As if Facebook users need any more incentives to spend time in their virtual social networks, accessing the popular site from a BlackBerry has gotten easier. When you go to www.facebook.com or m.facebook.com from a BlackBerry, you'll be prompted to download Facebook for BlackBerry.

Follow the on-screen directions and then go to Facebook from the Downloads folder on your smartphone. The first time you open it, Facebook for BlackBerry will help you set things up so that your Facebook notifications get filtered out of your email inbox and into your Facebook application (which is great for reducing the chore of slogging through your inbox!).

The Facebook application lists your current notifications in the main part of the screen. A series of icons across the top gives you quick access to status updates, photo uploading, your friend list, inviting a friend to join, poking someone, writing on people's walls and sending messages. You can also reach these options using the BlackBerry menu.

The advantages to using Facebook for BlackBerry, beyond segregating out your Facebook messages from your other e-mail, are faster load times and visuals optimized for your BlackBerry screen.