iPhone Tips and Tricks: How to Get the Most Out Of Your iPhone Experience

by: CJ Prato

All of us folks who are lucky enough to already have an iPhone know how much fun they can be just to play around with. Playing with my iPhone a lot myself, I have discovered some cool tips and tricks that you may find useful.

1. If you tap once at the very top of the screen when you are on the internet, it will take you back to the top of the window rather than having to scroll all the way back up. A nice time saving feature.

2. If you set the font to the smallest size, you can read more in the internet window. An advantage of this is that when you want to click a link, you can pinch (expand) that area and the link will come up very large, making it much easier to click.

3. Rather than posting the full address of internet sites in bookmarks, you can post the equivalent RSS address instead into Apple's RSS reader and save that as your bookmark. This way you can quickly see if there's anything interesting on your favorite site rather than downloading the whole homepage.

4. If you are writing something and the iPhone flags a word as misspelled that you know is not misspelled, cancel the correction 3 times and the word will be put into the dictionary. If you write a lot, this feature is quite useful!

5. The magnifying glass is a nice iPhone tool when you are typing an email or any other text. If you tap once and hold, a magnifying glass will pop up showing you a zoomed in view of your words and cursor. You can now easily place the cursor wherever you want. This makes editing your writing very easy.

6. You can move icons around, but not on the home screen. You have to go to the ipod section. Go to iPod > More > Edit. Now you can drag your icons all around. This can also be done in the phone section.

7. To reset your iphone, hold down the right button and the "home" front button for about 6 seconds. To power it back on, push the top button. This is different than a regular shutdown, which can be done easily by holding the sleep/wake button for 6 seconds.

8. If you get a lot of spam e-mail or other unwanted e-mail, pay attention to this time saving feature. Add a link to Yahoo mail in Safari bookmarks. From there you can check 'delete all' to remove all unwanted e-mails. This is much easier than deleting hundreds of spam e-mails one at a time.

I hope you found these iphone tips helpful. If you have an iPhone and have been wondering how best to fill it up with music and movies, check out Top iPhone Downloads for the latest reviews of iPhone download sites.


About The Author
CJ Prato

I hope you found this information useful. If you are wondering how to best fill up your iPhone with the latest music and movies, check out http://www.topiphonedownloads.com for the latest iPhone download reviews.

This article may be reprinted or used as part of a news letter as long as it stays intact, including the author's signature.

Motorola V3i Pay As You Go Puts Forward Commendable Options

by: Gale Weathers


Motorola V3i is a successor of RAZR V3 and comprise of some of the features that were missing earlier. It has created a stir in the market, with its grand entry. The device offers you innumerable advanced features along with the stunning looks. One of the perennial problems among the mobile phone uses is their high mobile phone bills. To sort out the problem, many mobile phone manufacturers have come up with handsets along with pay as you go deals. These deals can prove to be extremely beneficial in bringing down your bill to a considerable extent. Let us find out what all can Motorola V3i offer you and how can you make use of pay as you go deal.

The Motorola V3i is an ultra-thin phone with clamshell design. This flip handset is just a pleasure to hold with thin number pad and even thinner screen. As far as, its physical dimensions are concerned, it is a bit wider to hold. The outer casing has lustre of pinky-purple shade, with the screen measuring 19 by 16 mm. In order to receive the calls, you have to open the clamshell, but you can make out the caller through front screen. For ending the call, all you need to do is just shut the clam. It enables you with video recording.

The large screen with 262K vibrant colours directs the lid screen. The displays keep the old specifications. The Motorola V3i is the second in the row to include iTunes music software. You can have at most 100 iTunes in it. For that purpose, you can make use of Java-based player. The navigation key can be used to move amid tracks. As the device is quad-band, therefore you can make use of it on your international tours.

The Motorola V3i offers a camera with 1.2 megapixels, you can use its front screen for self portrait, as well. You will have about 12 MB as memory with this device, which is expandable with microSD card slot. The card is placed under the battery cover. There is no need to remove the battery in order to change it. The volume and call quality are awesome. For music lovers the device speaker does extremely well. The Motorola V3i along with the cost effective pay as you go deals proves very helpful in managing your monthly bills. Search widely through online sources and find the best deals for you.


About The Author
Gale Weathers is an expert and currently related to Orange Mobile Phones. She has completed the masters degree in mobile computing from the university of Wales. For further details of Motorola V3i, Orange mobile phones, phone, Orange mobile phones teriffs, Pay as you go deals visit http://www.orangemobilephones.org.uk/

Make Life Easy With Universal Remote Controls

by: Dave Text


Fed up with finding the remotes of each of your electronic devices, then a universal remote control comes as an easy answer. In general a universal remote is a remote control that can be easily programmed to operate various brands and one or more types of electronics devices such as TV, music system, Air-conditioners and many other devices.

