Want to get more out of your new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone? Of course you do.

BlackBerry’s latest platform is already designed to help you get more done in less time – from gestures and shortcuts to the predictive keyboard and multitasking features – but we can help you get to know your snazzy new device even further.

Ready to start? The following are 10 assorted tips and tricks to mastering your new BlackBerry Z10.

1. Keyboard tips

You already know BlackBerry Z10’s virtual keyboard will conveniently guess the words you’re typing and if you agree with what’s suggested on your screen, simply swipe up with your thumb.

But that’s just the beginning.

To show the keyboard, swipe up from the bottom of the screen with two fingers or swipe down with two fingers to hide the keyboard (or tap and hold on the spacebar).

The delete a word, swipe one finger quickly from the right side of the keyboard to the left – but if you type in a right-to-left language, swipe from left to right instead.

To

YifteeLately it seems like every new app is trying to fill a void that doesn’t exist. If you were living happily yesterday, before you read this story, it stands to reason that you’d be just as happy today without knowing what I am about to tell you. In case the title wasn’t clear enough, I’m about to tell you about two apps you truly don’t need. But, as stated, you might want them. Still … is nothing sacred anymore? Have we become so jaded and impatient that we can’t take the time to do the simple things; such as thoughtfully shopping for loved ones or sitting down to quietly read a book? I guess that’s for you to decide. In the meantime, these apps are pretty cool – even though no one actually needs them.

Yiftee
Social media wants to make it easier for you to send gifts these days. You send a birthday wish to a friend on Facebook and you’re immediately prompted to send unlimited bread sticks and salad from The Olive Garden. Apps that replicate this service abound. For some of us, this is

From the mailbag: "I've heard a hacker could access my webcam and watch me in front of my computer. Could this really happen?"

The answer is "yes" -- it's technically possible for someone to do this, including this recent case of this happening -- though it's not very likely, statistically speaking.

Still, if you’re concerned about someone accessing your webcam to see (and hear) you through your computer, there are a few things you can do to minimize the odds of it happening.

Here are a few suggestions:

* If you’re using an external webcam – one that plugs into your computer’s USB port – only connect it when you need it. Yes, it can be a pain to remember to plug it in whenever you want to Skype or Facetime with someone, but at least you’ll know 100 percent you aren’t been spied on if there’s no camera connected.

* Some external cameras have a small cover you can close over the webcam lens, so be sure you take advantage of this when you’re not using it. If your webcam doesn’t have

If you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, a new app called Wake N Shake Alarm Clock ($1.99) might just be what the (sleep) doctor ordered.

What makes this app unique -- compared the hundreds of other alarm clocks at the App Store -- begins with how you need to turn off the alarm.

Quite simply, you need to shake the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to turn it off.

If you're a morning person, you might opt for the reasonably short and sweet "Milk Shake" or "Piñata" shake setting. These only require a half dozen or so shakes for the red bar to rise to the top of the screen and turn off the sound effect or music.

But those who have a hard time lifting their head off the pillow might choose the "Cold Shower" or "Dream Killer" settings that require a lot more shakes to turn off the dreaded alarm. The meanest shake setting, called "Merciless," doesn't even have a snooze option. Ouch.

Along with the ability to select a song from your library, you can also choose a sound effect to wake

www.broadenedhorizons.comThere comes a point near the end of most transactions when the salesperson asks you if you’d like to purchase the extended warranty. Many consumers dread this moment because it is a widely held belief that extended warranties are for suckers. But they sound so comforting, so necessary. The salesperson has been ordered to offer this warranty, and to make it sound like a crucial purchase. There must be a time when the warranty is a good idea, right? Wrong.

“Extended warranties are pure profit for retailers as they pocket more than 50 percent of an extended warranty’s cost,” wrote retail expert Louis Ramirez, in a recent a piece for dealnews.com that debunked a dozen tech shopping myths. Still not convinced? Here are five things you can do instead of buying that expensive – and useless – extended warranty.

www.facebook-tutor.com1. Check the manufacturer’s warranty
“Rather than be bullied into buying one the next time you’re at a retail store, take a look at the warranty provided by the manufacturer (which

It’s always a good idea to make a back-up of your personal or professional email for future reference.

After all, you never know when you’ll need it, be it a salary promise by the boss you want to dig up a year later or keeping sentimental exchanges — be they love notes with your sweetheart or correspondence with an aging grandmother.

Another application is moving your messages between PCs, such as a desktop to a laptop to take on the road, or perhaps you’re purchasing a new computer altogether.

Backing up email in Microsoft Outlook, still the most popular desktop email program, can be done in a number of ways – but despite what you're pitched online, you don’t need to buy any software to pull it off.

Here are two free options, both of which work for all recent versions of the software:

Backup Option No. 1

If you only want to back up a couple of mail folders, such as Inbox or Deleted Items, the easiest way is to simply open up Outlook and click on the left side of the screen on the

SnapOneIs the modern family more connected than ever? On paper, it would appear that is the case. Tablets, phones and laptops have the power to bring people together. But being connected digitally doesn’t mean we’re making true connections with each other or staying close and involved with each other. Our gadgets can be used to isolate just as easily as they can be used to bring people together.

On one hand, it’s a matter of philosophy and family values. On the other, it’s a software issue. Where are the apps and programs that connect and protect our gadgets and, therefore, our lives? One such app is called Snap Secure, from SnapOne, Inc. (formerly Snap MyLife, Inc.). It’s basically a personal Secret Service for your family. It provides a variety of security features that can be used effectively as a family force field.

You can manage your family’s device settings remotely and set up parental controls. Features such as Breadcrumb History and Geo-fence allow you to track any family member’s

Between singing goat videos, Honey Boo Boo fan pages and Harlem Shake competitions, you might think the collective IQ of the Internet has sunk lower than Justin Bieber’s pants.

But if you cut through all the nonsense you can in fact learn a thing or two – thanks to some extraordinary educational resources.

In fact, you can get a university education, for free, if you know where to look. No, I’m not referring to e-learning courses that award you with degrees and diplomas (though that's an option, too), nor do I mean communally written encyclopedias like Wikipedia.

Instead, you'd be surprised what's out there for those looking to learn more about a subject – any subject – from experts in their field, around the world.

So here's a few ways you can get a higher education at your own pace:

iTunes U

You probably have iTunes software on your PC or Mac, but have you ever used iTunes U? Part of iTunes, iTunes U houses a collection of more than 500,000 free lectures, videos, audiobooks and