Topic: You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Would Do This

[|BUG| Desert Eagle]

There are a few things that can be done in times of emergencies.  Your cell phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival.  Check out the things that you can do with it.

1. The emergency number worldwide for cell phones is 112.  If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your cell network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the cell will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you.  Even the number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked.

2.  Have you locked your keys in the car?  Does your car have remote keyless entry?  This may come in handy someday.  Good reason to have a cell phone.  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 cell 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 can reach someone who has the other remote key for your car, you can unlock the doors or trunk. (I actually tried this and it worked!)


3. Imagine your cell battery is very low.  To activate the hidden battery power, press the keys *3370#  Your cell will restart with this reserver and the cell will show a 50% increase in battery level.  This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

4. How to disable a stolen cell 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 cell phone.  Write it down and keep it safe somewhere.  If you phone is stolen, you can call your provider and give them the code.  They will be able to block your cell phone so if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.  You probably will not get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can not use/sell it ither.

5. Free Directory Service for cells.  Cell phone companies are always charging for 411 information calls when they do not have to.  Most of us do not carry a telephone directory with us or in our vehicle.  When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial (800) FREE 411 or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all.

[Woundwort]

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cellphones.asp

Not all false but 112 is good to know!!  Also the free 411 looks legit too.

[Bosibus]

I asked my buddy about this who works with Verizon Wireless and this is what he said:

1. No, that would work in some areas but not all. Not all phones can connect to all networks. Some phones are made for a specific carrier. For example you could never connect a verizon phone to a sprint network because verizon uses CDMA not GSM. Some carriers make their global phones be compatable on all networks so when traveling abroad they can be used. So its a case bases i guess, but ive never heard of it.
 
2. Hell no.
 
3. No, why would you make some secret battery compartment that no one knows about? What would the point of storing extra battery in the phone if none of the phones users know how to get to it?
 
4. Yes. All phones have whats called an ESN( electronic serial number). This is what verizon uses to attatch a Phone number to your phone. While other carries use SIM cards, the phones still have the ESN that they could be tracked by. This is kindof the way that if you blocked your number and was making harassing phone calls to someone, the police could pull an ESN off a cell tower and be able to tell where the call is coming from.
 
5. Yes this is true. They will give you the number, but they wont connect you and you have to listen to like 2 minutes of Ad's before they actaully give you the number. But there is such a thing. I use it alot.

If you tried the car alarm thing that is pretty cool.  I can explain in detail why I think it would not work though but as always, I will to try it first.

[|BUG| Shamu]

Something you can do with Verizon, and I would suspect other services is back up your numbers on the Internet.

With Verizons service you can also edit or add new numbers on the net and your phone will update by a forced immediate change or on a scheduled update, say "late at night".

I imagine each phone may be different but on mine I hit OK to open the Menu Bar, scroll left to Get It Now, select Get Going and then select Backup Assistant. You will be promted to either enter a PIN number or a web address and password to sign up on the web. On some you may need to go to Business to find Backup Assistant.

Once done all you do is go to link provided below, enter your phone number, enter the PIN, and there are all your numbers.

To look at the link page and some Vewrizon info on Backup:

https://www.getbackupnow.com/

Having almost lost my phone this tool relieves a lot of the concern if your phone gets damaged or lost and you cannot retrieve stored numbers. With a new phone all numbers will be updated from Internet stored data.

Before I had this I did at one time send my phone accidentally through the washer. Lost all my numbers. Quite inconvenient to say the least.

For any cell phone user this is useful feature.

[|BUG| Desert Eagle]

This is what I get for just cutting and pasting an e-mail.  I will check them out before posting again.

[|BUG| Shamu]

This is what I get for just cutting and pasting an e-mail.  I will check them out before posting again.

No sweat DE, you are certainly not the first or last.

I was suckered in for awhile on the one about the personal info on the magnetic stripe of a hotel key:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_hotel_keycards.htm

While I did not post it here( or maybe I did) I think I did forward it along via e-mail ...... followed shortly there after with a humble apology