You can now use your BlackBerry's Menu key to bring up the Application Switcher function in OS 4.6, 4.7 and 5.0. One of the BlackBerry features I use most frequently is the built-in Application Switcher function, which lets you hop back and forth between open programs without navigating through multiple screens or repeatedly clicking your track ball. Until recently, I assigned the App Switcher to one of my BlackBerry Bold’s side convenience keys for easy access. But thanks to a somewhat recent tweak to Research In Motion’s (RIM) BlackBerry OS, your Menu key can now be used to raise the App Switcher, freeing up a valuable convenience key–assuming you’re running the appropriate device software. BlackBerry Application Switcher Last year, I sat down with RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, and his number two tip for BlackBerry power users was to set a convenience key as the App Switcher. (Check out “BlackBerry Keyboard Shortcuts for Power Users,” for his number one suggestion.) As such, Lazaridis will probably appreciate this added feature. I first noticed the OS tweak last winter when RIM sent me a BlackBerry Storm 9530 from Verizon Wireless for review, so it’s not exactly new. That device was running 4.7.0.65 when it arrived, and though I upgraded the Storm OS multiple times before returning the handheld, every version of OS 4.7 I used had the new Menu-as-App-Switcher feature. And RIM appears to have wisely decided the function should be built into all new OS software–or at least most of it–because recent unofficial BlackBerry Bold 9000 OS versions now let you employ Menu as an App Switcher as well. In fact, I’m running a very early version of BlackBerry OS 5.0 on my Curve 8900 (5.0.0.90), and it too has the functionality. To bring up the App Switcher using Menu–which is found directly to the left of your trackball, with the BlackBerry “seven-dot” logo–simply depress the key for roughly two seconds or until the App Switcher appears on screen. You can then scroll from program to program and select the desired one by highlighting it and clicking your trackball. Note: While I’ve seen this feature in various versions of BlackBerry OS v4.6 for the Bold and Curve 8900, it doesn’t appear to be in all of them. For example, OS 4.6.1.114 for the 8900 does not have the functionality, and I believe it only started showing up in Bold software around v4.6.0.247. AS FREE CIO BlackBerry NewsletterGet better use out of your BlackBerry and keep up-to-date on the latest developments. Sign-up ť Related content BrandPost Smart UPS Connectivity: what it is and why you need it By Veronica Lew Mar 27, 2023 4 mins Remote Access Opinion Huawei’s F5G rollout plan signals new wave of green technology and digital transformation At MWC, Gu Yunbo, President of Huawei’s Enterprise Optical Business Domain, sat down with CIO to discuss a raft of new F5G launches, and what they mean for enterprise computing. By Peter Kirwan Mar 27, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation Opinion Huawei launches intelligent data storage solutions at MWC to satisfy rising multi-cloud demand Peter Zhou, President of Huawei’s IT Product Line, joined CIO at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to discuss a rising tide of enterprise investment in storage solutions for on-premises data centers and private clouds. By Peter Kirwan Mar 27, 2023 4 mins Data Management BrandPost AI bots for customer experience: trends, insights, and examples How can you implement AI bots in your company, and what will they be able to do for you? Here’s how Avaya expects things to shake out. By Mike Kuch, Sr. Director Solutions Marketing, Avaya Mar 27, 2023 5 mins Artificial Intelligence Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe