Gadgets   A powerful smart phoneThe Blackberry phone is no doubt one of the most popular smart phones on the Rwandan market. Let me re-phrase that, is perhaps the most popular phone on the local market.   I cannot put a figure on the exact number of blackberries on the market. Judging from the buzz around the word ‘Blackberry’, am guessing they are very many.However, one thing is for certain, the majority of blackberry owners are using a small fraction of the features that blackberry is capable of. I wonder how many people holding blackberries right now know they are carrying a powerful smart phone. I will get to the smart phone functionality later.I have seen blackberries in the hands of CEO’s, students, motor cyclists and even house boys/girls. The blackberry is truly a non-discriminative device. It is understandable why organizations and corporations empower their staff with blackberries. It’s really a no brainier.  A blackberry is ac communication work horse. BlackBerry means business. It is a tool that can keep staff and executives connected all the time. Untapped potentialSo, what else can you do with the blackberry that you do not already do? I would say plentyPush emailThis is the single feature on which the blackberry was built. Before the current generation of blackberries, Research in Motion, the company behind blackberry created the Inter@ctive Pager which was able to transmit email and WAP services to users. Back in 1996 when it was launched, the technology was revolutionary. The technology allowed peer-peer messaging unlike the competing devices which were capable of one-way messaging. This was the beginning of mobile email access.  Basically what ‘push mail’ means is that an email is pushed direct to your phone’s screen as soon as it comes in, just the same way sms messages are handled by your phone. If your phone is set up for mail, you do not need to open the browser or mail application to access mails. The mails will pop-up on the screen.Blackberry is also able to aggregate mails from different sources and present them on your phone as if they were from a single source.  For instance you can set up your blackberry to send mail from the office as well as free mail providers such as yahoo, google or hotmail. Instant PIN messaging This is one of the defining features of the blackberry. Did you know that you can exchange messages with other blackberry users free of charge? Each Blackberry device is assigned an 8 digit PIN number. You can access yours through, Applications, Options, Status. If you know someone else’s PIN number, you can just send them a message the same way you send sms. Just input their PIN in the place of a phone number. The message goes straight to the recipient’s phone in real time. You also get a delivery confirmation as soon as the message is received. This mode of communication is more convenient than email or sms due to the limitations of sms.  Voila! Free messaging. Thank me later Media PlaybackMost of the recent blackberries come with a powerful media player, with features such as video, audio playback and FM radio. Considering most phones are packaged with headsets, there is no reason why you shouldn’t extend your blackberry’s function from just taking calls to a full multimedia player. Besides, most blackberries come with ample storage space, which is also expandable via memory card. EntertainmentBesides locally stored media files, you have the option to go online and enjoy internet radio and streaming video services such as youtube, vimeo and vimeo. Newer models also support apps, meaning you can install some games and fun applications on your device through the blackberry app market. Voice chatTake advantage of the skype app for blackberry and talk to friends and family all over the world. With the daily data packages from the major telecoms, you will be saving lots of Francs by making skype calls. You cannot beat the savings on international calls. Applications The Blackberry app market is full of applications which can be installed on your phone. There are all kinds of applications, from games, to productivity, to fun apps. There is something for everyone. Do not take my word for it.  Visit the apps market and try it yourself.So are you utilizing your Blackberry’s full potential? www.afrogeek.tk