Often times you may find yourself wanting to edit some images on your BlackBerry PlayBook. While there is a small seleciton of apps available, as forums member edyb pointed out, there are also plenty of free online editors that work great on the PlayBook. In my experience the best is pixlr.com, but there are others that appeal to different users as well. Keep reading for the full list, then play around a bit with each to see which you like best (let us know in the comments). Be sure to hit up the forums and let us know which one is your favorite.

Discuss more in the forums

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Sometimes you may go a bit overboard when it comes to customizing the icon arrangement, wallpaper or themes on your BlackBerry. You may reach that point when you say "I really wish I could just start over". Well if you aren't ready to totally restore your device to it's factory settings, you can easily reset some options. Your BlackBerry has a built-in Reset to Default Settings option that lets you get some things back to stock so you can start fresh.

To access this option, simply press the Menu key from the home screen, then choose Options. Scroll down to the bottom and choose Reset Settings. From here you have the option to restore your wallpaper, downloads folder, icon arrangement and home screen panels. Check the box next to the item(s) you want to reset and then choose Apply. That's it! Head back to the home screen and you can start customizing things all over again :-)

For more discussion on this and other tips, head into the CrackBerry forums.

Using a standard SIM card in your GSM (and some CDMA) BlackBerry is pretty easy to grasp at this point. Most come pre-installed if you buy your device from a carrier store, and even if it isn't, getting it in your phone is pretty straight forward. If you're like me however, you might have a micro SIM you want to use in your BlackBerry (I often use both an iPhone 4 / Bold 9900 and swap SIMs between them) it can be a bit more tricky.

Going forward to BlackBerry 10, the micro SIM will most likely be the card of choice for phones as we've seen in the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha already. If you want to use a micro SIM in your current BlackBerry however, you'll need to either pick one up from your carrier or cut down your current SIM (which I don't recommend). You'll then need to purchase a micro SIM adapter. Read on and we'll take a look at how to use a micro SIM card in your BlackBerry smartphone.

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For quite a while now RIM has had a recent contacts option (Messages > Options > Messages Displays and Actions > Show Recent Contacts When Composing Email) available for email. When enabled, this option lets you choose recent contacts when sending emails, much like Gmail and other email clients. It's a pretty sweet feature if you don't like to have a crazy contact list but email certain people often. Sometimes it's a hassle if you have contacts pop up which you no longer want to see or just want to keep things a bit cleaner.

Fortunately there is a built-in option to do a bit of housekeeping. Simply head to your Messages app, then press the Menu key and choose Options > Recent Contact Management. From here you can add people to contacts, remove items from your recent contacts list or clear the list out entirely. If you use the recent contacts option, this can be a good way to further tweak things to your liking. *While it's been available since OS 6, this feature may not be available in all OS versions.*

Cloud storage is all the rage. On the surface, it seems like PlayBook owners have been left out in the cold. When we look closely, however, we can see that it is easy and powerful to manage all our cloud storage needs right from the PlayBook.

We know that we need more native apps for our beloved PlayBooks. We also know (even more so after BlackBerry World 2012) the BlackBerrys are for people who need to get stuff done. In today's world - no matter what business you are in - getting stuff done means having access to cloud storage.

For some platforms, there is an app for everything - including cloud storage. Our sister site (iMore) ran a great article on all the available apps for cloud storage on iOS, and it is worth a read.  For us PlayBook owners, we need to get a bit more creative. The good news, however, is that we can access all major cloud storage services on our PlayBook as easily and as effectively as any other platform...we just need to work a bit harder at it!

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Some of the people I want to stay in touch with are on Android and iPhone instead of BlackBerry. I don't want to resort to SMS, I want the power of instant messaging, what can I do? What's the best option?

