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I started using a program called Jing to create some how to videos for work. Very simple design and lets you record the entire screen or a small portion of it if you prefer. What’s nice about Jing is that once you are done you can click share and it will upload to an online store at Screencast. When the file is finished uploading it places a copy of the link to it in your clipboard so you can easily paste it into an email or on your blog. Oh and did I mention that right now it is free?

It won’t be free forever but it will be for a while. Right now they are referring to it as a project and are offering it for free to see if there is any demand for something like this. If and when they do decide to switch to a non-free version, there will be a grace period that you will be able to download your videos from screencast or sign up for a paid storage account.

If you like Jing and don’t want to use Screencast you can also set the program to share with Flickr, an FTP server, or just create a file on your computer. Not to shabby. If you want to read more about it, check out the Jing Blog.

So I was playing around with my voice dial functionality and I am actually impressed. I mentioned in an earlier post how you can change the sensitivity but here are some other things I like about it.

1.Speak the number

So maybe this isn’t new but its new to me. I always assumed that you had to say a name from your phone book and it would only pull it up by name but you can say “call” and then say the number (in your phone book or not) and it will dial that number.

2.Check Battery

For those of you who are to lazy to look at the screen or maybe can’t read a battery meter, you can just say “Check Battery” and it will announce whether the battery is low, medium, high.

3. Check Signal Strength

Saying “Check Signal” will give you your current signal strength. The only thing better would be to tell you if you are roaming or not but honestly I can’t remember a time when I’ve been in roam.

4. Find your phone number

I personally never have a problem recalling what my phone number is but for those of you that do, try saying “Check Phone Number” and it will say your phone number out loud for you.

I find that most people don’t want to sit down and read a manual when they get a new electronic device and because of this they don’t use a lot of the cool features built in. Here are a few of my favorites from the Blackberry 8100 (Pearl). All of these are found under options unless otherwise stated.

1.Add words to the custom word list.

Your custom word list is found under options menu. The only words I really added were curse words but that’s because when I am trying to cuss in text messages, I don’t want to actually cuss in real life trying to type it.

2.Audible Roll.

This little gem is hidden under the screen/keyboard options of your options menu. At the very bottom you can turn off the audible clicking of rolling the trackball.

3.Voice Dialing Sensitivity.

Under Voice dialing on the options menu there is a sensitivity level. I changed mine to reject more names because I always got a large list of possible things I said when using the voice dial. If your voice dial never seems to work, try lowering the sensitivity to reject less.

4.Owner

This may not be a big deal for many, but in a corporate environment I think this option is nice. Here you can put in your name and some information (such as a contact number other than your cell) in case your device gets lost or misplaced.

5.Auto On/Off

This feature is quite handy for those of us who have an unhealthy addiction to our phone. My blackberry goes off all night with emails and text messages. If you are trying to get a good night sleep, you can have your blackberry power off and on at set times. Unfortunately you only have two options, weekday and weekend.

I ran into a need for this at work this morning. An attorney installed IE 7 and was having issues doing anything in IE 7. The easiest way to roll back to IE 6 is using the add/remove programs feature and looking for Windows Internet Explorer 7 and removing it. But sometimes windows doesn’t list it here. If this is the case for you, make sure you have hidden folders visible by clicking on tools and choosing folder options. On the view tab of that box, click on the Show Hidden Files and Folders option. Now click on start and choose run. Type in “%windir%\ie7\spuninst\spuninst.exe” and press okay. Follow the instructions on the uninstall wizard and you will be home free after a reboot.

1. Drag and Drop

It amazes me how many people don’t understand what I mean by drag and drop it on the desktop.  This is Mouse 101.

2. File Directory Structure

Many people click on links to download stuff, click okay to save it, and then have no clue where its at.   If I tell you to browse to C:\documents and settings\… blah blah blah, you should know what I am talking about.

3.The desktop is not a file repository

This kinda goes hand in hand with number 2.  I’ve seen desktops that have more icons than they can display.

