published June 9, 2011
in the Stockton Sentinel
Stockton, Kansas
If you’ve
got an email address, you get gobs of email pass-alongs – some are keepers
because they are inspiring, hilarious or just plain interesting; others you
click away without even reading. There are irritating emails like the ones that
instruct you to quickly pass the message along to 10 friends so that good luck
will come your way. There are “chain letter” emails where you’re supposed to
drop everything you’re doing and find a favorite recipe to send to the first
person in a list and then forward the message on to ten other people. The one I
really like is the “school project” email where you are to add your name, in
alphabetical order with the other 3,000 names already listed, and then send the
email on to everyone you know, asking them to do the same. Just how is this
supposed to get back to that eager 5th-grade class that supposedly started this
as a project?
Every once
in a while, an email comes along that really piques my curiosity. The following
‘5 Things You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Could Do’ is one of those messages. I
was curious enough to print the thing out on paper, but I have not followed
through and tried any of these. The message said “these instructions should be
printed and kept in your car, purse, and wallet – good information to have with
you.” Well, I’ve gotten as far as printing them out, but before I have an
emergency, I think it would be a good idea to prove these “tricks” actually
work; I’ve not done that yet. But I’m passing this information along to you
with the request that if you try these, or if you know that these things really
do work, I’d love to hear from you. That would save me the trouble (or
embarrassment) of trying them myself. So here goes, directly off the email:
1. Emergency.
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out
of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an Emergency, dial 112
and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency
number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the
keypad is locked.
2. Locked Keys in Car. Have you locked your keys in the car?
Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. If you
lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home
on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot
from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button,
holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves
someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could
be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other
‘remote’ for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).
3. Hidden Battery Power. Imagine your cell battery is very low. To
activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell phone will restart with this
reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve
will get charged when you charge your cell phone next time.
4. How to Disable a Stolen Mobile Phone. To check your cell phone’s serial number, key
in the following digits on your phone: *#06#
A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your
handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone is stolen, you
can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able
to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone
will be totally useless. You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least
you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either. If everybody does
this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.
5. Free Directory Service for Cells. Cell phone companies are charging $1.00 to
$1.75 or more for 411 information calls. 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) FREE411 or
(800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell
phone. This is sponsored by McDonalds.
There you go.
Let me know what you find out.
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