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  Tip of the day:

Useful tips for easier computer and technology usage.

Keyboard shortcuts:

BlackBerry Tips:

Outlook Tips:

Advanced Users:

Keyboard shortcuts:

How to lock your computer (Windows XP):
On your keyboard, hold the "Windows" button and click the letter 'L'.
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Right Click without using the mouse
On your keyboard, hold the Shift button and click 'F10'.
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Windows media player in full screen
On your keyboard, hold the 'Alt' key and click 'Enter'.
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Open "Run command" Keyboard
On your keyboard, hold the "Windows" button and click the letter 'R'.
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Rename file
Highlight the file you want to rename and click 'F2'
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Open System Properties
On your keyboard, hold the "Windows" button and click the letter 'B'. Or highlight "My Computer" and click 'Alt' and 'Enter'
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Open Search Window
On your keyboard, hold the "Windows" button and click the letter 'F'.
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Switch between windows
On your keyboard, hold the 'Alt' key and click on the 'Tab' key.
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Minimize all windows
On your keyboard, hold the "Windows" button and click the letter 'M'.
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Hide/Display all windows
On your keyboard, hold the "Windows" button and click the letter 'D'.
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Open Windows Explorer
On your keyboard, hold the "Windows" button and click the letter 'E'.
Back to tips Maximize a window On your keyboard, click 'Alt' and 'Space bar' and then click 'X'.
Back to tips Open Task Manager On your keyboard, click 'CTL', 'Shift' and 'Esc'.
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Close a window
On your keyboard, click 'Alt' and 'F4'.
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BlackBerry tips & BlackBerry shortcuts:

Typing email address
When entering a new contact to your address book, press space to get the '@' sign and spcae again for the '.'
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Compose Email: End of line
When writing an email, you can click on the 'Space' key twice at the end of the sentence and it will type "." instead.
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Bring up task bar on any screen
Hold the "Shift" key on your keyboard and click the "Esc" key (the one next to the Trackwheel.
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Hide desktop icons
Highlight the icond you want to hide.
Hold the "Shift" key on your keyboard and click the Trackwheel.
Choose "Hide Application"
To undo:
Hold the "Shift" key on your keyboard and click the Trackwheel.
Choose "Show All"
Highlight the icond you want to show.
Hold the "Shift" key on your keyboard and click the Trackwheel.
Uncheck "Hide Application"

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Call a number that includes letters
For example, you want to call 1.800.GO.FedEx
Type the area code first (1800 in the above case), hold the "shift" key, and type the letters you need to dial. Your BlackBerry will convert the letters to the numbers for you automatically.
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Select multiple items

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Replace wallpaper
To setup a Home/Standby background Image you have to follow these instructions.
  1. If you already have the picture you want on the blackberry (under the pictures icon in the home screen) simply go to the pictures icon, scroll down and highlight the picture you want as a background then click the scroll key and select set as Home screen image or select as Standby background image for standby wallpaper.
  2. Chose a picture you desire (small size pictures only not over 50k) and send the picture to your email Then when you receive the email open it and click the attachment with the scroll key and save it. Then Just go to the pictures icon and scroll down and highlight the picture you want as a background then click the scroll key and select set as Home screen image or select as Standby background image for standby wallpaper
Send high importance email
To change the importance of an email sent from your BlackBerry, start composing an email message, click the Trackwheel, select "Options", and change the "importance" option. This change will apply to the current email message you're sending and not to future emails.
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How to scroll up and down the messages screen
Heavy BlackBerry users, have the need to scroll all the way up or down their "messages" screen. To do so, simply go to your messages screen and click the "T" button on your keyboad to go all the way to the top, or "B" button to go all the way to the bottom.
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Show only incoming emails
Go to your "Messages" screen, hold the ALT key and click the letter "I" on your keyboard to display only incoming emails.
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Show only outgoing emails
Go to your "Messages" screen, hold the ALT key and click the letter "O" on your keyboard to display only outgoing emails.
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Show only SMS messages
Go to your "Messages" screen, hold the ALT key and click the letter "S" on your keyboard to display only SMS messages.
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BlackBerry Delivery Confirmation
While composing an email, type <CONFIRM> (You must include the brackets to make this work) at the beginning of the subject line. A confirmation email will be sent back to your handheld confirming delivery of your message.
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Email your PIN Number
While composing an email, type in the body of the message MYPIN and click the space bar.
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Email your Phone Number
While composing an email, type in the body of the message MYNUMBER and click the space bar.
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How to backup your BlackBerry
Open Desktop Manager, click the "Backup and Restore" icon, click "Bakcup", type a file name, choose location and click "Save".
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How to delete all contacts off your BlackBerry
NOTE: it is highly recommended to perform a full BlackBerry backup before performing the next operation. Open Desktop Manager, click the "Backup and Restore" icon and click the "Advanced" button.
On the right panel (Below "Device Database") highlight "Address Book". Click the clear button and confirm if you wish to proceed.
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How to delete all calendar items off your BlackBerry
NOTE: it is highly recommended to perform a full BlackBerry backup before performing the next operation.
Open Desktop Manager, click the "Backup and Restore" icon and click the "Advanced" button.
On the right panel (Below "Device Database") highlight "Calendar". Click the clear button and confirm if you wish to proceed.
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Outlook Tips:

