will reboot. This usually takes between one and three minutes.

NOTE: The BlackBerry Pearl, Curve and Storm only have the ability to perform a hard reset. However, there are third-party applications that you can download that provide the ability to perform a soft reset. (by Joel Reeves)

How to Thaw a Frozen Windows Mobile Device (Pocket PC Edition 5, 6)

Resets on Windows Mobile devices can be can be classified into two types: hard and soft.

Soft Reset
With this type of reset, memory stays intact, so it is fairly harmless to your device. Two benefits of a soft reset are that it unfreezes a slow or non-responsive device, and it closes all running applications. Most Windows Mobile phones have a “soft reset” button in a hole that you can press to reset the device. The location varies, so consult your device’s manual to find the button on your particular phone.

Hard Reset
This type of reset is a bit more extreme and should be used only if you have backed up your device or if you are intentionally trying to erase all data. Just like the soft reset, the method to hard reset your device will vary by model. Consult your user manual for further details. (by PC Helps Staff)

Backing up Your BlackBerry, Just In Case

Before making any significant configuration changes, you will want to make sure that all the data on your device is backed up. In the event of any problems, this will ensure that the data can be restored.

1. Connect your BlackBerry to your computer with a USB cable.
2. Open Desktop Manager and double-click Backup and Restore.
3. Select Backup to perform a full backup, or select Advanced to perform a backup of specific databases.
4. If you are using the Advanced options, select each database you want to back up, and then click the arrow to move it to the list of things to back up.
5. Select a location and file name for the backup data.
6. Click Save.

If you want to perform a periodic automatic backup of your device’s data, you can do that, too:

1. Connect your BlackBerry to your computer with a USB cable.
2. Open Desktop Manager.
3. Double-click Backup and Restore.
4. In the Configuration section, select Options.
5. Check the option “Back up my device automatically every X days.”
6. Type your desired interval in the field.
7. Choose whether you want to back up all device data, or exclude messages and synched data.
8. Click OK.

Note that the backup can occur only when your BlackBerry is connected to the computer, not wirelessly. (by Joel Reeves)

MORE INFO IN: Desktop Application Support | Contact PC Helps

Choosing the right migration partner could mean the difference between the championship or an epic loss.

As with any major investment, IT leaders are responsible for proving the value behind the purchase — no matter the economic climate. In an economic dip like the one we are riding out now, the focus on ROI is doubled.

Most IT leaders realize that a Windows 7 & Office 2007 deployment requires coordination, planning and oversight, and they know which areas need to be assessed and addressed. As a result, most bring in a third party for migration assistance.

Champion your migration and prove ROI with these eight service practices:

