Cell Phone Tips & Tricks
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© 2008, andrews.com, all rights
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Here are some handy and entertaining things you can do with your cell phone. Some are dependent on features that come with your phone, others are services that you can access with any phone. Some are important, some silly. Enjoy!
Receive Amber Alerts
The first three hours after a child is abducted are the most critical in recovery efforts. Go to WirelessAmberAlerts.org and sign up to receive free Amber Alerts on your cell phone when an alert is issued in your area. YOU could be the critical factor in locating an abducted child.
Free Directory
1-800-FREE-411 (800-373-3411) is a free directory service (ad supported). Use it to find numbers without the cost of regular 411 service. Also try Google by Voice, at 1-800-GOOG-411 (800-4664-411) which will provide business listings (but not residential). When you decide which you like best, put it in to speed dial for easy access. These calls will count as normal airtime on your cell phone plan, just like a regular call.
Traffic Information
Get free, live, traffic reports for most metro areas, downloaded to your phone, at Traffic.com.
Save Money
Are you getting a good deal? Call 1-888-FRUCALL and enter the product's bar code. They'll tell you what various online merchants are selling that item for.
Lock the Keypad
Sometimes it's easy for buttons to be pushed without your knowledge while your phone is in your pocket or purse. This especially happens with open faced cell phones. My sister's phone used to call me occasionally and I could eavesdrop on her conversations (nothing juicy though, but what if...). If this happens to you, check your owners manual for the keypad lock or phone lock code. It's usually a two button code that locks the keypad so key pushes are ignored until you release the lock to make a call.
Photo and Video Sharing
Instantly share photos and videos that you take using your cell phone's camera. Just upload them straight from your cell phone to a site like JuiceCaster or (photos only) Flickr. Then your friends and family can view them online.
Blog by Phone
Take a picture or type some text and upload it to your blog via cell phone at Blogger Mobile, a part of Blogger.com. A great way to blog about events as they happen.
Flashlight By Cell Phone
Use your screen to light up a small area, for example, to find something dropped in the dark or to see a keyhole. Works best if you set your background to plain white.
Play Dress Up
Dress up your cell phone to look like a cute little stuffed animal with a cell phone costume from FunFriends. Personalize your phone with some cool bling from We Strapya (my favorites are the anime, dragon and Japanese art stickers, but they also have some beautiful jewel designs). Or add beaded, crystal, mascot, hobby or nameplate charms to your cell phone at a site like Annie's Cell Phone Charms or
Meet Up
Let your friends know where you are without having to call them all individually... or locate nearby friends...
with Dodgeball. It's available in about 22 cities so far, includes a social networking component, and is handy when your out on the town and want to hook up with your friends.
Ah, I Need To Take This Call
Get out of boring meetings or bad dates with Escape A Date. Just schedule an interruption and your phone will ring at the appropriate time (though the Escape A Date website does say they get overloaded sometimes).
Opps, Gotta Go
Stuck on a long call and want a way out? SorryGottaGo provides sound files you can play on your computer, like your car alarm going off... or someone knocking at the door... which gives you an opportunity to say you gotta go.
What's that Song
Oh, what's that playing? Now you can find out by dialing 1-866-411-SONG and hold it up to the speaker for about 15 seconds. They'll send you a text message back with the title and artist (first one free, then by subscription, visit their site for complete details. . Another service provides details of songs played in the recent past or even songs soon to be played on your favorite radio station. If you can access the web via cell phone, go to: http://mobile.yes.com , enter your city, then bookmark the resulting url so you can to straight to it in the future. It's great way to find out what was that song you like was.
Update Your Bids On Ebay
With Mobile Ebay you can view your current auctions, receive alerts when your are outbid, and up your bids, all by phone.
Send A Note To Your Future Self
Many cell phones have a calendar or organizer of some type that you can use to remind yourself of important dates, such as upcoming birthdays or project due dates. You can also use calendar services like Yahoo Calendar or Google Calendar to send reminder message to your phone.
Voice Memo
Many cell phones come with a voice memo feature. Have a number, word, or name you need to remember for later? Just record it. If you phone doesn't have voice memo, you can accomplish the same thing by calling your number and leaving yourself a message.
Conference Calling
Most cell phones have the ability to make conference calls between three people. Very handy if you are working on a group project or trying to arrange a good time to meet up. Check your owners manual for details. If you need a way to conference in more people, you can get as many as 16 people together with CogniConference.
Turn Your Phone Into A Book
With Tx2Ph, you have a whole library at your fingertips. Use your internet enabled phone to access their library of e-books that you can read on your phone. Their system can turn the text 90 degrees so you can read it easier, try the demo on their site to see how it works on your phone.
Send Or Receive Money
PayPal Mobile allows you to send or receive funds via your cell phone. You can do business, handle emergencies, or move funds between accounts, all while on the road.
Get Directions
Get maps, step by step directions, and photos, by using Google Mobile Maps or Wireless MapQuest.
Find My Cell Phone
Lost your phone? Give it a ring and listen. You can dial your number by another phone, or go to Where's My Phone, enter your number, and listen.
Get Nutrition Info
Send a text message to DIET1, and get a message back with information about that restaraunt menu item your thinking about ordering. Details at: Diet.com
Discreet Ring
In a meeting but don't want to turn your phone off? Change the ringtone to the sound of a cough. Most people won't notice (anyone that does may give you a strange look when your hip pocket coughs). Available from many sites, try a Google search for cough ringtones. Of course, vibrate mode is also an option. It's available on most phones and doesn't require a download :)
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