Outlook 2003's Desktop Alerts Settings
Outlook 2003 users can change how long the Desktop Alert is displayed. This is the blue rectangle which displays on the screen when new mail arrives and is also known as "toast". (It's not to be confused with the New mail alert window which is controlled by Rules and supported in all versions.)

The easiest way to configure it is using the Tools, Options menu, Email Options, Advanced, Desktop Alerts Setting button. You can adjust the time it remains on the screen and how transparent it is. (Adjust the screen location by dragging the alert to another position.)

The maximum time is 30 seconds, if you need longer, you can edit the registry.

Browse to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\DesktopAlerts. Add a TimeOn DWORD key (if not already present) and set a value in milliseconds, up to 4 billion worth (50 days.)

This registry key also holds the values for the screen location and transparency. (These keys are created when you change the default settings.)
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Permanently Deleting Items
You can bypass the Deleted Items folder by holding Shift when you delete an Outlook item. Because you are permanently deleting the item(s), you'll receive a dialog asking if you are sure you want to permanently delete it, unless you disable the 'Warn before permanently deleting items' alert in Tools, Options, Other, Advanced Options.
Keep in mind that it can be quite easy to accidentally delete an entire folder and unless you use Exchange server, you won't be able to recover the deleted folder and contents.
Items deleted using this method are still added to Exchange Server's Deleted Item Recovery.
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Email Header Doesn't Print
A common complaint lately goes like this: Sometimes when I print an HTML message in Outlook 2003, it does not print the headers (From, Sent, To, Subject) at the top. I can sometimes get this to print properly by going File, Print, Options Tab, Print Links. Also, Print Preview is not available.
The printing error sometimes happens when you have installed Internet Explorer 7. At this time, I'm not aware of a fix.
Preview is never available for HTML messages.
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Resolving Addresses
When you have more than one Contacts folder or address list enabled as an address book Outlook will use the folder when it resolves names provided it's on the check names list.
When you type a name in the To, CC or BCC fields, Outlook begins searching in the address list at the top of this list and works its way down the folders on the list, until it finds a match. For example: if you type Bill in the To field and have Bill Smith in the first contacts folder and Bill Jones is in the second folder on the list, typing just Bill will resolve to Bill Smith. You'll need to type Bill J to resolve to Bill Jones, or reorder the list.