Typically, the low-end universal remotes can only control a set number of devices pre defined by their manufacturer, while the mid- and high-end remote controls allow the user to program in new controls codes to the remote for controlling a number of other devices.

With the increasing use of these remote controls many remotes sold with various electronic devices include universal remote capabilities for other types of device, which allow the remote to control other devices apart from the device it came with.

The universal remote controls can be broadly classified in two types like

Device Based Universal Remote Controls

Most universal remotes that are sold today are device based and they are quite popular. The use of the device-based remote control is simple and the user has to press a button associated with the desired device to control and then uses the remaining buttons to control that single device.

Controlling other devices is also simple as the remote control identifies the other devices when the user presses a different device button and then the remote starts sending command to the new device. An example of a device-based remote is the Home Theater Master line of remotes.

Activity Based Remote Control

These types of the universal remotes are programmed to work on the concept of activities and not on the devices. In this instead of controlling each device individually the user can instead focus on the activity that they want to perform. For instance the user might want to watch a movie, or listen to some music, or just watch TV.

It is when a particular activity is selected the universal remote control may send out the necessary signals and commands to various necessary devices in to turn on and to configure device to accomplish the desired activity. For instance selecting an activity like watch a movie the remote control might turn on the TV, configure the TV to the DVD video input, turn on the amplifier, configure the amplifier to the DVD audio input, turn on the DVD player, and start the DVD playing. One of the most popular activity based remote controls is the Logitech Harmony line of remotes.

The journey with the universal remote control just doesn't stops there, but can continue with the up gradations that are required with the changing electronic devices. That is why many universal controls allow the code lists programmed into the remote to be updated to support new brands or models of devices not currently supported by the remote.

Interestingly the lower end universal remotes accomplish this by allowing audible signals to be sent over a telephone to a receiver on the remote. This is applicable when the user calls customer service, an operator can have the caller place the remote next to the phone's speaker and then send a signal over the telephone to upgrade the remote for any requested new brand of model of supported device type.


About The Author
Dave Text

For more information visit our website http://www.universalremotecontrol.biz

Fun and Practical Wind and Weather Gadgets

by: Jim Hofman

As a society, we're consumed with the weather. Our personal, business, and economic well being can often depend upon wind and weather conditions. Travel, shopping, and social decisions are often dependent on the weather, and it's a well known fact that most conversations begin and end with comments about wind and weather.

What's even more interesting about weather and wind is not only their impact on our daily lives, but that forecasting weather and wind have become one of today's hottest hobbies, no pun intended! Wind and weather gadgets and related instruments are now a large part of attractive home decor. Items such as portable weather stations, wind gauges, specialty thermometers, and wind and weather home forecasters serve practical and decorative purposes for the well designed home.

Let's take a look at some of today's latest weather and wind gadgets, with a description of what they do. Each of these are applicable for home use and add a fun, practical element to your home decor.

Weather Stations: These desktop weather centers are designed for those who are most interested in optimal conditions in their living area or garden. Weather stations typically display temperature and humidity levels for multiple locations, and 12-24 hour advanced forecasts. Usually, a desktop weather station shows forecasts, at a glance, for rainy, sunny, snowy, cloudy, and partly cloudy.

Wireless Rain Gauges: Designed for the gardener or hobbyist, wireless rain gauges normally have a 100' tracking range and display rainfall history tracking data. Most wireless rain gauges also track current temperature and temperature trends at a glance. In most cases, these handy units can be placed on a desktop or wall mounted.

Wind Resistant and Lighted Umbrellas: Even umbrellas have gone high tech. If you've ever had your umbrella turned inside out due to high winds, you should know that wind resistant umbrellas are designed to avoid that unpleasant problem. Further, lighted umbrellas are a unique rain protection device where the shaft is made of clear acrylic which lights up in dark conditions and doesn't require bulb replacement.

Hygrometers: Hygrometers are designed to measure and display every environmental factor imaginable. Recently, hygrometers have trended toward hand held models, designed for outdoors enthusiasts. These units display current conditions in digital format, and trends both past and upcoming.

"Family Friendly" Weather Forecasters: The latest fun weather gadgets are designed for youngsters. Animated weather forecasters show all the relevant wind and weather factors, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and upcoming trends. The unique and fun aspect of an animated weather forecaster is a built in "weather boy" who wears an outfit appropriate for the day's weather. Geared toward children, animated weather forecasters help guide children to dress appropriately for upcoming weather.

Learning and understanding weather is no longer the cut and dried forecast in the local paper or the news channel. These fun and practical weather gadgets are part of a growing hobby appropriate for all ages.


About The Author
Jim Hofman is a native Chicagoan who long ago learned to prepare for rapidly changing wind and weather conditions. To learn more about wind and weather gadgets and their purpose, visit: http://windandweather.yourhowtosite.com

Bluetooth GPS Receiver Review

by: John Applin


This is a tiny bluetooth GPS receiver which I bought from Mobile Fun Ltd, I bought this to connect to my O2 XDA 2i PDA and it cost around £40. I was intially looking on google for cheap GPS receivers and this came up as the cheapest. I thought at that price they'll be a catch, and the catch usually being poor performance, but I was pleasantly surprised! This thing really does work, and works well!

