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.*

If you’ve been around CrackBerry since the launch of PlayBook OS 2.0 then you’ve probably heard a few complaints about the amount of time it takes for the native PIM apps to open on the PlayBook. While we wait for Research In Motion to release an update that will speed up the launching of apps, a developer has gone ahead and made an app to help those of you that just can't stand waiting.

The app is called Compose Email and has been developed by Willw.net. Now I must stress that this isn’t an email application. What Compose Email does is allow you to compose your emails in the app and then it will transfer the email into the native application, but in a fraction of the time that it would take for the native email app to open.

Features

• Compose email in Portrait or Landscape
• Integration with the native Messages App
• Automatic copy-to-clipboard
• Copy & Paste
• Launches faster than Messages
• Matches style of the 2.0 Messages, Contacts, and Calendar apps

Also something that a lot of BlackBerry users have been asking for is portrait mode in the native email app, which is another gap that Compose Email can fill. It offers the same look and feel as the native application and the best part is, it’s free. If you’re looking to speed up your email writing on the PlayBook then this app is a must.

Download Compose email for the BlackBerry PlayBook

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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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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It is that time of the week again. The time to sort out any BlackBerry woes you may have. This week's entry is a pretty quick one, however, I thought if one person asks, I'm pretty sure there are others out there who may not know how to find this either. This week's question goes like this.

Dear Berry,

I often have the need to CC or BCC my email, but I don't see a way to do this on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Is there an app or setting that allows me to do that?

Thanks!

- Jay

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Are you jealous when you see your friends typing like this: ℓσσк нσω ¢σσℓ ι ¢αη туρє! and wonder how you can do it too? A new app called Jingu Text will help you easily impress your friends with your new versatility and style. Choose from up to 16 different letter types while typing any message in SMS, BBM, Twitter, Facebook, Email and amaze your friends with every message.

The team at Jingu has been releasing some fun apps for your BlackBerry lately. Their portfolio includes Jingu Smileys, Jingu Avatars, Jingu Friends, and now Jingu Text! You can try out the free version and get three different styles to test. The full version costs just $.99 currently and unlocks all 16 styles for you. Jingu Text is compatible with all BlackBerry smartphones running OS 5.0 and up. Grab it at the links below!

More information and download Jingu Text Free
More information and purchase Jingu Text Premium

I can think of many things I would rather do when receiving an email that has images instead of having to go into the menu and get the images manually, and this is where Show Me the Images plays a crucial role on my device. If you have somehow not heard of this application it is a great application that allows you to put emails on a safe list, so anytime you receive an email from that address it will automatically download and show you the images. 

The 99 cent price tag is likely less than just about anything else that you had planned on buying today, so grab it before the price goes back to normal tomorrow. Save yourself the headaches and frustration and hit the link below to grab a copy for yourself today! Note though, if you're using OS 7.0+ it must be higher then 7.0.0.2xx.

More information / purchase of Show Me the Images 

There are many things you can do with your incoming messages. Believe it or not, you can actually respond to them too! How crazy is that?! Seriously though, the native email application lets you do things like file the message or flag it for follow up. That’s just to name a few options. What the Email++ application does is give you additional options all within the actual email. It puts the options within the message for you; right above the message details. The options it has absolutely make sense to have when composing a message. Beyond blocking senders or viewing your own availability, the application includes a message preview/popup option so you can see an incoming message no matter what app you are currently in. Check out what you can do with Email ++:

• Convert To: Instantly convert emails into Appointments, Meetings, Memos or Tasks.
• Forward/Reply with Edit: Respond to or forward emails with attachments and yet be able to edit the original message or even remove the original message.
• Unsend: Avoid send accidents. Unsend your sent emails before going oops!!
• Set Priority: Set priority of new emails as well as emails that are already in your inbox. A great way to flag messages.
• Block: Block/filter emails by address or subject (exact or keyword based) with customizable actions such as Move To Junk, Delete and Mark Read.
• My Availability: Get your availability for a specific day or a week.
• My Location: Instantly get your GPS/Cell tower coordinates, address and a map url with you on it and include it in your email.
• Message Preview: Microsoft Outlook like popups no matter on which app you are, with instant action buttons such as Delete, Mark Read and View.
• Templates: Convert any emails to a template and reuse them over and over again.
• Each feature is fully customizable to suit your needs via the Email++ Preferences screen.

This app definitely turns you into a power communicator; no switching between apps to check your calendar or location. It’s all right there for you, allowing you to reply quickly and confidently. You can grab Email++ for $2.99 from BlackBerry App World. If you’d like to try before you buy, Email++ offers a 3 day trial period as well.

Contest: We have 40 copies of Email++ to give away! All you have to do is leave a comment to be entered. Contest ends this Sunday at midnight PST.

