Mobile Phone Tips

Mobile Phone Tips

1. Only give your mobile number out to people you know and trust. 

2. Do not use your mobile phone to communicate with strangers. Only text and call people or businesses you know in real life.  

3. Never reply to text messages from people you don’t know.  

4. Make sure you know how to block others from calling your phone. Using caller id you can block all incoming calls or block individual names and numbers.   

5. Make a record of your Electronic Serial Number (ESN) and/or your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. You can find out your IMEI number by pressing *#06# on your mobile phone's keypad, it will display a 15 digit number - that is your IMEI number. 

6. If your phone is lost or stolen, report it to your local police station and your network operator immediately.  

7. Think about how a text message might be read before you send it. 

8. You should never give anyone else's number out without asking them if it is okay. 

9. You should never take pictures or videos of anyone with your phone if you do not have their permission. 

10. Do not allow others to take pictures or videos of you without your permission. Remember these pictures and videos can be posted to the Internet. 

11. Be careful if you meet someone in real life who you only "know" through text messaging. Even though text messaging is often the "next step" after online chatting, that does not mean that it is safer. 

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Ten Commandments of cell phone etiquette

Ten Commandments of cell phone etiquette

There comes a time in any technological revolution when some basic guidelines need to be laid down. It happened when e-mail exploded on the scene and people started to learn some basic dos and don'ts around the new medium.…There are some real abuses of wireless technology being perpetrated all around us, and the time has come to create some social order out of the cell phone chaos…so think of this as the first Ten

Commandments of cell phone etiquette, with amendments to follow:

1. Thou shalt not subject defenseless others to cell phone conversations. When people cannot escape the banality of your conversation, such as on the bus, in a cab, on a grounded airplane, or at the dinner table, you should spare them. People around you should have the option of not listening. If they don't, you shouldn't be babbling.

2. Thou shalt not set thy ringer to play La Cucaracha every time thy phone rings. Or Beethoven's Fifth, or the Bee Gees, or any other annoying melody. Is it not enough that phones go off every other second? Now we have to listen to synthesized nonsense?

3. Thou shalt turn thy cell phone off during public performances. I'm not even sure this one needs to be said, but given the repeated violations of this heretofore unwritten law, I felt compelled to include it.

4. Thou shalt not wear more than two wireless devices on thy belt. This hasn't become a big problem yet. But with plenty of techno-jockeys sporting pagers and phones, Batman-esque utility belts are sure to follow.

5. Thou shalt not dial while driving. In all seriousness, this madness has to stop. There are enough people in the world who have problems mastering vehicles and phones individually. Put them together and we have a serious health hazard on our hands.

6. Thou shalt not wear thy earpiece when thou art not on thy phone. This is not unlike being on the phone and carrying on another conversation with someone who is physically in your presence. No one knows if you are here or there.…

7. Thou shalt not speak louder on thy cell phone than thou would on any other phone. These things have incredibly sensitive microphones, and it's gotten to the point where I can tell if someone is calling me from a cell because of the way they are talking, not how it sounds. If your signal cuts out, speaking louder won't help, unless the person is actually within earshot.

8. Thou shalt not grow too attached to thy cell phone. For obvious reasons, a dependency on constant communication is not healthy. At work, go nuts. At home, give it a rest.

9. Thou shalt not attempt to impress with thy cell phone. Not only is using a cell phone no longer impressive in any way (unless it's one of those really cool new phones with the space age design), when it is used for that reason, said user can be immediately identified as a neophyte and a poseur.

10. Thou shalt not slam thy cell phone down on a restaurant table just in case it rings. This is not the Old West, and you are not a gunslinger sitting down to a game of poker in the saloon. Could you please be a little less conspicuous? If it rings, you'll hear it just as well if it's in your coat pocket or clipped on your belt.

Most of these seem like common sense to me, but they all get broken every day.

Source:    http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/00/05/26/000526opwireless.html

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MOBILE PHONE TIPS

MOBILE PHONE TIPS

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

1. EMERGENCY 

The Emergency Number worldwide for mobile phones 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 dialled even if the keypad is locked.  Try it out.

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 own a mobile phone:  If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone from your cell phone.  Hold your mobile phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the spare car key unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end.  Your car will unlock.  This saves someone from having to drive your spare 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 mobile battery is very low.  To activate, press the keys *3370#, and your mobile will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery.  This reserve will get charged when you charge your mobile next time.

