Problems w/older Storm/want new one (not due for upgrade but other phones on plan are!
Chloedancer
Newbie

Hi,

I got the Blackberry Storm last yr. as a Christmas gift, To make a long story short I want to get the newer one because this one is horrible. I can't answer calls most of the time, I just get the little clock. Yesterday I had the white screen appear for most of the day. I took the battery out and it helped for a few hours but then it happened again. I am losing my patience and am about to throw it out the window. I am not due for an upgrade til Aug of 2010 but we do have two phone's on our plan that are due for upgrades, they are just phones not blackberry's so how can I do this online. When I try it wants me to add the blackberry calling plan, another 44.00 a month for the unlimited data. Do I have to go into a store for this? Can someone help make my life a little easier, I would appreciate it, Thanks...

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Re: Problems w/older Storm/want new one (not due for upgrade but other phones on plan are!
LCromwell
Specialist - Level 1

You don't mention as to what apps you have installed and what OS you are currently running. So do this first and see if it helps. There are some main ones to do besides bat pull. Go into options icon and scroll down to memory, push it and scroll down until you see Application Memory and report back what it says you have. I have 27.0 MB. Push the Internet globe icon, AKA Browser, then push BB Menu button, scroll to options, then scroll to Cache Operations, Push everything you see in there 1 at a time, one will ask you if you want to delete, say yes, then when all are cleared push the back / u-turn button and it will say cleaning memory. Then back all the way out to desk top / home page, go back to options and do the memory button again and see what you have. Have you also cleared your Phone log? Under the memory in options is another memory clearing button called Security Options, click it, then click on Advanced Security Options, then memory cleaning, then scroll down to Registered Cleaners, certificate search, then scroll up one to clean now and let it go thru its entire clean cycle. back out until you get to home screen and pull bat. Wait 30 sec. put battery back in and wait until it loads up almost 3 to 5 minutes. Go back to options and see what memory you have now and then try your phone and see if it works again like it is suppose to. If you are not using 5.0 OS and are still on 4.7 some of these may or may not be in your phone.  If this works for you please give me a Kudo for it.

Then follow the directions below:

Want to maximize free space and save battery power?

 

{please see entire article in the Blackberry Technical Solution Center: How to maximize free space and battery power on the BlackBerry smartphone}


How to maximize free space: Copied from BB.COM
It is a good idea to take active measures to maximize the BlackBerry smartphone's available flash memory, and thus, prolong the time before the operating system starts the Low Memory Manager application.

The following are suggestions on how to maximize available flash memory on the BlackBerry smartphone

Use a media card

Media cards are especially useful for BlackBerry smartphone users who want to store media files like songs, pictures, videos, voice notes, and ring tones, or who want to store pictures they take with the built-in cameras. Built-in video cameras on BlackBerry smartphones require a media card to function.

To make sure the built-in camera is set up to save picture files on the media card, complete the following steps:

  1. Install the media card in the BlackBerry smartphone. For more information see KB12882.
  2. Open the Camera application.
  3. Display the menu and select Options.
  4. Set the Store Pictures field to On Media Card. You can also change the Folder setting to the particular folder in which you want to save pictures.
Remove unnecessary items

Removing features and applications that are underused increases the available flash memory on the BlackBerry smartphone.

  • Use the Setup Wizard application to remove languages that you do not use from the BlackBerry smartphone. Removing languages is highly recommended because it is one of the most significant ways to increase available flash memory.

    To remove languages from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps.

    1. On the Home screen, open Setup Wizard.
    2. Select Languages.
    3. Select the language you want to use on the BlackBerry smartphone and click Next. The BlackBerry smartphone deletes all languages that you do not select.
  • Remove underused applications.

    To remove applications from the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps.

    1. On the Home screen, open Options.
    2. Select Advanced Options.
    3. Select Applications. The BlackBerry smartphone takes time to build a comprehensive list of the installed applications.
    4. Highlight the application you want to delete, display the menu and select Delete.
  • Minimize the number of contacts stored in the Address Book on the BlackBerry smartphone.

