Wondrous Cell Phones!

These tips are really cool and potentially so useful, that I am obliged to share them with all of you. By the way, there is a similar email floating around with urban legends, so this is a ‘modified’/’verified’ version:

Unleash Google! Send a text message to GOOGL tel# 46645 ;

you’ll have to pay for the text message, but see what you can get back. So, let’s say you are looking for Pizza Hut in zip code 77004. In your SMS type in Pizza Hut, 77004, shoot it off to 46645, and abra ca dabra, you’ll get a listing with address and telephone of the Pizza Hut in the zip-code. You can also get word definitions, numeric and other conversions, weather, and even sports scores. You can also ask for conversions, like feet in acres, “10 quarts in liters” or “$5 in yens”… try it! Other interesting PC World’s cell secrets include SMS google calendar alerts, calling international via SMS and converting camera images to PDF. Read more here.

Emergency: The GSM mobile phone standard includes 112 as an emergency number, and in countries where 112 is not the standard emergency telephone number, GSM telephone users who make calls to 112 generally have their calls redirected to the local emergency telephone number, if it exists. This is valuable for foreign travelers, who may not know the local emergency number. Most GSM mobile phones can dial 112 calls even when the phone keyboard is locked or the phone is without a SIM card. More info. here.

Hidden Battery Powers: Some cell phones will provide 30% more battery time at the expense of voice quality (nothing is free!). Dial *#4720# . If your voice quality is bad, you can go the other way by dialing *3370#. Believe it only works on Nokia, more Nokia codes here.

Stolen Cell? Check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #. 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. It does not work with all cell phones (it did with mine). It is not guaranteed to stop misuse of the stolen phone, but it is the closest thing to DNA of the cell-phone, so save this serial number somewhere.

Free 411: Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don’t have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now. Disclaimer: you will still pay for the minutes in placing this call.