1. First-Level Analyst Certification: Providing certified computer consultants (Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows 7 launch partners) results in higher first-call resolution rates based on their core competencies. Information workers are less likely to be placed on hold or passed through a tiered-level support structure. Applying a simple analogy, it is probable that the golfer playing five to six times a week will outperform someone who hits the links a few Sundays a month.
2. Domestic vs. Offshore Staff: The ribbon and overall look of the Office 2007 interface compared to previous versions will test IT staff and information workers. Adding potential language barriers will no doubt raise the challenges.
3. Maintain 24-7 and After-Hours Coverage: Forgo skeleton crews or lower-level support during off-hours and deliver constant, world-class Office 2007 and Windows 7 support and training outlets throughout the entirety of deployment. Many organizations employ staff globally or remotely, in addition to a nine-to-five crew. Don’t penalize employees for working in a different time zone or after hours by providing less-than-stellar service.
4. Deliver Advanced Level Office 2007 & Windows 7 Support: As IT leaders begin to see ROI during the early phases of the migration, information workers will have begun navigating their way around the ribbon and will begin finding additional and more advanced time-saving features. Support avenues should mirror these advanced-level requests and should not be treated with any less urgency than basic-level requests made during the initial migration phase. Avoid tier-structured support models to keep service levels high and reduce worker frustration and downtime.
5. Number of Software and Mobile Device Applications Supported: Requiring a migration partner that is familiar with applications and mobile devices outside the Office suite can be critical to the complexity of Office 2007 calls. Based on statistics collected over the past 18 months, many information workers begin their support requests by referring to what they could do in previous versions and want to see those same steps applied to this new version.* Additionally, Office 2007 and Windows 7 is just as often expected to work in correlation with other applications including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.
6. Training: Instruction before, during and after a migration is a key element in measuring ROI. Everyone learns at a different pace, so having a multitude of training options is best, i.e., self-service, on-demand, web-based, individual and customized. Being able to identify and deliver targeted training needs, solution-based metrics and measurable productivity gains can justify several portions of an Office 2007 and Windows 7 investment.
7. Planning and Education: Many IT leaders admittedly lack the knowledge that encompasses an Office 2007 and Windows 7 migration assurance plan, hence the reach and popularity of migration partners. With this support and training investment and other day-to-day infrastructure responsibilities IT leaders are tasked with, a migration partner should be expected to deliver a simple, successful solution. Anticipated migration assurance plans should include a readiness checklist, a project and deployment timeline, an information worker education awareness campaign, and excellent support and training — all of which can be easily integrated into the existing IT infrastructure.
8. Call Metrics: Downtime and productivity are key factors in proving ROI for any software or IT-related investment. The question to ask is: If IT leaders commit to purchasing new or updated hardware, servers, software, etc., how will the investment affect business units and add value to the organization’s bottom line? Downtime and productivity levels are two areas that easily can be quantified. With little effort, simple call statistics like response time, abandonment rate, hold times, and average first-call overall resolution percentages can be measured and delivered.

*Knowledge workers at 10 Fortune 1000 organizations (clients of PC Helps) were surveyed November 2008 through April 2009, and were asked to quantify the amount of time they would have spent resolving issues such as importing data into a file from another source in Access 2007, tracking changes in a Word 2007 document, repairing a damaged Excel 2007 file, and hundreds of other Office 2007-related software questions without the services of PC Helps Support, LLC.

MORE INFO: March Migration Madness — click here for a top-seeded team and strategic game plan | PC Helps Info Center | Contact PC Helps

“The Ribbon” almost became a profanity in 2009. It’s central to the Office redesign, and it has rendered even seasoned Office users lost and confused.

Are we “efficiency experts”? We think so. Are we “leisure enablers”? Yes, we are. Are we “ROI generators”? Precisely.

Here’s a breakdown:

1. Mobile Device Support

I, personally, cannot imagine a world without on-the-go access to e-mail, documents, maps and every other feature my mobile device affords me. And, I suspect, most corporate workers would agree.

And smart phones will only become more central to how we work. According to a 2009 study, mobile use for business will double from 2008 to 2011 and the variety of devices being used will increase. Problem is, IT departments will continue to be ill-equipped to handle the support needs.

A lack of support naturally leads to downtime, and, because the majority of users are higher-profile employees such as senior and middle managers, the downtime will have a greater effect on an organization’s bottom line.

That’s where we come in. Companies hire us to provide 24-7 expert mobile device support – from BlackBerry and Palm to iPhone and Windows Mobile. Downtime is eliminated; productivity is elevated.

2. Office 2007 & Migrations

“The Ribbon” almost became a profanity in 2009. It’s central to the Office redesign, and it has rendered even seasoned Office users lost and confused.

Many companies had already committed to a migration before the economic downturn, and the inevitable learning curve promised grief. Factor in the dismal financial climate and the overwhelming pressure to pull off a successful migration, and you have full-on agita.

That’s where we come in.

Companies hire us to be there, sometimes 24-7, during the all phases of a migration to Office 2007. Our Microsoft-certified consultants handle the surge in calls early on in a migration, and continue throughout all phases.

