tech.tarts

While I was away on a much-needed Girl’s Trip in Santa Barbara recently, my Blackberry (Curve 8300) slipped out of its case and into the (clean) toilet bowl. It didn’t just fall into the toilet – it slid down the pipe a little ways just out of sight. Of course, recognizing immediately that I had a 5 hour drive ahead of me and would be completely dark with no means of communication, much less potentially lose the critical data on this little device that manages my entire life, I did what any gadget-loving gal would do… I reached in to try and retrieve it. As it turns out, many toilets are constructed to fit either a device or a hand, and not both. It was like the old monkey predicament from those African documentaries where he slides his hand in the hole to grab the bug, but can’t get his clenched fist out. Greedy monkey.

Fortunately having an opposable thumb makes us a little luckier than the monkey and I did finally retrieve my very, very, very soggy Blackberry from the toilet, alas, too late for salvation. So off I went to the nearest AT&T Wireless store using hand-written directions on a piece of paper (can you imagine?). I was pleased to see they had the newer Blackberry Curve 8900

Blackberry Curve 8900 from AT&T

and within twenty minutes and $400 later (ouch, Girl’s weekend just got expensive!), I was merrily on my way back to join my gal-pals for our hang-over brunch. But the point of this blog is not about shaky fingers after a wild girl’s night out or how to catch a monkey. It is about what I did before I ever even left the parking lot of the AT&T store: I downloaded the most critical Blackberry application of all time – my beloved Google Mobile Applications for Blackberry. Whether or not you’re a fan of Google for browsing online or use Gmail is irrelevant. No one who owns a Blackberry should live without Google Mobile apps downloaded to their device. So without further ado, here is what every TechTart who uses a Blackberry must do – stat:

1a. Go to the Blackberry browser and follow the instructions on the screen to “go to” www.google.com (literally type it in). Once the Google device-smart browser loads, do another search and type in “google mobile blackberry” and hit your “enter” key which is the one that looks like a backwards “L” with an arrow.

Google application screen shots

1b. Or, click on the Google for Blackberry website button “Send to Phone” and follow the same steps below.

Google send to phone link

2. A search results page will load and you will quickly see in the first 1-3 options the Google Mobile Applications link. Click it. Download it.

Google results link

3. Now, this part is tricky since not all Blackberry’s are created equal: Find the download and Install it. In my case, on the Curve 8900, it was tucked away in a “Downloads” folder.  You locate this folder by scrolling over the top of each little icon on your screen. The Download folder usually looks like a manilla file-folder. In my former 8300 Curve it was just at the bottom of all the tiny icons on my screen.

4. Once you find it, open it and click on it to launch it. Depending on your BB it will either automatically load or walk you through a few steps.

Downloading this set of applications gives you superior device access to Google Maps, Gmail, Search, News, a Reader, and more. Don’t wait another minute – do it now!

xoxo – tt.t