Smartphone Tips & Tricks

Dial an App

Anyone who has used a mobile phone, or even a modern day home phone, is well aware of the speed-dial feature for quickly calling your most popular numbers. Windows Mobile takes this concept one step further by allowing you to not only speed dial phone numbers, but also to quickly launch your favorite applications. Best of all, setup is a breeze. Just follow these steps and you'll have access to your e-mail, games or system tools faster than ever!

1. Open the Start menu on your Windows Mobile Smartphone.
2. Scroll to the application you want to assign a speed dial to.
3. While that application is highlighted, press the Menu button.
4. Select the Add Speed Dial option.
5. Enter a keypad assignment (number) for the speed dial and select Done.

That's it! To test your new Speed App, go back to the home screen and hold down the number you've assigned to that application: voila, it appears.

Pick a network—any network

If you are using a Windows Mobile Smartphone on a GSM network, it is possible to search for and choose the cellular network you want to connect to. While the default network the phone selects will often be the best one, it is possible that your carrier has roaming agreements that allow you to use other networks. Other networks may have a better signal than your primary carrier's network at a given location.

Warning: using these networks may cost you extra, depending on your calling plan. It will be good to check with your carrier to see if you'll be hit with extra charges before following the advice below.

Using your Smartphone and following these steps, you can search for available networks and opt to connect to the one of your choice. You can give it a try using the following steps, and compare your signal strength by network in the locations you visit most often.

1. Open the Start menu on your Windows Mobile Smartphone.
2. Scroll to and select the Settings option.
3. Choose Phone, which is typically the first option in the Settings menu. This may vary depending on the version of Windows Mobile on your device.
4. Select the Networks menu item.
5. Access the Menu using the right soft key and choose Select A Network. This will initiate the search for all GSM networks in your area that are available on the frequencies your phone supports.
6. When the list appears, highlight the network you wish to connect to and choose Select. You phone will then attempt to connect to that network. If you receive a message stating you were denied access, this means your carrier does not have a roaming agreement with the network you chose.

Now, you can test signal strength on various networks from your device and even choose which you want to use directly from your Windows Mobile Smartphone.