3. General How-To

This is our foundation. You need help with a VLOOKUP or pivot table? Call us. You have a thousand-recipient mail merge to complete and keep getting errors? We can help.

Our consultants rarely come across a question that hasn’t been asked before. Experience and stats prove that most users have problems with the same general areas of an application. And although modifying font and line spacing in a document isn’t excessively time-consuming, when you add up the minutes it takes to make those types of changes to every document created, and scale that across a company with 3,500 PC users, the productivity loss can be substantial.

Back to our definition. I’d say this: We enable you to go to more of your kids’ soccer games. We help your company earn its return on investment. We help you do more with less, to work efficiently, to get things done.

MORE INFO IN: Desktop Application Support | Contact PC Helps

How to Create an AutoText Entry (Word 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007)

By David McQueary

Retyping long strings of text over and over can become tedious.

Say you are creating a Word document for your company, and you have to use the firm’s 30-character name countless times throughout. Retyping long strings of text over and over can become tedious. Use AutoText instead; it makes document creation much faster and much less repetitive.

Word 2000, 2002, 2003

1. Click on the Insert menu and select AutoText.
2. In AutoText you can create your own entry. Once you enter the company name click the Add button on the right.
3. Click OK.

Word 2007

1. Type the text in a blank document or highlight existing text in any document.
2. Click on the Insert tab, click on the Quick Parts drop-down arrow, and choose Save Selection to Quick Parts Gallery.

Now when you start typing, after the first three letters you can press tab/return and it will fill in the rest of the name automatically for you.

How to Use AutoText on a BlackBerry

By Joel Reeves

One of the ways you can make typing quicker on your BlackBerry is by using a feature called AutoText. All BlackBerrys come with a set of AutoText entries for commonly misspelled words, words with apostrophes, and words that require letters to be in a certain case.

To access the AutoText list on a BlackBerry, go to Options | AutoText. On this screen, you will see the predefined AutoText entries.

To add your own AutoText from this screen just display the menu and choose New. In the “Replace” section you would enter what phrase you would want to input on the device (i.e. TY). In the “With” section you would enter what words/phrase you want to be replaced with (i.e. Thank You).

With the “Using” field you will have two choices: Specified Case and SmartCase. The differences are as follows:

SmartCase – You let AutoText determine the capitalization based on how it is used in a sentence (e.g., “ty” would replace “thank you” in the middle of a sentence, and “Thank you” when used in the beginning of a sentence).

Specified Case – You want AutoText to replace your phrase with how you entered it when creating the AutoText entry (e.g., “ucla” will always return “UCLA”).

After you are done creating your entry, display the menu and choose Save.

How to Have Your Device Suggest Words When You Type
(Windows Mobile 5, 6)

By Edwin Soto

Typing large amounts of text on a handheld device can be a real drag. To speed up this task, you can have your device suggest words based on what you are already typing. Follow these steps:

1. Click Start, go to Settings, select the Personal Tab, and then choose Input.
2. On the Word Completion Tab, place a check in the “Suggest Word When Entering Text” option.
3. In the “Suggest after entering letters” drop-down list, you can choose from one to seven letters.
4. In the “Suggest Words” drop-down list, you can choose from one to four words.
5. Check the “Replace Text As You Type” option if you want it to automatically correct common misspellings. (This option is called “Enable Auto Correct” on Windows Mobile 6 Devices.)
6. Click OK to accept your changes.

Now when you enter text into your device, you will have a list of choices to speed the process.

Have any priceless productivity tips to share? Send us an e-mail or post a comment.

MORE INFO IN: Desktop Application Support | Contact PC Helps

Still, all our readers cared about was learning how to use a secondary axis in Excel, how to change BlackBerry calendar views, and why help desk techs are so surly.

Here’s a list of our top 10 posts from 2009. Read and enjoy.