One of the most popular features that has many flocking to, and staying with, the BlackBerry platform is BlackBerry Messenger. One of the best parts of BBM is having real-time confirmation when your BlackBerry to BlackBerry instant messages are successfully delivered and read. BBM is all about reliability in communication and the power of knowledge. Once that ‘R’ pops up, in your mind you know that you should expect a prompt reply...hopefully. It’s not just a single letter from the alphabet that has me hooked – it’s how many options BBM gives me. Ever since BlackBerry messenger first came out, it made a strong case of being forever superior to text messaging. I can add contacts to my network, use the personalization options I have to let my network know who I am and what I’m thinking or even make use of BBM connected applications to be more social while playing games or checking in at a venue. A standard SMS is 160 characters, which seems like a lot compared to a 140 character tweet, but it seems inefficient compared to the 2000 character limit of a BBM.

Instant messaging, in general leaves SMS in the dust, as it allows you to actually have a conversation, rather than broken thoughts and sentences that are easy to get confused -if there’s a 2 part SMS, you might get the second part first. Of course not everyone uses a BlackBerry, and those who may not know better may resort to using SMS to keep in contact with friends and family that use other platforms. Luckily, there is quite a selection of cross-platform messaging applications out there that keep you in the loop, regardless if someone is using an iPhone or a smartphone powered by Android or Windows Phone 7. Keep reading to see which one may be best for you.

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Broaden your music selection and get Rdio on your BlackBerry PlayBook

It’s still kind of a bummer that Rdio and others have yet to make their applications available on the BlackBerry PlayBook, but we can’t sit here as paying customers doing nothing.  So while we let Rdio take their time, a nice PlayBook developer has made a third party browser available to download.  The bonus feature is that with this browser you can change the user agent. For those unfamiliar with a browser user agent, it’s what tells the website if it’s a BlackBerry PlayBook or a BlackBerry Bold 9900.  Follow me after the break for the step-by-step directions on getting Rdio on your PlayBook.

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CrackBerry's guide to using the Parental Control feature on your BlackBerry smartphone.

As more and more teens start using smartphones, it's only natural that more and more parents start to worry. With great entry-level devices like the BlackBerry Curve 9360, it's easier than ever for more users to get into the BlackBerry game. To help ease the pain of setting your child free with a smartphone, the latest round of BlackBerry OS leaks (7.1.0.402) includes a slew of parental control features. When enabled, the device can be limited for incoming calls, location services, text messages, browser use and various other options. These help ensure you know just what your kids are using their phone for and helps give you peace of mind. Keep reading and we'll take a look at just how easy it is to enable the parental control features on your BlackBerry.

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Have an error message on your BlackBerry? We can tell you what frequently encountered messages mean and how to fix them!

Every device has it's problems, and BlackBerry is no different. At some point in the life of your BlackBerry, you'll get an error message of some sort which can usually be diagnosed quickly thanks to BlackBerry error codes. Luckily most BlackBerry errors are specific to what you are doing at that moment, making it easier to find out what you need to do (if anything) to fix it. BlackBerry error codes range from a simple memory issue to busy servers to the dreaded 552 error. If you experience an error of any sort, you can refer to the chart below based on the BlackBerry error message and see what needs to be done to resolve the issue. Keep reading for a full list of common BlackBerry error codes, messages and resolutions.

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While RIM rolled out PlayBook OS 2.0 to our beloved tablet some time ago, we’re still uncovering some hidden features, and today I’ve uncovered a neat lesser known feature. If you’re like me you have meticulously placed all your applications into respective folders, sorting them from “HD Games” to “entertainment". While it keeps everything organized getting in and out of a folder could be just a hair faster, and I’ve found out a way to accomplish this.

Instead of clicking on the small little “X” on the folder you can actually swipe from the center of the bottom bezel to the left side of the PlayBook (see image above). Doing so will cause the folder to quickly close letting you get back to what’s important, using your PlayBook. Now this has got me thinking, what other secrets are laying within the PlayBook OS 2.0? If you’ve found one let CrackBerry Nation know in the comments or in the forums at the link below. It’ll be interesting to see what else can be found.

Familiarize yourself with other Tips and Tricks from the forums

Customizing your BlackBerry device is something that many of us like to do, whether it be changing wallpapers, themes, or just changing the font of the device. Personally I am a huge fan of the stock BlackBerry 7 look paired with the right wallpaper, but one thing I enjoy is changing up the fonts every once and a while. While crusing through the forums the other day I noticed a thread asking why RIM doesn't use the BlackBerry font in the device.

