A while back we took a look at how to customize your results when using Universal Search. The OS gives you the option to pick and choose what you'd like to see when searching, but how about those pesky Bing web suggestions that clutter up your search results? Well you can kill those as well with a simple check box. To disable web suggestions, simply head to Options > Device > Search then uncheck Show Web Suggestions. This will keep your BlackBerry from showing web results (unless you have them checked further down in the list) so you won't have to see them any longer.

Have any fun tips for using your BlackBerry? Send them along to tips(at)crackberry.com.

While the default action in BlackBerry 7 when pressing a key from the home screen is Universal Search, you have the ability to change this up to access application (keyboard) shortcuts instead if you so desire. This lets you quickly get to many apps on your device by pressing a key on the keyboard (like M for Messages of N for BBM) right from the home screen, making navigating apps even easier. If you think you'll miss Universal Search, not to worry because you can get to that simply by pressing S from the home screen.

To turn on your keyboard shortcuts:

• Go to Options > Display > Home Screen Preferences
• Under Launch By Typing change from Universal Search to Application Shortcuts
• Press Back button and choose Save

While some may be fans of having Universal Search ready to roll just by typing, I for one like to be able to jump to apps quickly with keyboard shortcuts. What is your preference? Do you use Universal Search or prefer to have keyboard shortcuts? Let us know in the comments!

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but believe it or not, there are plenty of users who don't even know this option is there. Much like myself, many BlackBerry users just stick with the default settings on the device like screen birghtness, trackpad sensitivity, wallpaper and font right out of the box. Well the great thing about BlackBerry is the amazing level of customization that it offers -- you can change up most everything on the device to your liking, including the font. 

The default font looks a bit big and fuzzy on the new BlackBerry 7 devices, but changing it up to something like BBAlpha Sans Condensed can give your display a whole new look. To change your font, simply head to Options > Display > Screen Display. Pick the font you like, tweak the size and style and you're custom all the way. Play around to see what works for you or just change it up when you get bored. Happy fonting!

We all love the ability to open a message, read it and then be able to quickly respond with our BlackBerry devices, right? Well what if you could make responding on your BlackBerry even quicker with predictive text? Yes, even for devices with a full QWERTY keyboard. Luckily for us the option is built right into the OS and it can be enabled and disabled on the go with just a few easy steps.

1. Open device settings
2. Scroll to Typing and Language
3. Open Typing
4. Scroll to style and select predictive to enable / direct to disable then save

Predictive text won't be for everyone, depending on your typing and grammar styles this may be more of a hinderance than a benefit, so be sure to check it out and decide for yourself. 

Prepping my gear for CES today, I dropped a few movies from my Mac onto my BlackBerry PlayBook. Since I've made the mistake in the past, I decided to test them out before hitting the road. Sure enough, two of the videos I had imported had no sound -- thus I embarked on my quest to the CrackBerry forums for an easy solution. If you're having problems with no sound on your PlayBook videos, keep reading and we'll get you squared away in no time!

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A few weeks back we saw a video sporting USB support on a rooted BlackBerry PlayBook. Well now guillem has posted a little how-to that shows off just how to get USB support up and running on your rooted BlackBerry PlayBook. You'll need a few supplies including a rooted PlayBook, a USB OTG (On-The-Go) adapter (or a Female USB A to micro USB cable and a soldering iron) and a bit of tech knowledge to get going. Keep reading to find out just how it's done!

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Ever get annoyed when you plug your BlackBerry device in while in the middle of watching something, only to have the screen turn black and a big clock appear in your face? By default your BlackBerry device is set to display the clock when it is charging, so anytime a USB that is connected to a power source or computer is plugged in it will appear. Luckily for you this can be changed to enable Bedside Mode or do nothing at all, and making the change is quite simple.

1. Launch the Clock application
2. Press Menu then scroll to options
3. Select the option for When Charging
4. Change selection to Do Nothing or Enter Bedside Mode (depending on your preference)
5. Save your selection

That's it. Really. It is just that simple. No more clock popping up everytime you connect your device to a power source, instead you get to decide what it does.

In an effort to keep myself more organized and ensuring maximum productivity I have been assigning myself tasks to complete each day, but keeping track of them can be a bit difficult for me. After trying several different options, making lists in Memo Pad, adding calendar appointments, email reminders and more I realized none of them really met my needs. When trying to keep organized options are key, simplicity is a must, and reminders need to be reliable, and luckily I found all of these right in the native BlackBerry Tasks application.

Most of the times when looking to complete something specific on a phone the first thing I do is search around for a third party application to allow me to get things done, but this time the answer was found via a pre-installed application. Hit the break with me to see how BlackBerry Tasks is used in my daily life.

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The BlackBerry PlayBook is a tablet like no other. The powerful QNX Real Time Operating System embedded within allows it run an entirely different operating system as another application on top of the standard PlayBook OS. This is how the PlayBook will run repackaged Android applications. For the most part, though, repackaged apps will appear to run just like regular PlayBook applications.

That's all well and good if you're willing to wait for your favorite Android app to be repackaged and made available on BlackBerry App World. But if you're a bit impatient and a bit adventurous, it's a fairly straightforward process to getting the Android Market and other Android apps running on your BlackBerry PlayBook. To begin, you'll need a rooted PlayBook...