After searching for initial reviews on this device I came up with very little other than the reviews from Mobile Fun Ltd, which I was reluctant to trust for fear of them being somewhat biased. I thought for £40 I'll take a chance and so bought it, all credit to Mobile Fun the receiver arrived the very next morning. Upon opening the box I was a little disappointed, all the there was by means of instructions was a small sheet of paper that had been loosely translated from Japanese to English by a dyslexic toddler. You can download the user manual from here and the Tomtom pairing manual from here. After following these instructions you will have it set up in no time. Another thing I noticed was that there is no manufaturer's name or marks anywhere on the device or the packaging, which makes searching for support quite difficult.

A nice touch with this little device is that it is supplied with a battery that is common to a lot of Nokia phones (3.7V 850mAh Li-polymer battery, BL-5C), a quick search on ebay means that you can get replacement batteries for these receivers for about £4 which is good to know should you need one.

What's In The Box?

Bluetooth GPS Receiver x1
12v In Car Adapter (USB) x1
Basic Instructions x1
Battery x1
USB Charging Cable x1


Installation

Provided you follow the limited instructions for pairing with your device, and the Tomtom setup instructions, you should be up and running in less than 5 minutes. I have only charged the receiver once since I bought it about 2 months ago, the battery just seems to last forever! The supplied in car charger and USB cable means that the receiver can be charged on the move from a 12v source and can also be charged from any PC or laptop. From cold start up the receiver aquires a usuable GPS signal exremely quickly, quicker than most of the really expensive GPS receivers that I've come in contact with. The device is extremely small and can easily fit into any space in your car, or even your pocket if you're using it for walking or cycling.

One small problem I did have is that when using it with my XDA 2i the Tomtom software would often freeze and cause me to stop the car, reboot my phone, then carry on my journey. At first I thought this was the result of the XDA losing its connection with the bluetooth receiver and hence confirming my fears about the price of this product. It quickly became apparent that this was not the case and it was in fact an issue with my PDA and the Tomtom software.

I quickly discovered a workaround for this issue between the Tomtom software and my XDA that enables the whole system to work flawlessly. I shall write a 'how to' on this workaround shortly as I'm sure many other XDA 2i users share the same problem.

I do know that there is a known issue when using any bluetooth GPS receivers with the O2 XDA 2 (note not XDA 2i) due to the bluetooth stack settings that are shipped with the phone, please be aware of this before buying this device as you are sure to encounter problems.

Key Features

Compatible with TomTom, Navicore, and all major GPS software packages.
12 parallel satellite-tracking channels for fast acquisition and reacquisition.
Provides superior navigation performance in city environments.
Built-in rechargeable Lithium-polymer battery provides more than 10 hours of constant use.
Unit can be charged with the included car charger while still in use.
Mini-USB charger compatiblty, charge not only the Bluetooth GPS Receiver but also compatible PDAs & Smart Phones with the same charger.
3 colours LED to show the status of Bluetooth/GPS/Power activities of this device.



Specifications

GPS receiver: L1, C/A code, 12 channels
Tracking sensitivity: –152dBm (average) or better
Acquisition sensitivity: –139dBm (average) or better
TTFF (Time to First Fix): Cold Start: 50s (average) / 60s (95 possibility)
Hot Start: 2s (minimum) / 6s (95% possibility)
Positioning accuracy: Standard Positioning Service (SPS), WAAS (optional) 2DRMS: approx. 5m
Measurement data output: Update time: 1 second
NMEA output protocol: V.3.01
Baud rate: 38400 bps (8-N-1)
Datum: WGS-84
Type: GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC
Power consumption: 75mA (average)
Bluetooth: Bluetooth version 1.2 compliant
Class 2 operation (up to 10 metre range)
Serial Port Profile (SPP)
Output terminal: Type B Mini-USB (TTL Level)
Antenna Type: Built in Patch Antenna
Battery: 3.7V 850mAh Li-polymer battery, built-in charger
LED: Power (red), GPS (green), Bluetooth (blue)
Dimension: 64(L) x 39(W) x18.5(H) mm
Operating temperature: -20°C ~ +60°C
Storage temperature: -20°C ~ +60°C; Battery: -20°C ~ +45°C

Conclusion

A great little device that performs well beyond its price range. Check if there is any known issues with your device and bluetooth GPS receivers before purchase as this will save you a lot of headaches. The only thing that lets this product down is a lack of documentation and online support, other than this well worth the buy!

johnsreviews rating: 8/10

About The Author
John Applin
John's Reviews
For more reviews, how to's, technical help, go to http://www.johnsreviews.com