4.How to uninstall programs correctly

I’ve seen varying degrees of this.  Some people think that its uninstalled when you delete the icon from the desktop.  Others know there is a folder under program files and they delete that.  Why can’t people use the add/remove programs?  Its not like its terribly difficut.

5.If you have windows, you need antivirus.

A lot of people don’t think they need it.  A lot more know they need it, buy it, and never renew the subscription.  Antivirus is a yearly purchase unless you buy longer subscriptions.  If you don’t want to but antivirus try AVG Free.  The one I normally recommend is Norton Antivirus.  I would stay away from the Internet Security line or anything with a firewall as well unless you are comfortable configuring it.

6. Learn computer terms

Please don’t tell me something is wrong with “the brain” or that “the cpu” won’t turn on.  Its called a tower.  Not a “modem”.

7.Forwards are not cute or funny

Forwards are spam. Period.

8.Your Home Page is not the internet

I know quite a few people that don’t know what to do if you change their homepage.  If your homepage was yahoo.com and now its MSN after someone installed Windows Live Messneger, that does not mean that you are paying MSN for internet now too.  It also does not mean you can’t get to your mail anymore.  Just type in www.yahoo.com and then goto your mail!

9. If I fix your computer once, the second time does not come free

Do you take your car to get the oil changed and then go back in 3,000 miles and tell them you want a free one because your oil is dirty again?  How is it my fault that you hosed your computer a second time.?

10. You have to have a wireless router to use wireless at your house

It should be obvious that free internet is not everywhere and unless your house is Starbucks, I don’t think your internet is free.

So I have a blackberry 8100 (Pearl) that has been issued to me from work. I can honestly say, this is one of the best phones I have ever owned. The only downside I have had is that we use T-mobile and coverage just plain sucks. For those of you with the Pearl, here are a couple little tricks that I have found useful.

To view a comprehensive list of your phone calls including time called, sorted by date: Open up your messages folder and press the alt key (little up and down arrows found at the bottom left of the keypad) and then press the “op” button.

To view a list of just sms text messages: Open up your messages folder and press the alt key and then press the “as” key

To lock your phone: Hold down the “*/sym” button on the phone until it locks. Way easier than using the menu.

Fast scrolling in Message folder: You can use “3″ and “9″ to scroll up and down entire pages at a time. “1″ and “7″ will take you to the very top or very bottom of the list. “*” will take you to the first unread message.

Here’s a list of a few apps I recommend as well as links to download them.

1.Gtalk

I’m a big fan of Google so it should be no surprise that I use Google Talk. The blackberry version is quite awesome and lets me keep in touch when I am on the go. Point your blackberry browser to mobile.blackberry.com and try it yourself.

2.Facebook for Blackberry

I like Facebook but I don’t like logging in everytime I get a message. With the Facebook app for blackberry, responding to wallposts and messages is as easy as a text message. It also lets you upload photos from your phone and change your status on the go. If I want to tell you I’m using the bathroom at Wal-mart, I can do that now. To download it just goto facebook.com on your blackberry and you will be presented with a link. The downside is that it is a huge draw on your battery.

3.Color Pearl

This app doesn’t really add to functionality but adds a slight wow factor. Once installed you go into options and choose color pearl. You can choose from a predefined color, create your own, or randomize to get a different color each time you use it. For the files to install it using desktop manager click here, or to install OTA from your blackberry, click here.

4. Blackberry Video

Great utility to convert movies to avi files sized for your pearl. It converted the movie 300 from 4GB down to 255MB that fit easily onto my media card. You can pick up a copy of this from here.

So with my bonus money I went out and bought a PS3 along with The Godfather: Don’s Edition. I know what most of you are thinking. Why in the world did I not get a Nintendo Wii or an Xbox 360. Well I know a lot of people with those 2 systems and if I want to play them I can always go over there. Plus I am definately excited about the new Metal Gear and Final Fantasy games. I’ve only gotten to play it for about 2 hours but I’m already glad I got it

I also picked up a copy of Mac OS X Leopard. I have yet to install it but you can bet I’ll have my thoughts on it as soon as I get around to playing with that a bit.