[(JD)]

I received this via my brother in Baghdad (genius) Hope it helps!

THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO.
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:

FIRST: 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. Try it out.

SECOND: 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 cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and
the spare keys (with remote) 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). Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked
our car over a cell phone!"

THIRD : Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys
*3370# your cell will rest art with this reserve and the instrument will
show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you
charge your cell next time.

FOURTH: 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 #. A 15 digit code will appear on the screen.
This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it
somewhere safe. When your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service
provider and give them this code. The y 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.

And Finally....FIFTH:
Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411
information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a
telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes&nbs p;this situation even more
of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply
dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at
all. Program this into your cell phone now.

This is the kind of information people don't mind receiving, so pass it
on to your family and friends.

[okiedokie]

Beautiful -- thanks for sharing!
Okie

[Bethsway]

Lots of good information...thank you sky!!!

[SeptemberMorn]

WOW!! Great info! Thanks!

[SeptemberMorn]

Just used the info number and it worked! BUT... you have to listen to "a message from your sponsor!" Oy vey!

[Raynaadi]

I don't want to be a killjoy on this one, but this cellphone message going around emails was debunked on the news and I found it on snopes.com. I don't have the link to the exact page on snopes debunking this, but I had found a link with this exact message with the facts. I was excited when I first read it too, but I always go look up these emails.

[(JD)]

Sorry Raynaadi, what information do you find incorrect that didn't work for you?

[lenjan]

Here you go Sky, asked and answered.
cell phone myths

[SeptemberMorn]

Some of them have actually worked for me! Maybe we should try them before we go off like a sky rocket, ya think??

[(JD)]

heheeh like a sky rocket shooting at the sky???

[Raynaadi]

I was simply posting what I'd read and heard on the news. A lot of these emails cause problems with people's electronics, especially cell phones. They can charge unknown charges on bills etc. That is why I always research the emails when I get them. I wasn't trying to put anyone down.

I should have explained why I posted what I posted. So thats why I did.

Thanks,
Rayna

[SeptemberMorn]

I guess I had your name on my mind. Sorry about that. My post was intended for the "nay sayers" and those that like to shoot first and ask questions later.

[SeptemberMorn]

So what "myths" do we need to debunk now?? I haven't tried all of the suggestions, but I've tried a few and they work.

[(JD)]

(Not to you Septie) As I posted, these are NOT myths. I asked which of THESE items (the two members) had trouble with... as I had NO trouble with any of them. I didn't ask for a link. I don't know why my brother, who is an electronic/electricity genius working for USAID, the US State Department, who has met with the head of Iraq, heading the work of powering up Iraq, would fall for bunk...nor pass it along to me for safety.

I also don't understand why I'm wrong in posting this post and have received more non support than support for doing so. I'm almost sorry I cared to pass it along. (Sky draws back a hurt nub, once again.)

[SeptemberMorn]

Maybe someone thought you were kidding when you said your brother is a genius? Or maybe they thought that geniuses don't have any common sense...

Anyway, you don't post myths. THEY WORK!

[Crystal88]

I got this same email and some friends and I tried these things and the one where using the cell phone to unlock the car didn't work.

[DocJohn]

From the link:

1. Fine if you're in Europe. Doesn't work throughout the world.

2. Myth.

3. Something like this might work on Nokia cell phones only, but it depends on cell phone and carrier. Hardly applicable to all cell phone carriers or makes, so largely a myth.

4. If you bought your cell phone from a cellular carrier like Sprint or Verizon, they already have your serial number. While it's good to keep your serial number written down somewhere, this isn't something new or special, is it?

5. This has been known and working on any phone (not just cell phones) for years -- I've been using free-411 for at least 2 years. Local phone companies on your land line also often charge for directory assistance calls after the first 2, so it (and the recently announced free Google 411 service) are good things to keep handy.

So yes, some of these are myths and don't work. Some are real, but aren't unique or new to cell phones. Others are good info to have, depending upon your phone and carrier.

DocJohn

[(JD)]

Thanks for your input DocJohn.

I used the # 2 cell phone suggestion to unlock my car. Maybe it doesn't work for the older or brand new model cars only? (I have a 2002 Solara.) It isn't a myth for me. Does that make it not a myth?

I carry a Motorola, so it was nice to have the SN handy that way

My brother is a world traveler... maybe it works in enough places throughout the world to consider trying it?

Or I could just acquiesce and say, Sky lies. (But not about this. ) I guess good news at a mental health site just isn't welcomed. [ I should know better than to get into a P contest with ... anyone. (I'm a girl.) Sky draws back another nub. When WILL she learn!]

I'm working feverishly on finding the grey areas of life... which I think the answers to this are there... but I keep being shoved back into black and white thinking: either it's right or it's wrong... and how my post is "wrong?"

[DocJohn]

Nobody's saying you lied, just that this is an email that's been going around for a little while that has an entry at an urban legend website because it makes somewhat exaggerated claims.

I'm personally glad you shared them, because at least the last one will save people some moola!

But when an email suggests people just start entering codes into their cell phone (without also providing instructions on how to "undo" the code), I do get a little concerned. Such programming codes are often not widely disseminated not because the phone maker is trying to hide something, but because there are tradeoffs (which the original email didn't mention, e.g., you may get longer battery life, but your voice quality decreases as well).

YMMV.

[Juliana]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
SeptemberMorn said:
Maybe someone thought you were kidding when you said your brother is a genius? Or maybe they thought that geniuses don't have any common sense...

Anyway, you don't post myths. THEY WORK!



</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I'm a genius, but I don't have much common sense. LOL. It's a common phenomenon. Not insinuating anything about Sky's brother though.

juliana, were we separated at birth? but not to digress from the thread subject, i don't have a cellphone......so none of this is relevant.

[Juliana]

LOL. I think we might have been. I don't have a cellphone either, but I have been thinking of getting one -- just to have on hand in case of emergency. I think it would make me feel safer. I would probably forget to keep it charged though.

my iq may soar but i wore two different shoes to work on three different occasions in Oklahoma............

[Juliana]

LOL. I've worn my underwear sideways and my dress backwards many times.

And back to the topic of cellphones... If I had one, then the next time I find myself standing outside for waiting for a cab and realize I haven't actually called one, I would be able to use my cell instead of coming back inside to use the phone. I think I'm going to get one.

[(JD)]

While I continue to wonder what underwear has to do with this thread...

Here's a beta testing FREE 411 number you can call from any phone (in the USA only currently): 800 goog 411...

obviously it is up by google... it's voice activated/response... IT IS CURRENTLY loaded with business numbers only.... if you don't wish to be directly connected to the number you want, then when it asks you can ask for more information" and it will give you the phone number of the business.