4. HOW TO DISABLE A STOLEN MOBILE PHONE 

To check your mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:  * # 0 6 # (star-hash-zero-six-hash).  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 ever gets 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. ATM PIN NUMBER REVERSAL 

If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM, you can notify the police by entering your PIN number in reverse (for example, if your card’s PIN number is 1234, then you would enter 4321 in the ATM).  The ATM system recognizes that your PIN number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine.  The machine will still give you the money you requested, but, unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to the location.  This information was recently broadcast by Crime Stoppers, however, it is seldom used, because people just don’t know about it. 

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Top 10 camera phone tips

Top 10 camera phone tips

Image Source: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

#1. Use the rule of thirds
When composing a picture, imagine two horizontal lines and two vertical lines crossing like a tic-tac-toe grid on top of it. Place strong lines and divisions like the horizon in your image on the gridlines and let elements of interest fall on the intersections. A few camera phones let you activate a grid display on the image-preview screen. You can also make your own grid display on a transparent LCD skin with a felt-tip pen. Another option is software that creates a composition overlay in an image-editing program so you can crop your image to conform to various compositional principles.

#2. Stabilize your camera phone
Image-stabilizing functions are now common in compact digital cameras. If your camera phone has a stabilizing feature for video or photos, use it. Camera phones are so lightweight it's nearly impossible to keep them steady and avoid blurred images.This problem gets worse in low light, since the camera phone slows the shutter speed to let in more light and has a longer opportunity to capture movement. To ameliorate this problem, hold the camera phone with both hands and brace your upper arms against your body when you shoot. Bracing your hand against an immobile object such as a telephone pole or a tree can also help, as can a tripod or other support. For posed shots, the self-timer will help keep you from tilting the phone when you push the shutter-release button.

#3. Use the highest resolution setting
Unless you're sure the only thing you want to do with your images is send them to another mobile device or post them online, use the highest resolution setting available. If later you want to print a shot, you'll be glad you did. When shooting video, a higher resolution shows more detail and allows a larger image display when
playing the video on a computer screen. If your camera phone has a memory-card slot, use a high-capacity card so you won't have to drop the resolution to save space. If the phone is compatible with software that lets you upload your images to a gallery or blog at full resolution, use that to make room on your memory card instead of sacrificing image quality.

#4. Use the highest quality setting
Most camera phones allow you to select a quality level for your images. This determines the level of compression used when the images are saved. The higher the quality setting, the lower the compression level. Choose the highest quality setting available so you lose less detail and don't get a muddy photo. If you have to choose between resolution and a quality setting to save space-and it's unlikely you'll make prints reduce the resolution. Even VGA or QVGA resolution will look fine on a screen, but using heavy compression will make the image look worse in any form of display.

#5. Shoot videos at the right frame rate
If your camera phone gives you a choice, use the highest frame rate available for videos, unless you want a slower rate for effect. The most advanced devices can shoot at 30 frames per second-the same rate used by most digital camcorders. Some shoot at a rate closer to 24 frames per second, the rate used to shoot most movies on film. Dropping down to about 15 frames per second gives choppier footage with a look similar to that of an old, silent movie. Higher frame rates produce a smoother look but take up more memory; so if your camera phone has a memory card slot and you're going to shoot a lot of video, get a high-capacity card.

#6. Use a low ISO setting if you can
Many camera phones don't let you control the ISO setting, but if you have one that does, make use of it. In good light, set the ISO to a low number, like 100. The lower the number, the less visual noise will appear in your images. As the light level drops, increase the light sensitivity of the sensor by using a higher ISO setting or switch to auto ISO. You'll get noisier photos at higher ISO levels, but sometimes that's better than no photos at all.

#7. Get the right color tone
Most camera phones provide a handful of white-balance settings, along with some color effects like black-and-white and sepia. In general, it's a good idea to notice what kind of light you're shooting in and select color settings accordingly. Using a white-balance setting designated for the type of light in your scene often produces more natural-looking results than automatic white balance, especially with fluorescent lighting. If the lighting is mixed-maybe incandescent bulbs and natural light from a window-you're better off using automatic white balance. Take a few test shots to see what works. If the light is very dim and there's a lot of visual noise in your shots, try a monochrome shooting mode or convert your shots to black-and-white or sepia with an editing tool. The speckles that look ugly in color can give an image an atmospheric, grainy look in shades of gray or sepia. Shooting in black-and-white in any light can help develop your photographer's eye by letting you concentrate on the relationship between light and shadow without the distraction of color.

