Instead of paying your cell phone provider $1 or $2. Try Goog-411 Put 1-800-4664-411 on your speed-dial and use their voice recognition to find business listings in your area. In my experience the voice recognition is acceptable as long as someone isn't trying to talk to you at the same time. The listings tend to be useful although where they get their listings isn't exactly clear and some businesses don't appear. The good news is that most do return correct information. Advantages include:
- Handsfree dialing while in traffic
- No cost for the service
- Free connection to the listing anywhere in North America (so if you lookup a business in another state/province, that long distance call doesn't cost any more than a call to the 1-800 number)
More info here: http://www.google.com/goog411/
Use handsfree dialing via a Bluetooth headset
Today's bluetooth "handsfree headsets" are a completely different experience than the disappointing "handsfree" headsets that came with your phone when you first purchased it. I remember my disappointment when I first learned that my cell phone's "handsfree" headset consisted of half a pair of stereo earbuds (with a microphone). My disappointment turned to irritation as I would shoulder-check in traffic and the wire would pull the earphone out of my ear. Today's bluetooth headsets make dialing as easy as scratching your ear.
Do make sure you get a headset that is comfortable on your ear (it should not fly off when you rapidly shoulder check). Pay special attention to the noise and echo cancellation features. (The issue is that the people you talk to can hear an echo which degrades their listening experience.)
It is possible to get a decent bluetooth headset for $30 CAD, but consider the sets with better echo cancellation.
One nice bonus with phones which support voice dialing from your address book like the Blackberry Curve and Blackberry Bold is that dialing a number while driving is as simple as touching the headset on your ear and telling the phone who you want to call.
Power Managment Tips to Save your batteries
Despite battery advances, more features using data from the cell network means more radio transmission and often shorter battery life (before your next charge). By making a few changes you can stretch your battery life to double or better;
- Start by adjusting the screen brightness so it is only as bright as you need it to read clearly. Some phones auto adjust brightness for the ambient light to save power.
- Configure your ringtone profiles to not use vibrate unless you need a vibrate only option. The electric motors used in the vibrator function use more power than a speaker playing a ringtone.
- If your phone supports it schedule an "auto-on" and "auto-off" time when your phone will turn itself on our off on weekdays and weekends. Mine turns on at 6AM and off at 10PM weekdays.
- If you have an older phone, ensure your phone is set to use digital mode when possible rather than analog, this way it will use less power.
- If you use bluetooth, turn it off whenever you are not actively using the bluetooth as this second radio transmitter (after the cellular radio) uses a significant amount of power. Consider assigning a 'quick access' key to enable and disable your bluetooth for fast access.
- Try speaking in a squeaky high pitched voice as high pitches require less power to transmit. Nah, just kidding that last one is a complete lie I just threw in for fun.
Text Safely
Pull over or wait for a red light to type in addresses or text messages. Texting and driving while tempting is probably the most dangerous thing you can do while driving.
Use web enabled applications to extend your phone's functionality
Google Mobile tops my list of useful applications, you can get started at http://www.google.com/mobile with;
- Search (including voice search which allows you to just ask google your query)
- Gmail meaning all of your contacts and emails are handy
- Google Maps (which supports GPS if you have it, but will work fine using cell tower triangulation)
Quick Access to;
Customize your ring tones for subtlety
Subtle ringtones can allow you to answer your phone before people bust you for leaving your ringer on.
If you are 30 or under, consider an ultrasonic ringtone. The idea is that as humans age they lose their ability to hear very high pitch noises, so it is possible if you are the youngest person in the room that you might be the only one who can hear your phone ringing. (very subtle, and apparently something high school teachers are having "trouble" monitoring.) Find some here: http://www.ultrasonic-ringtones.com/ (via LifeHacker). Or record your own subtle ringtone (tapping, a snap noise, water running) something that doesn't sound like a "normal ringtone."
Make use of free digital transcription
Option A
Use your existing voicemail to record "notes to self" for later retrieval. When working on a difficult problem, apart from the benefit of talking out ideas, having the ability to capture an idea verbatim is very helpful when you find yourself between home and office with nothing to write on.
Option B
Use free services like dial2do which allow you to call, record a message, and have them transcribe the message and email it to you. Frequently I phone dial2do, say reminder, and dictate what I need to pick up at the store while I'm driving. In the store I just open up my gmail and there is my shopping list.
Max out your speed dial list
Speed dial is faster and safer than using your address book. Make sure that you have numbers handy that you might need in a hurry.
- Add the local traffic radio station because often not only can you report traffic, you can ask them what is going on and get an answer faster than by listening to the radio.
- Add your local "commercial vehicle enforcement" tip line to report those scary truck drivers and perhaps save a life
- If you travel through several communities on your commute, add local emergency services for each community
- consider the "city engineering" departments for flooding / wires down and other road related hazzards you will encounter.
- Add your work's general number so that you can hit the voice recognition engine and voice dial anyone in your company. (or let the receptionist connect you which is safer than you looking them up in your address book while driving)
- Last but not least, add your home number so you can let your spouse or roommate know when you'll be home for dinner.
OK, so that rounds out the list of my best cell phone tips and tricks. Let me know what your tips are in the comments section.
Cheers,
Greg.
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