Xclusive: How To Take Care Of Your Blackberry + Make The Battery Last Longer

Take it or leave it, Nigeria is fast becoming a ‘BlackBerry country’ and it’s hard not find one in a gathering of mobile phone users. The price range is somewhat wide, so you get one for as low as N25,000 and another for as high as N100,000 – at least that’s the price tag on the BlackBerry Z10 from many of the telecommunication companies.
Yes, we all love BlackBerry or better still, the good stuff it comes with – ability to network with friends, colleagues, or boss, just a ping away at an affordable cost.
However, users usually have one or two complaints about the use of this popular smartphone. Perhaps BlackBerry has become a necessary evil that we may have to live with. Here are some tips that will help you enjoy  your BB.
Close apps when not in use
It is common for users to launch apps without closing the screen before opening another, with time you end up with a lot apps opened, and this slows down processing speed andit eventualy hangs such that you have to restart. To avoid this? Close every app (not screen) when no longer in use. Follow this steps:
a. Simply hold down the function button (that’s the one with the BlackBerry Logo)
b. Then click on the app, to re-open it
c. Click the function button again
d. Navigate to, and click on ‘Close’
Doing this on a regular basis gives room for faster processing, and better experience.

Use Opera Mini over BB Browser
The Opera Mini browser allows you load compressed pages as compared to full pages. So if there are images on the page, or even videos, they come already compressed, which means less data pull, and in turn longer battery life.
That is: Loads compressed pages = Less data pull = Longer Battery life
Unfortunately, in this part of the word, due to quality of wave broadcasts from telecommunication firms, your BlackBerry does more work pulling signals, hence faster battery drain. That’s why going the Opera Mini way helps, as against using your default BlackBerry browser.
Clear your log
It’s strongly recommended to do this on a weekly basis. The BlackBerry default creates a log for major system operations to record failures, crash times, etc. Over time this begin to use up your processing memory (RAM), and may in turn slow down your phone. How do you clear your log?
a. Enter Alt+L Alt+G Alt+L Alt+G
b. Click on the function button (i.e. the one that carries the BlackBerry Logo)
c. Navigate and click on ‘Clear Log’ and then ‘Delete’
You can set a weekly reminder to do this, as it is easy to forget.
Turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to stop phone from auto-restart.
Yes, this is the only myth that made it to the list. If your BlackBerry phone auto-restarts every now and then,  turning on your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will solve the problem. It is very hard to say for a fact but it seemed to have worked for some.
Personally I know three people who it worked for. One thing in common for those that it worked for is they all use the Bold 5. So, you may just be lucky for this to work – well that’s why it’s a myth.
Get a spare BlackBerry battery and on-the-go charging accessories
After all, said and done, you may just need to invest a little in getting extra juice for your BlackBerry. Carrying a fully charged battery in your purse can be a life saver giving you six extra hours of battery life. This may cost you up to N5,000. Accessories like on-the-go chargers come in handy e.g. a car charger for your car or even a taxi/bus ride.
I hope all of these tips and myths will be helpful, as we all yearn for a better BlackBerry experience with every passing day.