#8. Use digital zoom judiciously
A limited number of camera phones offer optical zoom, giving you more flexibility in composing your shot. There's no reason not to use it. Almost all camera phones are equipped with digital zoom, which it's usually not a good idea to use. A digital zoom is basically a cropping function that cuts out and saves a portion of the image that is optically available to the sensor-and ultimately degrades its quality. Whenever possible, opt for sneaker zoom: Take a few steps back or forward to change the framing instead of using a digital zoom or having subjects move.

There may be times when composition is more important than quality-maybe if you're shooting video of a speaker and want the speaker's head and upper body to fill most of the frame. In any case, you won't see the person's face very clearly, but if you use the digital zoom, the image will be composed well. Just remember that digital zoom will negatively affect the quality of both photos and videos, and use it only when the alternative is worse.

#9. Anticipate shutter lag
If you've ever used a compact digital camera, you're familiar with shutter lag. It's the delay between the moment you press the shutter-release button and the moment the image is captured. In very simple camera phones, there's a negligible delay. More sophisticated devices, however, are prone to noticeable shutter lags, especially with auto focus. Get used to your camera phone's timing so when something interesting happens, you'll have a good feel for the point when you need to press the shutter release to capture the most interesting moment.

#10. Decide what your photograph is before you take it
If you're taking a picture or shooting a video, think about the story your photo or video will tell before you take it.
What is the main subject of the photo? 
What are you trying to convey about it? 
Which elements of the scene help you tell the story, and which are footnotes and tangents better left out?
Ask yourself what it is about what you see that makes you want to take a picture of it, and think about the best way to show that to someone who sees the picture.

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Top 10 Tips for Camera Phone

Top 10 Tips for Camera Phone

Whether you're a novice or a pro with your camera phone, we've got some tips that will help you get more camera out of your camera phone. So grab your camera phone and get started!

1. Take lots of pictures
Since your camera phone is always with you, take advantage of capturing those spontaneous moments. Take lots of pictures to increase your chance of capturing just the right shot. Use pictures to communicate - it may be faster and easier for both you and the recipient.

2. Move in close
Many camera phones lack a zoom lens, so make sure you move in close to capture your subject Fill your phone's display screen with your subject to create pictures with greater impact.
Up close you can reveal telling details - a wrinkled nose or an arched eyebrow. Don't get too close or your pictures will be blurry and distorted. As a general rule, stand about one to two feet from your subject.

3. Shoot at eye level
Direct eye contact can be as engaging in a picture as it is in real life. When taking a picture of someone, hold the camera at the person's eye level to unleash the power of those magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles. For children and pets, that means stooping to their level. Your subject doesn't have to stare at the camera - all by itself that eye level angle will create a personal and inviting feeling that pulls you into the picture.

4. Watch the light
To create impactful pictures, move in close and fill your viewfinder or LCD with the subject. Unless your camera phone has a built-in flash, low light - bad picture. Try to take pictures in bright light. Without adequate lighting, your camera phone pictures will look dark and grainy. In sunlight, move around where the sun beams onto your subject. Indoors, turn on extra lights to brighten your subject.

5. Use a plain background
A plain background shows off the subject you are photographing. When you're ready to take your picture, force yourself to study the area surrounding your subject. Make sure a tree isn't growing from the head of your subject and that no cars seem to dangle from their ears. Check your picture in the your phone's display screen and retake it if necessary.

6. Try different angles
Start by shooting at eye level. CLICK Capturing many angles will add variety and  interest to your photos. Keep the ones you like, delete the ones you don't.

7. Set resolution to high
Many camera phones include a low, medium, and high resolution setting (picture quality).
Setting your camera phone to the highest setting gives you the best quality pictures.
The quality difference might not be apparent on your phone's display screen, but you'll see it on a computer screen.

8. Discover your phone's capabilities
Flip through your phone manual and see if your phone has any of these features: Picture messaging - send pictures from your phone to others.
Picture effects - snap black & white or sepia pics or add different frames.
Photo caller ID - set a picture for people in your address book so it appears when they call.
Wallpaper - save your favorite picture as the background for your phone.
BLUETOOTH - wirelessly send pictures to Bluetooth Wireless Technology enabled devices.

9. Stay still
Jittery hands cause blurring. Keep your hand still a second or two after shooting, since the shot is still processing. When you hear the click sound, it doesn't mean you captured the photo, it just indicates that you pressed the shutter.

10. Be courteous, be legal
Cell phone etiquette includes being mindful of its camera. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind.
Ask permission before taking people's picture.
Don't use your camera phone in places like health clubs or theaters.
Places like airplanes, courthouses, concert venues, and military bases, don't allow
cameras or phones. Abide by their rules.
Phones have limited storage space. Send pictures to online photo sites, Photobucket Gallery, instead.

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