10. Get It Together: 5 Ways to Stay Organized in Outlook
9. 5 Lessons to Learn Before Outsourcing
8. A Kinder, Gentler Help Desk
7. Top 5 Most-Asked Help Desk Questions
6. 7 Productivity-Boosting iPhone Tips
5. Out of Office, Out of Mind
4. How the Help Desk Earns its Bad Reputation
3. Follow the Format: 5 MS Word Tips for Managers
2. 4 BlackBerry Tips Every Manager Should Know
1. Management Tool Best Practices: 3 Excel Tips that Promise Charting Greatness

MORE INFO IN: Desktop Application Support | Contact PC Helps

Accessing your e-mail using keyboard shortcuts takes productivity one step further.

In preparation for the holiday, here are some tips to help you keep your mobile work time to a minimum while you’re enjoying the family feast:

For the BlackBerry

Filter Incoming Mail

Say, for example, you receive a daily report that you will not read or deal with on your phone and would prefer to just handle it back at the office. Can you create a filter for that?

Of course you can. Here’s how:

1. Click on the Messages icon to open your messages, then click the trackwheel or Menu button and select Options.

2. Select E-mail Filters.

3. Click your trackwheel or Menu button, select New and then type a filter name.

4. You have several fields you can filter on: From; Sent To; Subject; Message; Sent directly to me; CC to me; BCC to me; Importance; Sensitivity. You can choose more than one option here. For example, to take care of your daily report problem, create the following filter:

From: coworker@domain.com
Subject: Daily Report
Action: Do not forward

This will affect any e-mails from colleagues with “daily report” in the subject.

5. Click your trackwheel or Menu button and save the filter. By default, it is enabled and will function immediately with any new incoming messages.

If you want to temporarily allow filtered messages, simply click on the filter name to uncheck in the filter list. Take note, however, that filtering works only if your BlackBerry is activated on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server; to access filters with BlackBerry Internet Service you must check with your wireless carrier.

High-Priority E-Mail Notifications

You want to make sure you know when high-priority e-mails come in, and the standard notification doesn’t quite command your attention. To set up special notices, start at the home screen, go to Profiles, then Advanced. Here you can create a new profile or modify your current one. Set the desired notification for Level 1 Messages and save. Note: High-priority message notices will work even if you have disabled those for other types of messages.

Shortcuts

BlackBerry offers a boatload of useful shortcut keys, most of which are only available on a device that has a full keyboard. They are performed by simply pressing the key or combination of keys listed below.

Open a message that was sent to you and try the following shortcuts:

R: Reply to message
L: Reply to all
F: Forward message
I: File highlighted message into a folder
Q: Toggle the display name and full e-mail address of a contact in an e-mail address field
G: Move to the last cursor position in a received message after closing and re-opening it

Outlook on Windows Mobile

Having your Outlook e-mail available from a Windows Mobile device allows you to stay connected and lets you get more work done while not at the office. Accessing your e-mail using keyboard shortcuts takes productivity one step further. Here are some of the more useful shortcuts for Outlook on a Windows Mobile device, which are performed by pressing and holding the particular key. For example, to reply to a message that is selected or opened, press and hold the R key. The following keyboard shortcuts are also available:

A: Starts a new message replying to all (Reply All)
R: Starts a new message replying to sender (Reply)
K: Toggles between marking a selected message(s) as Read or Unread
F: Used to Flag a message
M: Moves the selected message(s) to a folder
O: Starts a new message with the selected message as an attachment to be forwarded
D: Deletes the selected message(s)
S: Performs a Send/Receive

For a quick reference to the available keyboard shortcuts, press and hold the H key.

iPhone

The iPhone has graduated from dawdling device to legitimate business tool. Respected research firm Forrester issued a report earlier this year which found that workers who use iPhones are “happier and more productive.” Who knew a gadget could have such power? Here are some shortcuts to make you even happier and more productive with your iPhone.

Easy punctuation

Inserting a period from the symbols box can become tedious. You want to send messages with proper punctuation, but deadlines get in the way. Here’s a quicker way: Double-tap the spacebar. Problem solved. Reputation saved.