If names in the address book are not resolving, open the address book (Ctrl+Shft+B) and look on its Tools, Options menu. If the contacts folder is not listed in the 'When sending mail, check names using these addresses in the following order:' dialog, you'll need to click Add to add it to the list.
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Outlook 2003 Calendar Order
In Outlook 2003 you can display multiple calendars side by side, but how does Outlook decide the order they are shown?
It's not based on the order you click the folder, but on the order they are listed in the Navigation pane, with calendars in My Calendars section listed first and Other Calendars listed last.
You can control the order to some degree by reordering the list. Just select a calendar in the list and drag it up or down.
You can use this to rearrange the folders in any navigation pane, except for the folder lists.
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Converting Plain Text Email to HTML
A surprising number of people dislike reading plain text emails so much that they want to convert all incoming mails to HTML. They don't care that it's bad netiquette to change the format of the reply unless absolutely necessary, such as to highlight or format text for easier reading or to embed pictures - they only want HTML.
While you can't readily change the format of all incoming email to HTML, you can change the fonts used to display plain text email so that's easier to read.
Open Tools, Options, Mail Format, Fonts dialog and change the font used for reading and replying to plain text messages.
Notes: When a sender uses plain text, you should always honor their choice - anyone who uses a cellular or wireless device to check email may not be able to read the HTML or they may be charged by the minute or KB to download messages (HTML messages are much larger than plain text).
Even when HTML formatting options would make it easier to get your point across, you should avoid changing the format if at all possible.
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Save Time Using Templates
Last week I told you how to insure replies were sent to multiple people.

Hendrik Delagrange had this to say: "I immediately tried to 'save' this reply-to-more-addresses option in an Outlook template, which works. So we can make another button for this type of message too, which might come in handy when you are sending from the office but want the replies to go (also to) say a personal mail address."

To save a form, you need to use the Outlook editor:

Choosing Outlook Editor on the Fly:
    Occasionally you may need to use Outlook's editor when you normally use Word, such as to create an Outlook template. You can go to Tools, Options, Mail format and enable or disable Word as your editor or use the Actions menu (when in any mail folder) to open a new message form using the Outlook editor.
    From the Actions, New Mail Message Using menu, select Microsoft Outlook (HTML) (or Microsoft Word (HTML), if the Outlook editor is your default). If you want to use plain text or RTF formatting, you'll need to change the format once the new message form is open.
    Depending on what other Office programs you have installed, other choices on the Actions menu will open the programs with the Office envelope turned on. When you are in non-mail folders, the Actions menu contains appropriate actions for the folder type.

Accessing templates and forms:
    Almost everyone knows about Tools, Forms, Choose Form and browsing for a form or template. When you're choosing a template, it's almost as fast to use Windows Explorer and browse for templates.
    Forms published to a folder will be listed on the Actions menu in that folder. For example, publish a custom task form and when you are in the Tasks folder, you can select the form from the Actions menu.
    Templates can be copied from the Windows file system to a folder in Outlook. Or drag the template to the Outlook bar. Double click the template and a new item opens, just like it does from the file system. (In Outlook 2003, drag it to the Shortcut section of the Navigation Pane.)
    You can create a toolbar button and hyperlink to the template. Select Tools, Customize and drag a button to a toolbar. Right click on the new button and choose hyperlink from the bottom of the menu. Type the path or browse for the template, change the button name and image and you're done. (Outlook 2002/2003 only)

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Clearing the Autocomplete Cache
"When sending an email to a person you can type in the first few letters in the TO: area and the name will automatically appear from cache names. Is there a way to clear the cache of names from automatically appearing in the TO...?"
This is a very common question and the answer is yes, there are two ways to clear the autocomplete cache. You can delete individual names as they come up just by selecting the name using the arrow keys then pressing Del. If you want to delete the entire autocomplete cache, look for the NK2 file for your profile - it's in C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.
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Emailing a Calendar
How can I send my monthly calendar to someone within Outlook 2003?

1) Let me count some of the ways:
Use a word template and either send it as a document or save as HTML. See http://www.slipstick.com/addins/calendar.htm#print for templates.

2) If you both have Visio 2003, use the Import Outlook Data Wizard to create a calendar from Outlook data. You can filter it to include only certain appointments. Send the .vsd file as an attachment.

