This week, we introduce one of our latest columns geared towards offering technological advice. Carlette DeLeon, who also has a tech programme on radio will seek to solve some of your issues and offer guidance each week. Enjoy!

They are so convenient. They take pictures, send messages and play music. We use them to keep all our contacts and all sorts of information that is important to us. The problem is that information in the wrong hands can hurt us.

Don't take your BlackBerry for granted; protect it and the data stored on it. Ok, let's move past the lecture and get straight to the tips.

Enable a password, not just a keyboard lock. The keyboard lock prevents the phone from dialling by itself but doesn't prevent someone from seeing all your personal information. Use the 'Security' settings located in the 'Options Menu' to set a password and tweak the settings for your lifestyle. You may key in the password when you turn on the phone, when you make a call or at various settings in between. Adding a password is the single best way to prevent unauthorised access to your phone.

BlackBerrys, like other smart phones, allow you to browse the Internet. To browse, we must enter our online passwords. Don't save these passwords in your phone's browser. For your own safety, your BlackBerry password should be different than your online password.

Usually, connecting your BlackBerry to a computer allows the user to have immediate access to all its contents. You can block such access by encrypting the data on your device. And, it's as easy as setting the password in the 'Security General Options' menu. You can even block Caller ID, so the crook who has your phone can't know who is calling you.

clear memory

Memory clearing and memory wiping are two very different processes with two very different effects. It's helpful to periodically clear your BlackBerry memory. This dumps the cache and other bits of data your phone accumulates while surfing the Internet and running apps. Most times, you won't even miss this information.

Use the 'Wipe' option if you are disposing of your phone. It will delete everything and return your phone to factory specifications. Definitely wipe your phone before giving it away, selling it, or throwing it out. Crooks can't use data that is not there.

If your phone is lost or stolen, these tips will prevent your information from falling into the wrong hands. But if you don't have access to your phone and still need access to your data, do a little forward planning and back up now.

Using the BlackBerry Desktop Manager, which is free for both PC and Mac, schedule a weekly full back up of your handset. All your contacts, images, music, ring tones, apps and relevant data can be stored (but not accessed) on a computer. If you retrieve or replace your BlackBerry, you can restore all your data to the handset, like it was never lost.

You just spent a few minutes reading this article, now spend a few more taking the necessary steps to protect yourself. You'll be glad you did!

Send feedback to techiteasy@ carlettedeleon.com.