The last several days, I’ve been spending a lot of time replying to emails.  Most of the questions had to do with phone compatibility, concerned parents, and a bunch of general questions.

One thing thing that stood out to me, was the large number of BlackBerry related questions.  Not sure why, but it seems BlackBerry is a platform that produces the most questions from people who either have just purchase BlackBerry monitoring software and are now having problems, or people who are about to purchase BlackBerry monitoring software and are confused with a few things.  This got me thinking that perhaps creating a ‘BlackBerry monitoring buying tips’ blog post, would help anyone about to buy BlackBerry monitoring software — not make the same mistakes that others have made in the past.

Here is that list.  I created it by going back and looking at all the BlackBerry related emails I received this year.

BLACKBERRY MONITORING SOFTWARE BUYING TIPS

1) VERIFY THE BB IS ON A DATA PLAN

Before you buy BlackBerry monitoring software, MAKE SURE the BlackBerry that you are installing the software on has a data plan.  A data plan essentially enables the phone to connect to the internet, using the phone’s browser.  A quick way to check, is to open up the browser and try to visit any external website such as Amazon, Google, etc.

Not only is a data plan required in order to install the software, but it’s also required to upload the logs that are recorded on your the BlackBerry.  Most of the data plans come with an unlimited package (as shown in the screenshot above for AT&T’s BlackBerry packages), but there are situations where they chose NOT to subscribe to a plan.  This is common for anyone on a prepaid plan (although Boost Mobile has recently begun to offer unlimited data plans), and GSM networks outside the US.

One important point to bring up.  If you find out that cell phone you want to install the software on is on a data plan, but unfortunately NOT on an unlimited plan, then you might want to think twice about installing BlackBerry monitoring software on their phone.  Even at the most optimal settings, such as you set the software to report only once every 24 hours, and you disable the GPS tracking, the software will still deplete the prepaid balance at an aggressive pace.

In summary, the best scenario is for your target’s BlackBerry to 1) be on a data plan, 2) the plan is an unlimited package.

2) OS v4.x OR v5.0? YOU NEED TO CHECK!

Before you make you purchase BlackBerry monitoring software, it’s also highly advisable that you verify the OS version of the BlackBerry.  The reason is that not all BlackBerry monitoring software supports OS v5.0.

For those of you who do not know how to check the OS version, it’s very simple.  Just follow these steps.

1) Open the Options folder on your target’s BlackBerry. The icon should have an image a wrench.

2) Select ‘About’ from the list.

3) Now look at the third line (see the screenshot above). If you see v4.x, then that particular BlackBerry will support all of the popular BlackBerry monitoring software apps on the market.  If you see v5.x, then you are only limited to the ones that support this version.

What I’m finding out from various emails, is that since Flexispy has the popular call monitoring feature, someone who is shopping around see that feature,  and then quickly buys Flexispy (does not support version 5.x at the time of this writing) without checking the OS version of the BlackBerry. Then when they try to install the software, all sorts of problem start to occur, and they end up wasting countless hours trying to figure out whats wrong. In the end, they either ask for a refund, or give up and essentially waste $350 bucks on something they could have been prevented.

In summary, knowing the OS version of your the BlackBerry, will play a very important role in which BlackBerry monitoring software you end up purchasing.

3) RESEARCH THE BB’S FEATURES

A few weeks ago, I received an email from someone who had purchased monitoring software to monitor and track her teen daughter.  She was able to get everything to work except the GPS tracking.  She decided to send me an email to see if I had any idea what the problem was.  After a little bit of research, I realized the problem.  Her daughter’s BlackBerry 8520, did not have GPS.  I emailed her with this, and she replied back that according to AT&T, it does. I went to AT&T’s website and sure enough, they list the BlackBerry Curve 8520, as having GPS.  Unfortunately, this is wrong.

If you go to BlackBerry’s website, or do a quick search for the 8520, you’ll find out that this version does not have GPS.

The whole point of this story, is to recommend that you take the time to ensure your target’s BlackBerry supports all the features of the BlackBerry monitoring software you are purchasing.  For example, if GPS tracking is important to you, then make sure the phone has GPS. If you choose to spend more money so you can view photos snapped on the BlackBerry, make sure the phone has a camera.

In summary, knowing the features of your BlackBerry phone will ensure you get the most out of your purchase, and save the aggravation of trying to figure out why a particular feature wont work.

4) KNOW WHAT FEATURES YOU WANT

It’s very important that you understand all the features that you need, BEFORE you purchase the software.  If I were you, I would write down a list of everything you want to do. Read emails, view photos, monitor their PC, track their location, etc. Don’t worry if you are not sure if the feature is offered, just write down all the features that are most important.

Now take this list and go to the BlackBerry monitoring software vendor you are looking at, and find out which version supports the most features.  A common problem I read in various emails, is someone had purchased BlackBerry monitoring software without really thinking what they needed.  After using it a few weeks, they quickly realized a feature they really need is not supported.  They then end up having to make another purchase, and go through the whole installation process again.

Want a way to monitor their BlackBerry and PC? >> Mobile Spy (www.mobile-spy.net) has all the “must have” features such as viewing text messages, emails, contacts, GPS tracking, and they’ve even recently added a way to view photos and videos.  What Mobile Spy also offers is a FREE copy of their powerful PC monitoring software called Sniper Spy (www.sniperspypc.com) with a purchase of a one year license .  Sniper spy enables you to view just about everything they do on their PC.  You can view chats, keystrokes, snapshots of the screen, and it has a real cool live PC monitoring feature where you can watch their PC in real time.  In addition, you can remotely grab and view files stored on their PC.  For less than $100 bucks, you get a very solid BlackBerry monitoring software application, and a powerful PC monitoring program.

Want the best value for money? >> StealthGenie (www.stealth-genie.com) is my new favorite BlackBerry monitoring software product.  The great thing about StealthGenie, is it does just about everything some of the more powerful BB monitoring software does that sells for almost double the price, but it also has a few features not found anywhere — such as triggers and alerts.

The downside? StealthGenie is relatively new to the industry, so their product has not been in the hands of as many people as some of the more established players.  This means you “might” experience an occasional hiccup.

5) MAKE SURE YOU CAN ACCESS THE PHONE

The final and MOST IMPORTANT buying tip is to MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE PHONE!

You have no idea how many emails I’ve received asking how to remotely install BlackBerry monitoring software. So many people are  purchasing the software without even having a way to access the BlackBerry.  If you only remember one thing in this blog post, remember that YOU MUST HAVE PHYSICAL ACCESS TO THE PHONE.  My apologies for going nuts on the CAPS, but this is still one of the most common problems I’m coming across.  The reason you must have physical access to the BlackBerry, is because the BlackBerry monitoring software is downloaded directly into the BlackBerry, so without physical access, there is no way you are going to install it.

In summary, there is absolutely no way to install BlackBerry monitoring software without  access to the phone.

If you are in the market for BlackBerry monitoring software, make sure you go through these five steps, and if you still have questions, send me an email, and I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.

Good luck!

SPG

Similar Posts:

• Monitor BlackBerry Messenger With MobiStealth
• BlackBerry Spy Software from MobileSpy Now Available!
• How To Monitor A Blackberry – Flexispy Blackberry Review
• Flexispy PRO-X BlackBerry Spy App Released!
• Obama & His Blackberry Spyphone?

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