    One way to minimize the number of contacts stored in the Address Book is to use the remote address lookup feature when you need to send an email message rather than store company contacts in the Address Book. You can use this feature if your BlackBerry smartphone uses BlackBerry® Device Software 4.0 and later and one of BlackBerry® Enterprise Server software version 3.5 for Microsoft® Exchange or BlackBerry® Enterprise Server software version 2.2 or later for IBM® Lotus® Domino®.

Delete old items

The BlackBerry smartphone user can delete old and unused items and also adjust settings so that the BlackBerry smartphone deletes old items as part of its regular routine maintenance.

  • Delete Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages that are no longer needed. Because MMS messages can contain large media files and cannot be stored on a media card, MMS messages can use a lot of flash memory. If you do not want to delete the media files in an MMS message, open the MMS message and save the media files on the media card before you delete the MMS message.
  • Change the Keep Messages setting on the BlackBerry smartphone to reduce the number of old messages using flash memory.

    To change the Keep Messages setting, complete the following steps.

    1. On the Home screen, open Messages.
    2. Display the menu and select Options.
    3. Select General Options.
    4. Set the Keep Messages field to either 15 Days or 30 Days.
  • Change the Keep Appointments setting to reduce the number of old calendar events using flash memory.

    To change the Keep Appointments setting, complete the following steps.

    1. On the Home screen, open Calendar.
    2. Display the menu and select Options.
    3. Select General Options.
    4. Set the Keep Appointments field to either 15 Days or 30 Days.

    Note: Email messages and appointments are only removed from the BlackBerry smartphone. The email messaging application and the appointment application the BlackBerry smartphone is associated with will retain the email messages and appointments that are removed from the BlackBerry smartphone after the time period that is specified.

  • Clear the browser cache often.
    To clear the browser cache, complete the following steps:
    1. On the Home screen, open Browser.
    2. Display the menu and select Options.
    3. Select Cache Operations.
    4. Select Clear for Content Cache. (You can increase the amount of flash memory by also selecting Clear for Pushed Content.)
Adjust settings for optimal storage efficiency

Adjust the following settings for optimal storage efficiency on your BlackBerry smartphone:

  • In BlackBerry® Desktop Software, set messages to stop being forwarded to the BlackBerry smartphone when it is cradled.

    To adjust this setting complete these steps.

    1. In BlackBerry® Desktop Manager, open Email Settings.
    2. Check the check box beside Disable message redirection while your device is connected.
  • Set messages to prompt you when deleting an email message on the BlackBerry smartphone. The prompt allows you to choose to either delete the message on the BlackBerry smartphone only or on the BlackBerry smartphone and the messaging server, which deletes the email message on both the BlackBerry smartphone and the email application with which it is associated.

    To adjust this setting on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

    1. On the Home screen, open Messages.
    2. Display the menu and select Options.
    3. Select Email Reconciliation.
    4. Select Prompt for the Delete On setting. (You can also select Handheld rather than Prompt, which will delete messages on the BlackBerry smartphone without a prompt, when you choose to delete messages.)

    Note: If you position the cursor on a date field in the email messages list on the BlackBerry smartphone and select Delete Prior, you will only delete the messages on the BlackBerry smartphone no matter what the setting is in the Delete On field, which leaves the email messages saved in the email application with which the BlackBerry smartphone is associated.

  • Flash memory is used to download and display email messages on the BlackBerry smartphone. Set the Auto More option to No to make sure that only the sections of the email message that you want to read on the BlackBerry smartphone are downloaded, displayed, and thus, stored in flash memory. By setting the Auto More option to No, the BlackBerry smartphone displays approximately the first 2 KB of an email message; you can display more of the email message by selecting More on the menu.

    Note: If the Auto More option is set to Yes, scrolling automatically displays more of the email message. Be aware that you may be dowloading large email messages by scrolling through an email message on the BlackBerry smartphone.

    Note: The size of the entire email message is displayed at the bottom of the email message screen. Average messages are usually no larger than 2 KB.

    By setting the Auto More option to No, you can make sure the flash memory is not unnecessarily used on the BlackBerry smartphone by disallowing the automatic download option.

