UNLOCKING

When a cell phone is “locked” it means that it is locked into a particular service provider. Service providers like AT&T and T-Mobile do this in order to prevent customers from switching cell phone providers.

When a cell phone is “unlocked” it means that it can be used on multiple providers or plans, just by switching SIM cards. This is handy for traveling and if you want to switch providers and don’t want to have to buy a new cellphone.

There are two methods for unlocking a cell phone:. Unlocking a cell phone by “Code”, and unlocking a cell phone via a software tool. Some manufactures’ phones support the unlocking by “Code” method. For instance: many Nokia, Samsung, Siemens, Panasonic, Sony and other brands of cell phones.

The other method, using a software tool, is quite a bit more involved. This method requires some software and hardware to unlock your cell phone. Thankfully, there are companies out there that do this for you. Companies like Unlocking.com can unlock your cell phone fast and cheap.

FLASHING

Flashing your cell phone is the process of installing new software. Firmware, to be more specific. When a cell phone exhibits symptoms like not powering up or re-booting (or many other software related issues), the firmware is often to blame. Flashing a cell phone is quite an involved process. It requires a computer, flashing device, flashing software and a cable to interface the cell phone to the computer.

This is not something I recommend for the average user. However, there are also companies out there that are able to do this for you.

So there you have it. A brief overview of the differences between Unlocking and Flashing your cell phone.

Keep in mind that neither of these are Illegal. Some may think that unlocking your cell phone is illegal, or wrong, but, I assure you, it is not. Cell phone providers only lock cell phones to insure that customers don’t switch providers.

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Girls talking on cell phones.

• Prevent them from being exposed to extreme temperature differences. Extreme hot and cold are both factors in the early death of a cell phone. Heat can cause damage to the Cell phone LCD Screen and the cell phones other sensitive electronics. Cold can also cause the temperary loss of LCD Screen viability, and stall the mobile phones sensitive electronic

• Avoid exposure to moisture and dampness with your cell phone. Moisture is the nemesis of any cell phone. Do your best not to drop cell phone in the sink, pool, tub, glass of milk, and toilets. Aside from those obvious things, avoid picking up you cell phone with wet or damp hands. Or setting it down on a damp surface. If you and your phone have to enter a moisture rich area, then show all caution. A belt clip or a leash can be bought for cheap and help prevent the phone from taking a swim.

• Keep the phone from shock.  Don’t drop it. Dropping the phone is very bad for it. It’s not really the dropping it, its when the phone strikes a hard surface. Surfaces like a counter top, sidewalk, hardwood floor, and such are not forgiving to cell phones.

•Keep the phone from getting scratched. This is as much cosmetic as anything else. Scratches are the death of touch screens. Cell phone touch screens are very fragile. The use of cell phone “skins” or cases is the best way to avoid this one. Keep in mind that scratching can occur as easily in a purse or pocket as being dropped.

• Charge your battery appropriatly.  Cell phone batterys are often a hudge limitation on a cell phone. Many problems that cell phones can have are due to battery that are weak and dying. Check the manufacturer guidlines if you have any questions on if you are maintaining your batteries life correctly. Also batteries are not very expensive as opposed to buying a new cell phone altogether. Just replacing your battery is an option that shoud be kept in mind.

• Keep your cell phone dust free and clean. Dust can slowly work it’s way into everything. It can work its way under the buttons and the LCD screen.  Or in between the digitizer (touch screen) and the LCD Screen itself. It can also cause damage to the cell phone electronics in the form of static and heat build up.  A micro fiber cloth is handy to keep around to clean the surfaces of your cell phone.

Many of us have spent alot of money on our cell phones. And it is only natural to want to protect our investments. A cell phone can be had for years of service if only it is well maintained.

If any harm does befall your trusted cell phone there is hope. There are websites like this one, www.howtofixmyphone.com that have lots of great information on bringing your cell phone back to life for hopefully severalmore years of trusted service.

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2. Higher resale value – Unlocked cell phones have a much higher resale value; up to 300% more. They are able to sell higher because they are usable on more networks and there is a much larger base of potential buyers.

3. Change Carriers without buying a new phone – With an unlocked mobile phone, you are able to take advantage of the best local deals on service packages without having to buy a new phone. Much of the cost of changing carriers is buying the new phone.