3) Use VBA to create an HTML-format mail message containing any single day's appointment list or 30 days of appointments. Look for code samples at:
http://www.outlookcode.com/codedetail.aspx?id=24
http://www.outlookcode.com/codedetail.aspx?id=1227

4) Wait for Outlook 2007 and send the calendar as an iCalendar attachment.
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Jump in Message List
"When displaying the list of email in a folder, is there a way to immediately display the Top or Bottom of the list? For example, double clicking the arrow at the top of the slide bar on the right of the list would make the display start with the 1st email in the list."
Double clicking won't work, but try a right click on the little arrow icons at the top and bottom of the scroll bar. :) You can also use the Home and End keys to jump to the other end of the list. The Page Up and Page Down keys will move you to the top or bottom of the messages in the current view.
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Go to Appointment Date
Liz asks "I have a user that uses the Advanced Find function for the calendar to find certain events that have happened. Once the results show, is there a way to jump to that day on the calendar?"
Yes, you can jump to the calendar from any open calendar item - look on the item's View menu for Calendar... This will open a new Outlook window to the Calendar folder with the date selected in the one day view. Appointments spanning multiple dates will display the days in the one day view if less than 3 days, the week view if 3 - 7 days or the month view for more than 7 days.
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See More Navigation Calendars
How do you get the miniature date navigator calendars in the navigator pane window to stack one on top of the other? Or get two or more in a row?
If you drag the interior border (right edge in Outlook 2003's navigation pane, left edge if using the Taskpad in any version) the width of a navigation calendar, you'll get more calendars in each row. To get them stacked in a column, you need to make more vertical space. If using the Taskpad, drag the border separating tasks from the calendar down one or more calendar heights.
When the calendar is on the left, in the navigation pane, you need to free up vertical space. You can do this by increasing the Outlook window size (using the maximize button or raise the screen resolution) or by removing the Calendar views from the navigation pane (View, Navigation pane, Show Views in Navigation pane) or removing calendars from the list.
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Send To... Questions
Last week I shared a tip for creating a new message shortcut in the Send to folder. Ronald wanted to know how to use it for distribution lists. It's easy - just replace the email address with the DL name. If there are spaces in the name, use quotes around the name.
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE12\OUTLOOK.EXE" /c ipm.note /m "My DL"
Outlook will resolve the name. This also works for contacts, if you prefer to use names instead of email addresses in the shortcuts.
Mark noticed that zip files may not be added to the message. This is because Windows Compressed folders feature recognizes zips as folders, which "hides" them from Outlook (even when using the browse button). In either case, its usually only a problem if you are using compressed folders as the zip handler, although it will happen occasionally when you have WinZip or other zip programs installed. You can fix this by disabling Compressed folders.
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Merging Calendars
I have just done a complete re-install of Win XP Pro (SP2) on my system. I am using Outlook 2003 & have opened the old outlook.pst file & brought [the items] in to the re-installed version of Outlook.
All my contacts & e-mail came across OK - with a bit of moving. With regard to the calendars I ended up with 2 calendars (my old calendar & a new blank calendar). Is there an easy way of moving the items/appointments from the old calendar across to the new calendar to allow me to sync with PDA etc?
The solution when you need to merge two calendars into one: choose a table view (the By Category view works great for this because it includes all events and appointments), select all (Ctrl+A) and drag the items from one calendar to the other.
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Appointment Reminders
Is it possible to set a reminder date longer then 2 weeks on a calendar item? For example, I have a major meeting scheduled in September, eight months from now, and I want to be reminded three months before the due date to begin preparing for the meeting.
Sure. You can use any other reminder period, not just what is listed in the dropdown. Need a reminder in 18 minutes? Type 18m in the reminder field. Need 8 days? Type 8d in the field. 3 weeks? Type 3w.
I'll confess, I've never tried it with months, only weeks, days, hours and minutes, so you should test it before creating an appointment using months, or use weeks instead.
Another possibility for your specific situation is to create additional appointments or tasks for the preparations.
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Resend a Message
If you need to resend a message, double click to open the original message in the Sent Items folder and look on its Actions menu. Choose Resend this message. In Outlook 2007, look for it under the Options button on the Actions group of the ribbon.
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Advanced users:

Rename multiple files
To rename several files at the same time, Windows XP now allows you to select a few files using Windows Explorer and then rename them all at once using the function F2. The new name you type will be applied to all the files plus an incremental number at the end.
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Open outlook in safe mode
Go to "Start" --> "Run" --> type 'Outlook /safe'
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