Copy Web images

Do you often come across images in your Web travels that you’d like to save for later use? Try this shortcut: Press and hold your finger on the photo and you’ll be prompted to “Save Image.” Now it’s in your Camera Roll.

Making sense of time zones and meetings

Sometimes technology’s intuitive functionality can get the better of you, especially when traveling across time zones. Case in point: the Time Zone Support feature, which shows event dates and times in the zone you selected for your calendar. For example, if you scheduled a 10 a.m. conference call while at the home office in Philadelphia, and you are currently visiting Los Angeles, your meeting will still show up as scheduled for 10 a.m. Turning off the Time Zone Support feature can make your schedule a little clearer by automatically adjusting your calendar to the time zone you are in. To do so, go to Settings | Mail | Contacts | Calendar and toggle off Time Zone Support.

Scrolling is fun again

Mobile devices are practical, yes, but not when it comes to screen size. Scrolling, in particular, can become tiresome on an iPhone, or any smartphone for that matter. Whichever screen you are on – your contacts, a Web site – you can quickly return to the top by tapping the status bar (at the very top of every iPhone screen).

Tips were compiled by PC Helps staff. If you have any mobile tricks you cannot live without, tell us about them in comments or send a mail to: jen.darr@pchelps.com.

MORE INFO IN: Desktop Application Support | PC Helps eTraining | Contact PC Helps

Yikes. All that, and we’re still in a recession.

Because the majority of users are higher-profile employees, the downtime has a greater impact on an organization’s bottom line.

According to the study, which was sponsored by Zenprise Inc. and published in March by Osterman Research, smartphone use in the enterprise will jump from 23 percent to 46 percent by 2011. Although the BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices will continue to dominate the business market, support needs will increase for other platforms such as iPhone and Palm OS.

The report made special note of downtime as a key issue. Because the majority of users are higher-profile employees, such as senior and middle managers, the downtime has a greater effect on an organization’s bottom line.

“…Users become so dependent on mobile devices, and others become so dependent on being able to reach them, that downtime can cause serious problems – slower decision-making, slower customer response, etc.,” the report states. “Making mobile messaging available 24×7 is as critical, if not more so, than making conventional messaging available.”

Lack of resources contributes to increased downtime, but so does a misguided allocation of resources. In the Osterman study, consultants spent the most time handling user-related issues, like passwords and sync problems – not BlackBerry Enterprise Server issues. Yet the organizations continued to dump a hefty amount of money into managing infrastructure. As a result, the IT departments could not handle the level of support required.

What will your organization do come 2011?

Here are three options:

1. You can do what you have been doing – offering spotty mobile device support, and no after-hours coverage.
2. You can invest in hiring and training additional staff to handle mobile device issues, and factor in 24×7 support salaries.
3. Or you can hire an outsourcer who will guarantee full 24×7 support by mobile device specialists. For maximum and early ROI, partner with a company that offers upfront deployment support and training. The end-user can hit the ground running with their new device, and can avoid disruption and downtime completely.

MORE INFO IN: Mobile Device Support | Coverage of PC Helps’ iPhone support in Computerworld.com | Contact PC Helps

As with any major investment, IT leaders are responsible for proving the value behind the purchase — no matter the economic climate. In an economic dip like the one we are riding out now, the focus on ROI is doubled.

Think of consultants as golfers: It is probable that the guy playing five to six times a week will outperform someone who hits the links a few Sundays a month.

Most IT leaders realize that an Office 2007 deployment requires coordination, planning and oversight, and they know which areas need to be assessed and addressed. As a result, most bring in a third party for migration assistance.

The support options and partnerships are abundant, including training companies, consulting firms, domestic and offshore outsourcers, and certified Microsoft Office 2007 migration launch partners.

