Cell Phone Tips and Tricks

Several Internet based applications are designed to work with your cell phone text messaging service. This is a convenient way to schedule reminders for appointments, manage your schedule, find driving locations, and even get traffic alerts at designated commute times during the day. Spend a little bit of time to get familiar with these web based applications and you will have a powerful personal administrative assistant in your pocket.

Driving Directions

Google:

if your cell phone does not already have a GPS feature, and if you find yourself in need of directions from point to point, you can get MapQuest style driving directions through your cell phone by using the Short Message Service (SMS) capabilities.

1. Compose a text message with the starting address and the destination address
2. Send your message to Google (466453)
3. Within a minute, Google will send back a text message containing turn by turn driving directions

I know that you want to see if this works, so go ahead and try it now, I will wait right here and hold this place for you in the article.

Tell Me:

Would you prefer to have voice commands?

1. Dial 1-800-555-TELL, that's 1-800-555-8355
2. Follow the voice prompts and when you are finished the service will send the driving directions to your phone.

The Tellme service can also retrieve business listings, news, weather reports, and other information and updates.

Save 1-800-555-8355 in your cell phone, just in case you need this service when traveling on business, with friends, or generally in need of directions.

MapQuest:

Perhaps you like to look up your driving directions in advance on your PC at home or office. If you use MapQuest, once you have looked up the directions on-line, you can send the turn by turn instructions to your cell phone by using the "Send to Cell" option. This is a handy alternative to printed directions and a convenient tool if you have already looked up the directions on-line anyway.

On-Line Administrative Assistance

Keep track of your appointments and integrate your cell phone with the free on-line Google Calendar service (www.google.com/calendar)

This free calendar service enables you to manage your schedule, meetings, and appointments. You can share your calendar on-line with co-workers, add events from the web, and much more. This service can also send courtesy reminders and updates with important information to your cell phone.

Start by creating a Google Calendar and register your cell phone on your Google Calendar Account. Click the Settings Link and choose Notifications, then follow the registration instructions. Google will send a text message to your phone with a verification code that must be entered on the calendar site as a one time confirmation procedure. When you have completed this step, choose the notifications that you want to receive via SMS (text messages). Notifications can include event reminders, new invitations, meetings, or general reminders that you maintain within your Google Calendar.

Once your calendar is set up in Google, you can access upcoming events through your phone by sending a text message to GVENT (48368) with one of the following commands:

• NEXT for a notification of your next appointment
• DAY for a notification of the entire day's schedule
• NDAY for a notification of tomorrow's schedule

Start a Google Calendar to coordinate your schedule. Share it with co-workers, friends, or family. Use the Google Calendar notifications to send you convenient reminders with relevant text of upcoming appointments, and turn your cell phone into a pocket administrative assistant.

Need to Find a Hot Spot?

Use your cell phone to sniff out Public Access WiFi Hot Spots so you can get on-line with your notebook computer.

1. Create a text message that says "wifi" and the city, ZIP code, or area code, then send it to 4INFO (44636)
2. The 4INFO service will send you a return message with names, addresses, and phone numbers of the three nearest locations, and whether they are free or not.
3. Need more listings? Just reply to the message with an "m" for more listings in your area.

Timely Traffic Alerts

If you would like to receive scheduled traffic updates to prepare you for the commute into work, or the commute home, go to www.traffic.com and sign up for traffic alerts. You can receive traffic alerts automatically sent by text message to your phone at the designated times. Alternatively, you can dial the Traffic Line (866-698-7232) to get reports for your city and even specific roads.

Emergency

The worldwide Emergency Number for Mobile Telephones is 112. On most phones, the number 112 can be dialed even when the keypad is locked.

Hidden Battery Power

if your cell phone is running low on power and you need a short term boost, dial the keys *3370# and your cell phone will restart with reserve power and show a 50% increase in battery power. The reserve power will recharge the next time that you recharge your phone.

Free Directory Service

If you do not want to be charged for calling directory assistance from your cell phone, dial (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 and you will not incur any charges for directory assistance. Program this number into your phone for future convenient reference.

If you are going to carry your phone with you, why not make it work for you?