What You Don't Know Your Cell Phone Could Do

[dayene]

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) Subject: Emergency number

The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find
yourself out of 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.*

2) Subject: Have you locked your keys in the car?
Does you car have remote keys?

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 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!"

3) Subject: Hidden Battery power

Imagine your cell battery is very low, u r expecting an important call and u don't have a charger. Nokia instrument comes with a reserve battery. To activate, press the keys *3370#. Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when u charge your cell next time.


i read this from another forum (Symbianize). someone posted this without an author.

[Gizmoratty]

I leave my remote at my parents house for the exact reason of No. 2, though people should note, this only works with cars equipped with Remote Keyless Entry (Or RKE), but works perfectly! I was amazed when I was shown it at first

There is also a company called OnStar (Just for you Americans I believe) that you can call when in the same situation, and they will be able to perform the exact action without needing your original key or remote

[Leong]

the battery things doesnt work on my phone. i have an asian n95 with v20 firmware.

[dayene]

i guess it doesn't work on all phones.

[Tizbad2k]

Originally Posted by Gizmoratty

I leave my remote at my parents house for the exact reason of No. 2, though people should note, this only works with cars equipped with Remote Keyless Entry (Or RKE), but works perfectly! I was amazed when I was shown it at first

There is also a company called OnStar (Just for you Americans I believe) that you can call when in the same situation, and they will be able to perform the exact action without needing your original key or remote

When you say RKE (Remote keyless entry) what exactly do you mean. Is this any different from regular keyless entry (a key fob with a unlock/lock button). I am asking because the having both the terms keyless and remote in the same name has confusing implications. Keyless implies wireless, and typically remote would mean the same thing, but when the two words are combined it implies long distance wireless unlocking.

[salada2k]

Well, you learn something new every day. Can't wait to test the RKE theory... Cheers Dayene!

[dayene]

haha. wish i have one to test on.

[evilive27]

The keyless car remote is false. Check out snopes.com
Car remotes use a different radio waves than cell phones do. Its not possible...
Urban Legends Reference Pages: Remote Possibility

[vash_h]

the battery thing IS NOT HIDDEN BATTERY.. this is a common misconception. only older phones has it.

this is from my old Nokia 8210 User Guide, page 64 (u can get the copy here, from Nokia Malaysia (only APAC manuals has this, europe or american manuals do not have it.. no idea why.. Nokia 8210 APAC User Guide )

================================================== ======
Important User Information
This section explains how to deactivate the EFR CODEC should you find that it is difficult to make or receive calls when travelling and roaming onto another network.

1. Introduction
The Nokia 8210 (GSM) comes equipped the latest codec and audio technology for superior sound and voice quality. Currently, there are three different codecs defined for GSM/PCN:
• full-rate (FR)
• enhanced full-rate (EFR)
• half-rate (HR)

The Nokia 8210 phone can support all these codecs.

The FR codec is supported by all GSM and PCN cellular networks and phones.

The network automatically selects which codec is used, FR or EFR (if supported by the network).

The Nokia phone supplied within this sales package has the EFR codec activated to so that you can automatically enjoy the benefits of EFR if supported by your network operator. Currently only some networks
support the EFR codec in addition to the FR codec.

2. Deactivating/ Activating The EFR Codec
The Nokia N8210 fully meet and comply with all EFR codec and relevant compatibility specifications. However, as a result of some networks not
yet complying with the latest specifications you may find it impossible to make or receive calls, if the EFR codec is activated,
e.g. when you are visiting or roaming in a foreign network.

If problems are encountered in making a call (with the display of "Check operator services" or another similar message), OR receiving calls, deactivating the EFR codec may resolve the problem. To deactivate or
reactivate the EFR codec follow the instructions given in the next section.

Please note that there is no indication on the phone as to whether or not the EFR codec is activated or deactivated.
a) To deactivate the EFR CODEC
With the display clear perform the following key press sequence:
#3370# or #EFR0#
i.e. press the "#" key, then the "3" key and so on...

b) To activate the EFR CODEC
With the display clear perform the following key press sequence:
*3370# or *EFR0#
i.e. press the "*" key, then the "3" key and so on...
Notes to a) and b)

i) Immediately after pressing *3370# (or #3370#) the phone will automatically power itself off and then on again - this is NORMAL and also serves to indicate that deactivation (or activation) has occurred.
During the automatic power off/on sequence
the LCD display will become clear, the back lights will switch off and then the display will come back on.

ii) If during activation/deactivation the wrong key is pressed, clear the wrong entry by pressing the clear key.

iii) If at any time you choose to quit the process then press and hold the 'hang up' key.

3. Suggested Tip
you may wish to store the above activation/deactivation sequences in the phonebook.
Name: EFR ON
Number: *3370#
Name: EFR OFF
Number: #3370#
To save the activation sequence to the phonebook, the name MUST be entered first otherwise deactivation or activation of the EFR codec will occur.
================================================

so as u guys see, this is actually a phone function. since EFR uses more power than FR, u get more talk time out of it.. and it will only work once.. because once u deactivate the EFR, it is deactivated.. unless u re-enable it.

[mcbain]

Does anyone remember how the old school Nokias of the late nineties had a 'trick' claim that you could put in a code to make it detect police speed radars?