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If your BlackBerry Messenger Contact list seems to be growing out of control, or you just want to keep things a bit more organized, you can create contact categories to help you out. This is a simple feature that just requires a few menu clicks to get up and running. You can use contact categories to organize your contacts by family members, work contacts, friends or whatever suits your fancy. Keep reading to find out how to create your own contact categories in BlackBerry Messenger.

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Did you wake up Christmas morning to find a new BlackBerry PlayBook waiting for you? If so -- we've got all you need in order to get started on maximizing your PlayBook use. Everything from help articles to wallpapers and so much more. Plus, if you're looking for something not covered in our guides below -- you can always check out the CrackBerry BlackBerry PlayBook forums as well. Jump on past the break to get started.

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Getting a new BlackBerry is always fun, but having your device look just like everyone elses makes it way less awesome. Odds are you want to add some custom touches to the device by changing the ringtone, setting a new wallpaper, arranging your icons to your preference and making some new folders. 

How to download and set a new ringtone
How to download and set new wallpapers
How to make a custom folders

Sure it may seem like some pretty basic stuff, but if you are new to BlackBerry devices (welcome!) or have just yet to try to change yours to make it really your own this may not be common knowledge. Now, get to personalizing your BlackBerry and be sure to hop in the forums and show us your home screens once you get it all set up! 

If you are anything like me and you want your icons to be in a very specific order on your BlackBerry, you would probably find it very useful to be able to specify where newly downloaded applications go. Luckily on BlackBerry 6 and BlackBerry 7 devices you can do just that rather simply. Whether you wish to have the icons placed in the download folder, a newly created folder or just the home screens, it all can be done in just a few clicks.

1. From the home screen press the menu key then scroll down to options.
2. Scroll down to downloads folder
3. Change option to which download location you prefer
4. Save changes

Pretty simple, huh? No need to move icons to a download folder after downloading, instead you can just set it up to do that from the start.

We've talked a great deal about the Carrier IQ situation here at CrackBerry. The carrier diagnostic tool has received quite a lot of attention from the press. While Research In Motion has stated in no uncertain terms that it does not install Carrier IQ on its phones; it is nevertheless possible for this software to end up on your BlackBerry. T-Mobile, for example, includes IQ Agent with its My Account application. AT&T revealed that Carrier IQ is included with its Mark the Spot application.

There are no special tools or programs you'll need to remove the agent from a BlackBerry; everything you'll need is already part of the BlackBerry operating system. In this article, we're going to discuss removing a single application module and not the entire application itself. This may have unintended consequences for your BlackBerry, and you may wish to just delete the entire My Account application (or similar, for other carriers) from your Smartphone. 

• Enter application management. Options -> Device -> Application Management. For devices running a BlackBerry OS prior to 6.0, check out this Knowledge Base Article
• Press the menu key (the BlackBerry logo one) and select Modules from the list
• Look for the IQAgent module. In OS 6.0+, you can search for "IQ" or "agent"
• The net_rim_bb_drm_agent is fine and not a part of CarrierIQ -- if that's all you see, then CarrierIQ is not present.
• Highlight the IQAgent module, press the menu key, and choose delete
• You may be prompted to restart your BlackBerry

Be very careful about deleting application modules. If you delete the wrong one, you may end up trashing a perfectly acceptable application or needing to restore a Nuked BlackBerry. If you're up to it, send us some screenshots via Twitter of your Carrier IQ IQAgent being deleted. Mention @CrackBerry and include the hashtag #goodbyeciq

Source: eWeek

Here's how to root/jailbreak your BlackBerry PlayBook with DingleBerry!

[Update 31 December 2011]: OS 2.0.0.4869 (Beta) is no longer available for download, however there is a method for installing this OS to your PlayBook using a local copy of the OS.  Check out OpenSourceBB for the full details.

Greetings to you, intrepid warrior of the digital age! I don't use that word "warrior" lightly. Rooting your BlackBerry PlayBook is a difficult process; even a single mistake along the way can force you to restart the entire process from the beginning. I know; I've been there. I've gone through the process only to be confronted with the dreaded "Jailbreak Failed" message (several times). I've bricked my PlayBook - double red flash and all. I've had my PlayBook rendered useless for 24 hours while I waited for my OS 2.0 upgrade to expire. Using DingleBerry to root your PlayBook is not a simple process.

It is not impossible, though. I know; I'm here, with a rooted, Android Market-having PlayBook. When that simple "#" appeared on my screen - letting me know the root was successful - I literally jumped up and did a short happy dance.

This guide is the result of those hours of trial and error I went through to get my PlayBook rooted. It is filled with all the details that I wish had been available to me when I rooted my BlackBerry tablet. With a careful reading and attention to detail, you'll get there too. At the moment, DingleBerry is only available for use on Windows PC's. Mac support is said to be coming soon.

Before we continue, I would like to thank Shao for his assistance in nailing down specifics of the DingleBerry process. Also of immense help, tayshun12's spectacular guide in the CrackBerry.com Forums. Now, on to the rooting.

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