With college seniors graduating and entering the "real world" this summer, it's important to stay organized and efficient this time of year. In a recent study conducted by Research In Motion targeting the youth market (ages 18-24), 80 percent of respondents said they use their mobile phone to keep track of day-to-day life. Ninety-two (92) percent agreed that a smartphone would keep them organized in 2012.

Smartphones allow youth to stay on track in a variety of ways: Sixty-seven (67) percent use calendars and scheduling apps to keep them on deadline, 62 percent count on GPS tools to help navigate while travelling, and 53 percent rely on social media and instant messaging to connect with friends when arranging get-togethers.

As the data demonstrates, youth are heavily relying on smartphones to stay organized. Here are a few tips on how to stay productive, particularly upon entering the post-college life:

On Day 1 of that New Job/Internship - Transitioning to the real world can at times be tough, but BlackBerry makes it easier. With the BlackBerry Calendar, you can keep calls, meetings and events all in one place. It syncs seamlessly with BlackBerry contacts and email, so you’ll never miss a beat. When taking notes in a meeting or editing on the fly, use Docs to Go on BlackBerry smartphones and the BlackBerry PlayBook. Looking for that perfect job opportunity? Use LinkedIn for BlackBerry to connect with those in your desired field and boost your professional network.

During a Weekend Getaway - Post-college life means no homework on weekends, making it easier to take those vacations you’ve been dreaming of the last four years! BlackBerry Travel allows you to plan and manage travel activities. The app puts all travel updates in one place, and if there are any changes to a train/plane/bus reservation, the app notifies users immediately. On a road trip? BlackBerry Traffic, with hands-free turn-by-turn directions, gives you your ETA, as well as the most efficient travel routes based on traffic conditions. If looking for an impromptu meal while on the road, check out the BBM-connected app Poynt, which finds businesses, restaurants, movies, people and even gas based on location.

To Keep in Touch - With your college friends spread out across the country, it's important to find ways to connect. With BBM and Facebook and Twitter for BlackBerry, you can stay in touch with your buddies anytime, anywhere. To spice it up, try video chat for the BlackBerry PlayBook to talk to friends face-to-face.

The survey, which polled 1,004 randomly selected 18-24 year old Americans, was conducted by Vision Critical on behalf of Research In Motion.

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Have you been wondering where you can buy a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device? Or, why the device isn't a finished product? You'd be surprised, some people don't know the answer. Because of questions like these I have made a video explaining the purpose of the Dev Alpha device and for what, and to whom, the device was meant for. In the video I give an example of how the BBOS PlayBook app will need to be updated to suit the various differences between the PlayBook OS and BlackBerry 10 OS, and why it's crucial that RIM released the Alpha devices to developers. I hope this video helps to clear up any confusion out there. For a list of the top BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha FAQs, check out our recent article in the blog. If you have any questions or comments about the video, let me know!

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In the above video, Jonathan Wong, Sr. Product Manager at RIM, shows how to turn your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet into a desktop workstation with Citrix Receiver by simply connecting your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to a Bluetooth mouse, keyboard and larger display. Get full desktop functionality, all powered by the powerful and portable BlackBerry PlayBook. Have you implemented this feature? Let us know about any issues or concerns in the comments!

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BlackBerry Support on YouTube just released this helpful little video I thought I'd share about how to optimize your PlayBook's battery life. Most of the tips are pretty straightforward, such as; how to adjust your back light settings, turn off wifi and bluetooth connections, and adjusting sleep settings.

The tutorial below was written by a guest blogger, Julianna, from the Inside BlackBerry Blog. Thanks Julianna for the great tutorial!

• Continue reading this tutorial and discuss in the forums

A few weeks back we introduced the "Blame RIM Phenomenon." The idea behind this "phenomenon" is that due to either lack of communication, explanation, or plain and simple user ignorance, RIM ends up getting blamed for certain problems that are not entirely their fault. In Part I, we discussed apps and how it's up to the developers of these apps to bring them to different OSes and platforms. This article will focus on how carriers decisions can negatively affect how RIM is perceived at times as well.