    To set the Auto More option to No, complete the following steps:

    1. On the Home screen, open Messages.
    2. Display the menu and select Options.
    3. Select General Options.
    4. In the Auto More field, select No. You may not want to do this one.

    Caution: The More All option on the menu gives you the choice of downloading the entire email message at once, no matter how the Auto More setting is configured.

    The More All option should be used with caution since the BlackBerry smartphone uses flash memory to store email messages that have been displayed.

  • For BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry Device Software 3.8 or 4.0, set the BlackBerry smartphone to allow content compression. Although content compression causes the BlackBerry smartphone to work harder (thus, using more battery power), it will make sure that email messages use the least amount of flash memory that is possible.

    To set the BlackBerry smartphone to allow content compression, complete the following steps:

    1. On the Home screen, open Options.
    2. Select Security Options.
    3. Select General Settings.
    4. Set the Content Compression field to Enabled.
How to maximize battery power

Battery power can be maximized by following these simple suggestions.

  • Use BlackBerry smartphone shortcuts to access common system features quickly. For instructions, see KB02867 and the Getting Started Guide for your BlackBerry smartphone. Using shortcuts allows you to do the same things on your BlackBerry smartphone more quickly and efficiently, while saving battery power.

    Some common shortcuts include the following:

    • To delete a highlighted item, press the Delete key.
    • To select or clear a check box, press the Space key.
    • To view available values in a field, press the Alt key.
    • To switch applications: 
      1. Hold the Alt key and press the Escape key.
      2. Continue to hold the Alt key and highlight an application.
      3. Release the Alt key.
    • Set the Auto On/Off option to turn off the BlackBerry smartphone at a time of day when you are not using it (such as at night), and turn on again at a time of day that you are ready to use it (such as in the morning just before you wake up). Battery power is saved by turning the power off at times when the BlackBerry smartphone is not being used.

      To set the Auto On/Off option on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

      1. On the Home screen, open Options.
      2. Select Auto On/Off.
      3. Specify the on and off times.

      Tip: Set the BlackBerry smartphone to turn on just before you need to use it, (such as a few minutes before you wake up in the morning) so that the BlackBerry smartphone has a chance to receive the email messages sent to you during the time that the BlackBerry smartphone was turned off. This way, the email messages have already been received when you are ready to read them.

    • When a particular wireless connection is not needed, use the Manage Connections application on the BlackBerry smartphone to turn off the connection. For example, if you do not need to use Bluetooth® technology, you can use Manage Connections to turn the Bluetooth connection off.

      To turn the Bluetooth connection off on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:

      1. On the Home screen, open Manage Connections.
      2. Click Bluetooth.
      3. Note: Using Manage Connections, turn the mobile wireless transceiver off when you know you are out of range of the mobile network. Turning the mobile wireless transceiver off prevents the BlackBerry smartphone from continually attempting to locate the mobile network, which uses a lot of battery power.

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Re: Problems w/older Storm/want new one (not due for upgrade but other phones on plan are!
SFObrien
Contributor - Level 3

Chloedancer wrote:

Hi,

I got the Blackberry Storm last yr. as a Christmas gift, To make a long story short I want to get the newer one because this one is horrible. I can't answer calls most of the time, I just get the little clock. Yesterday I had the white screen appear for most of the day. I took the battery out and it helped for a few hours but then it happened again. I am losing my patience and am about to throw it out the window. I am not due for an upgrade til Aug of 2010 but we do have two phone's on our plan that are due for upgrades, they are just phones not blackberry's so how can I do this online. When I try it wants me to add the blackberry calling plan, another 44.00 a month for the unlimited data. Do I have to go into a store for this? Can someone help make my life a little easier, I would appreciate it, Thanks...


 

Try calling and ask about the select few upgrade.  You will either be told yes,no,or they have never heard of it. Depends who you talk to. Here is my earlier post with a copy of the promotion.

 

 http://community.vzw.com/t5/BlackBerry-Devices/Early-Upgrade-Offer/td-p/129630

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