Whichever partner they choose, IT leaders need to keep in mind that, to prove ROI, they need to place a priority on early adoption levels, limiting downtime, maintaining productivity and cost expectations. What’s more, providing on-demand, expert support and training to information workers before, during and after deployment is key to a successful migration. Minimizing the learning curve will enable employees to quickly regain the confidence and knowledge they need to stay productive.

Here are eight service levels that are directly tied to ROI:

1. First-Level Analyst Certification: Providing certified computer consultants (Microsoft Office 2007 and Vista launch partners) results in higher first-call resolution rates based on their core competencies on Office 2007. Information workers are less likely to be placed on hold or passed through a tiered-level support structure. Applying a simple analogy, it is probable that the golfer playing five to six times a week will outperform someone who hits the links a few Sundays a month.
2. Domestic vs. Offshore Staff: The ribbon and overall look of the Office 2007 interface compared to previous versions will test IT staff and information workers. Adding potential language barriers will no doubt raise the challenges.
3. Maintain 24-7 and After-Hours Coverage: Forgo skeleton crews or lower-level support during off-hours and deliver constant, world-class Office 2007 support and training outlets throughout the entirety of deployment. Many organizations employ staff globally or remotely, in addition to a nine-to-five crew. Don’t penalize employees for working in a different time zone or after hours by providing less-than-stellar Office 2007 support and training.
4. Deliver Advanced Level Office 2007 Support: As IT leaders begin to see ROI during the early phases of the migration, information workers will have begun navigating their way around the ribbon and will begin finding additional and more advanced time-saving features. Support avenues should mirror these advanced-level requests and should not be treated with any less urgency than basic-level requests made during the initial migration phase. Avoid tier-structured support models to keep service levels high and reduce worker frustration and downtime.
5. Number of Software and Mobile Device Applications Supported: Requiring a migration partner that is familiar with applications and mobile devices outside Office 2007 can be critical to the complexity of Office 2007 calls. Based on statistics collected over the past 18 months, many information workers begin their support requests by referring to what they could do in previous versions and want to see those same steps applied to this new version.* Additionally, Office 2007 is just as often expected to work in correlation with other applications including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.
6. Training: Instruction before, during and after an Office 2007 migration is a key element in measuring ROI. Everyone learns at a different pace, so having a multitude of training options is best, i.e., self-service, on-demand, web-based, individual and customized. Being able to identify and deliver targeted training needs, solution-based metrics and measureable productivity gains can justify several portions of an Office 2007 investment.
7. Planning and Education: Many IT leaders admittedly lack the knowledge that encompasses an Office 2007 migration assurance plan, hence the reach and popularity of migration partners. With this support and training investment and other day-to-day infrastructure responsibilities IT leaders are tasked with, a migration partner should be expected to deliver a simple, successful solution. Anticipated Office 2007 migration assurance plans should include a readiness checklist, a project and deployment timeline, an information worker education awareness campaign, and excellent support and training — all of which can be easily integrated into the existing IT infrastructure.
8. Call Metrics: Downtime and productivity are key factors in proving ROI for any software or IT-related investment. The question to ask is: If IT leaders commit to purchasing new or updated hardware, servers, software, etc., how will the investment affect business units and add value to the organization’s bottom line? Downtime and productivity levels are two areas that easily can be quantified. With little effort, simple call statistics like response time, abandonment rate, hold times, and average first-call overall resolution percentages can be measured and delivered.

*Knowledge workers at 10 Fortune 1000 organizations (clients of PC Helps) were surveyed November 2008 through April 2009, and were asked to quantify the amount of time they would have spent resolving issues such as importing data into a file from another source in Access 2007, tracking changes in a Word 2007 document, repairing a damaged Excel 2007 file, and hundreds of other Office 2007-related software questions without the services of PC Helps Support, LLC.

MORE INFO IN: Office 2007 Migration Case Study | Office 2007 Migration Assurance Program | Migration Readiness Checklist | Migration Competitive Analysis | Contact PC Helps