4. Works for the life of the phone – A cell phone unlock works for the life of the phone. You are free to switch SIM cards and Service providers at will.

5. Fast and Easy – The people over at UNIQUEPHONES.COM offer 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed at the lowest price guaranteed. They are determined to be the cheapest and the best unlocking service you can find online and they are ready for the challenge.

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I am more into the making your own ringtones.  Here is a great site for making your own ringtone, and converting it to a format that your phone will recognize. 

http://www.brinked.com/create-ringtone.html

The site will allow you to upload music from your computer or from YouTube.com and then chop it up.  Then you have the option of re-saving the ringtone to your hard drive or send the ringtone to your cell phone right off the site. 

Personally, I chose a few songs from ISHTAR. Its a pretty funny movie with Dustan Hoffman and Warren Beatty.  Ok, back to topic. 

Mobile phone tones are cool. 

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1. To activate the magnify glass on the browser click the trackball twice.

2. Turning off the GPS saves battery life to do so go to Menu, Settings, Security and Location.

3. When you want to change a setting just about anywhere on the phone hit menu, it’ll give you options.

4. In browser, and also in pic gallery-when the zoom + – shows up- you can hold the + down and it will smoothly keep panning in.

5. Switch phone orientation to landscape: In web browser, go to menu>more>flip orientation. This will change the phone orientation to landscape so that you don’t have to open the screen to get it to flip.

6. Saving pictures from the web: Press and hold the image for 3 seconds, a selection will pop-up either to save image or view image. It may contain more selections if the image contains a link.

7. To forward picture and text messages: Press and hold the message.

8. In browser, long press trackball/pearl on image to bring up “save image/view image”
-in browser, long press trackball/pearl over url to bring up “open/open in new window/bookmark link/save link/share link/copy link url”
-in browser, press menu to bring up browser menu (go to url/search/bookmarks/…etc); long-press menu to temporarily flash the shortcuts.

9. Holding the home button brings up your 6 most recent apps.

10. To make ringtones, alerts, and notifications make a folder inside your memory card each one containing there own name such as “ringtones” “alarms” “notifications”.

11. To rename a folder on the homescreen click and hold the dock at the top of the folders name.

12. Long press the phone key for voice dial.

13. To Cut, press Menu and x. To Copy, press Menu and c. To Paste, press Menu andv

14. Clear your Cache!

If you’ve been using streetview or the browser alot, the cache can quickly get big. I’ve only had the phone for two days and got 20MB back by clearing the cache on these two.
Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Browser > Clear Data
Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Streetview > Clear Data

15. In the browser, hold down ALT key and roll trakball for fast scrolling.( Or press space bar for a fast scroll down)

16. Use AnyCut (Application in Android Market) to put important contacts on your desktop, I usually use the text one because it’s also useful if you want to call them, just pull up the text screen then hold your finger on their phone number and you can view contact and call them from there, of course you can use AnyCut to make it go straight to their contact info, but I usually am texting people so that’s why I used text.

17. How to change screen name on Aim:  Go to the Application menu or IM application, CLICK and HOLD the chat application you wish to change the Username of, and you will be able to change your IM name.

18. How to Increase Battery Life

-Turn off GPS
-Lower screen brightness
-Turn off Wi-fi when you are not around any wifi networks

19. How to SOFT RESET the G1

1) Turn Off the Phone
2) Remove Battery
3) Remove Sim Card
4) Put battery and sim card again
5) Turn On the phone
6) Press Menu
7) Factory Data Reset (Remember that: This action will reset the phone to its initial factory state, erasing all data and wonloaded applications, so BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP first you try this). Cool Press “reset phone”

20. How to Hard Reset Your G1 and Start From Scratch –

1) Turn off the Phone
2) Press HOME + POWER KEYS (keep them holding for about 25 secs) until you see a screen with a phone and a triangle. then
3) SLIDE YOUR KEYBOARD TO OPEN IT
4) press ALT + l ( TO SHOW YOU OPTIONS)
5) Press ALT + W ( TO FORMAT ALL DATA)
Note: When I write the sign + you don’t have to press the + sign, it means that you need to press both keys @ the same time.
Note2: Don’t do this if you don’t have a Data Plan or your 2G or 3G is not working, why? because you will not be able to sign in again without a working Data Plan (2g / 3g).

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