[sptddog]

I’m a very new BB user and I have a few questions I’m hoping folks here can help with. I did searches on them, but didn’t find the answers clearly enough for my newbie head.

The details: Verizon Pearl, with the 29.99 (assuming BIS) Blackberry plan.

Now for the questions:
1) I work for a large corporation and I’m hoping to be able to use their BES to get my work email, etc(I’ve confirmed they allow personal devices, but I don’t know the details yet – I assume they’ll incorporate our standard IT policies which is fine – though I may lose the ability to use Opera Mini then…). If my company ‘hosts’ me on their BES, will I have to update my Verizon plan to the 44.99 BES plan? Or, is the point of hosting by my company on their BES sufficient to maintain my BIS plan with Verizon?

2) If the BES means changing my plan, would using OWA access to my corporate account mean I could stay with the BIS plan? I know we can use OWA for web access via desktops/laptops, including personal computing devices, so I assume we could use it via BB too.

3) Can someone explain Themes and why I’d need them? I understand they change the way things ‘look’ but I use my kids picture as wallpaper anyhow, so what else do they offer me?

4) When a BB is ‘wiped’ does it erase contacts etc as well, or just defaults it back to a factory state w/out deleting contacts?

5) Is there a shortcut key for ‘sending’ SMS messages other than hitting the trackball twice to send? I try to avoid using the trackball, since I hear it doesn't hold up.

6) Isn’t suretype just predictive text? It’s not the predictive text that’s hard to use (very similar in concept to T9) it’s the location of the KEYS/LETTERS that’s harder than hockey sticks!!

7) Does Verizon offer any ringtones I can buy and download? I don’t have the time or energy to import songs into Itunes again, convert them, find a site to upload and make me a tone, only to download it to the phone. I just want to pay for some.

That’s my start….I'm sure I'll have more.

[JSanders]

1. You or they will need a BES plan for you
2. That is an option.
3. Themes, like a skin or graphical interface. Wallpaper is simply a wallpaper, themes normally incorporate a certain "theme" through the interface.
4. Wiping a BB via the security options removes all personal settings, data, contacts, mail, messages, calendar items, and most third party applications (some may remain).
5. You heard incorrect info about the trackball. It is a moving part and moving parts on any device may experience more issues than others, but from my time here, I don't see any more issues regarding the trackball than I do other issues.
6. SureType is not predictive text. Two different things. Suretype simply enables the combination alpha characters on one key type a sensible word. If need more detail on using SureType, there are hundreds of posts here explaining best use practices in learning and using the technology.
7. You don't need to pay, there are many many free sites:
Where Can I Download Ringtones? - BlackBerryFAQ

You need to read Stinsonddog's Tips and the FAQs, both linked below in my signature.

Welcome to the BBForums.

[sptddog]

Originally Posted by JSanders

1. You or they will need a BES plan for you

So, if they 'host' me, then I understand it's their plan right? It will be their plan, but what I wasn't sure of was whether or not Verizon had to activate something (hence thinking I might have to still have their BES plan) to allow BES to work.

Originally Posted by JSanders

7. You don't need to pay, there are many many free sites:
Where Can I Download Ringtones? - BlackBerryFAQ

I went to them, but they don't really have the songs I'm looking for (though I'll go look at them again), and it seems most of them were sounds (like goofy laughs and such) versus audio. I'm really short on time (2 young kids), and I just want to find them, download them, pay for them in five minutes, you know?

Originally Posted by JSanders

You need to read Stinsonddog's Tips and the FAQs, both linked below in my signature.

I have (even before I posted), I promise, but they didn't really answer my questions.

[Dubdub]

IMHO, there is NEVER a good reason to put a personal device on a company BES. If you do, then keep all of your personal stuff off. Your device can be locked down tightly.