More information/download Email++ for BlackBerry smartphones

German car maker Volkswagen has taken a step toward making employees much happier by coming to an agreement to stop work emails from being delivered to employee BlackBerry smartphones after work hours. The plan states that no internal work emails will be delivered from 30 minutes after the end of a shift until 30 minutes prior to returning to work. This is a huge step in the workplace as many have complained for years that having a work device and being constantly connected just isn't right as it places strain on both work and home life. The devices will still be able to make phone calls and the changes do not apply to senior management. This is a huge step that is sure to make many Volkswagen employees extremely happy and some other companies will certainly look to follow these changes as well.

Source: BBC

BlackBerry Users Can Now Send Encrypted and Verified Email

RPost has extended its Registered Email services to create a new class of mobile messaging, bringing the security of BlackBerry email to any recipient regardless of where they access their email. This new RPost app for BlackBerry is tightly integrated into the native ‘compose email’ function, permitting users to scroll up one position to ‘Send Registered’ email messages.

The sender can choose to:

• Encrypt to any recipient address regardless of how the recipient accesses their email, with proof of compliance with HIPAA and other data privacy mandates;
• Track email opening with an official time-stamp of the content opened;
• Send documents specially formatted to obtain recipient electronic signatures on the attached document;
• Include a client reference code with the message. RPost will later embed this code into the Registered Receipt emails and usage reports; and
• Receive auditable and time-stamped proof of content in replies to the BlackBerry sender's email, serving as records of responses to offers, messages, and negotiations.

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You ever have that one email address that you only need to access sometimes, so you don't really need nor want to set it up on BlackBerry? LogicMail can help with that. Maybe you just want a little bit more control over your inbox? LogicMail can help in either of those cases and now they've released the latest beta update to their standalone email client for BlackBerry and it's loaded with new features:

Key new features of 2.1 are:

• Background server polling (may affect battery)
• Home screen notification icon
• Configurable refresh intervals IMAP: Can check both INBOX and non-INBOX folders / IMAP: Uses IDLE to keep the connection open when possible
• Can automatically connect and check for mail on application startup
• Can auto-start on device startup
• Improved setup wizard, including configuration of new features
• App now hides instead of exiting closed (Exit option still available)
• Option to mark messages read/unread without viewing them
• Supports the IMAP COMPRESS extension (optional)
• Support for OS7 hybrid-touch devices (e.g. Bold 9900)
• Faster detection of stalled network connections
• Supports OS 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0

If you're looking for an alternative email client for your BlackBerry, LogicMail is certainly worth a look. You can hit the link below and grab the version most compatible with your device -- remember though, it's a beta, so make sure you share any bugs you find so that they can be fixed.

Download Logic Mail 2.1 Beta

When I switched devices last week I realized something was wrong when I composed emails or added entries to my calendar. It was using my @blackberry.net address instead of my gmail one. It completely slipped my mind that because I have multiple email accounts my device automatically chose one to be the default for both of those applications upon activation. Now I don't know about you but I don't think my BBM Groups would like to know when my next dental appointment is. Rather than manually switching accounts from the Send Using option just follow these quick and painless steps to alter this setting.

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I'm an "Inbox Zero" guy - my goal is to empty my email inbox as quickly as possible. Once a message has been dealt with I file it in an appropriate folder immediately. Once it's filed I move on to the next one. This is also how I deal with my follow-up - if it's in the inbox it is not done yet.

Depending on how many folders and sub-folders you have it can be quite time consuming to file messages in Outlook, I'm forever dragging and scrolling messages from the Inbox to my labyrinth of sub-folders. I've moved to filing exclusively on my BlackBerry smartphone because it is just easier and for those of you who use Outlook can appreciate, the BlackBerry is actually smarter than Outlook.

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How to get a confirmation that your email was received by the BlackBerry user

Words can't describe the love we BlackBerry have for our BBM. It's not totally about the delivery/read confirmations but that is certainly one of the top reasons. Did my message get delivered? Simply check for the 'D' and 'R' and you know for sure.

Email is always near the top of the list of must have features for a BlackBerry user, so shouldn't delivery confirmations be built into the BlackBerry natively? The good new is it is a feature that is built into each BlackBerry!

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So I'm waitng for an email from our fearless leader here at CrackBerry and am passing the time watching some YouTube videos. When my email notification finally goes off I immeadiately scramble to open my inbox. Drat! It's just an email from my mother with another "funny" story about my nephew. Those of us who have the BlackBerry Style 9670 already have a built in pop-up feature for the outer screen letting us preview an email or SMS when our device is closed. Now with QuickView Pro, by AHazDesigns, you can see who the incoming message just came from & if it's important enough to read right away.

You even have the option of changing the color and size of the pop-up. QuickView Pro is available for pretty much every BlackBerry (OS 4.5 or higher) and is supported by all carriers & countries. Grab a copy today and quit wasting your precious time on spam messages!

More information / download of QuickView Pro via BlackBerry App World
More information / download of QuickView Pro via CrackBerry App Store