Immediately I was intrigued, then after reading through the thread there were some download links for the fonts, and a quick how to for quickly and easily getting these fonts onto your very own device. Of course I had to give it a go, and I must say I am happy I spent the 60 seconds doing so. If those default fonts just aren't cutting it for you, or you want a little extra BlackBerry love in your device, hit the links below for all the information you will need on getting it done.

How to install custom fonts (with or without a computer)
Default BlackBerry Fonts
Custom BlackBerry Font

Hello again dear readers. It's time once again to open up the mailbag and clear up any BlackBerry woes you may have. This week's question comes from one of our Twitter followers, Scott, who asked:

How do I save an attached photo (not bridged, but native Gmail) on PlayBook? Doesn't offer save/cut/copy…Holding a finger is NOT coming up with choices when it’s attached. I can open but not save.

Thanks

Dear Scott,

When I first downloaded the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 and started using the native messaging application I noticed the same thing as you. To answer your question, there is a way to save images that are attached and it's a simple solution that will have you downloading them in no time. Now I'm going to show you how to save images that are displayed in emails and those that are attached to make sure all your bases are covered for supported file types (BMP, JPG, GIF, and PNG). Keep reading for step-by-step instructions!

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A brand new feature that was introduced in BlackBerry OS 7.1 is Battery Saving Mode. This simple option lets you set a battery threshold which will then automatically adjust settings to conserve battery. So instead of keeping a close eye on your device when your battery hits a low point (say 20%), with this feature enabled, the device will automatically adjust things like screen brightnes and time out in order to not waste battery power. Battery Saving Mode isn't a miracle worker, but it will keep your BlackBerry hanging on a bit longer until you can find your way to a charger. A very cool feature that I'm sure you won't mind having.

If you're running OS 7.1, Battery Saving Mode should be enabled by default, but you can head to Options > Device > Battery Saving Mode to enable/disable this feature and change the battery level. Keep in mind this is just one way to save battery on your device. You can always manually change some settings to conserve battery power. Things like turning off Wifi and lowering screen brightness can go a long way. For more on this, check out ten tips and tricks to maximize your BlackBerry battery life. If all else fails, just carry a spare battery or charger and you'll never have to worry about a dead device!

Hello again readers! Dear Berry here to once again to open up the mailbag and clear up any BlackBerry woes you may have. This week's question comes from Patrick who asks:

I have the playbook and noticed that there is no option to save the images that you open in an email. There are no screen options or drop down menu options at all. Am I missing something because I am pretty sure you can save an image that you get in an email on your phone?

Thanks

In subsequent emails he goes on to say that he is attempting to save attached images while his device is bridged. Keep reading for my response!

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CrackBerry's help guide to resolving a 552 error on your BlackBerry. Fix with a simple battery pull or reloading your OS.

The dredded BlackBerry Error 552 -- It's something that every long-time BlackBerry user fears and has seen over the course of their BlackBerry lifespan. The 552 error is caused by an issue with your BlackBerry software (typically an application) and can most times be resolved by performing a hard reset on the device, or worst case, reloading the device software.

In some cases, the only solution for a 552 error on your BlackBerry is to reload your device software. Unfortunately you'll need access to a PC to get your BlackBerry back up and running in this situation, but it only takes a few minutes and you're device will be as good as new. If you're somewhere with no computer access however, you should be able to reset the device and use it until you can reload or update your device software. A 552 error on your BlackBerry may seem bad the first time you see it, but fear not because it's easily resolved.

In most cases, after receving a 552 error on your BlackBerry, performing a hard reset (remove the battery, keep it out for a few seconds and then replace it) will solve the issue. Your device should boot as normal, however If the issue persists, you'll need to reload or update your device software.

To reload or update your device software after a BlackBerry 552 error, follow our full tutorial here. If you cannot get your BlackBerry smartphone to start up or you receive a different error, you'll need to follow this guide on how to restore a "nuked" BlackBerry.

Need more help? Head into the CrackBerry Help and Discussion forums for more!