Tips and tricks

One of the features in version 2.2 of the iPhone software included Emoji support for customers living in Japan. Well, some of us aren’t in Japan, so us Americans weren’t able to use them without hacking. However, a recent discovery has made it possible to do so without hacking.

To enable Emoji, simply buy a Japanese RSS reader called FrostyPlace. It’s $0.99, but for anyone that loves Emoji will definitely buy this app. This tip only works in 2.2, so make sure you have it.

Once installed, run the app and tap on a story. Do get distraught because it is all in Japanese. Once you do that, go back to your Home Screen, hit settings and go to General—->Keyboard—->International Keyboards—->Japanese—->Enable Emoji. Excellent!

There you have it! Now you can impress your friends with cool Emoji icons. If you don’t see them, play with the app a little more, and go back to the International Keyboards setting and try again.

Enjoy!

I absolutely love Google Maps on the iPhone. It has to be one of the most used apps on my phone. One feature that I’ve used in the past, and one that you frequent travelers might be interested in is a feature dealing with Google Maps.

If you are looking for an airport, try typing in the three letter airport code while in maps and that will bring the airport up on the map. So if you are trying to view a map of Renton, WA. Typing “sea” will bring up the Seattle airport. It’s relatively quick to zoom out, recenter over Renton, and zoom in again.

It seems to recognize all primary and secondary US airports and many overseas airports as well. To get a list of airport codes, click here.

Enjoy!

I spend a good deal of money on my 3G iPhone, and I don’t even get 3G in my area! Fortunately, I save at least 15%, and here is how you can do it too.

According to AT&T, college and university students, as well as employees of certain companies, are eligible for a 15% discount on their entire monthly plan.

I was able to ask an AT&T employee and he told me, “For those colleges/universities and some employers who are eligible, you are in return eligible for a service discounts. No phone discounts.” I graduated college 3 years ago and my college email address was, of course, no longer available, however, the company I work for was eligible.

To take advantage of the discount, go to AT&T’s discount page and use your student or work email to verify your eligibility. If your email doesn’t work, you’ll need to stop by a corporate AT&T store with proof of employment/enrollment. Once verified, it will take a few bill cycles to take effect.

Good luck!

Nothing warms the heart more than finding a new way to get even more out of your iPhone. What I’m really saying I suppose is finding another way to say “Hey, you can do anything with the iPhone.”

Today’s clever tip comes from Tabz over on KnowThyTech. It’s a little bit geeky, requiring the use of SSH, but is so way useful that we just had to let you know, His tip involves using the iPhone to transfer files you’ve left at home, to the internet where you can then easily access them.

Of course, we don’t forget files that often do we? But maybe when we’re going to visit someone who doesn’t have an iPhone… or a Mac… and we just feel like showing off?

“Oh, golly gosh, I left that important file at home.  Whatever shall I do? I know! My iPhone will save the day!”

If you’re the forgetful sort or just like showing off, make sure you check out Tabz’s little tute.

Sunday night my sister and one of her kids, and myself and two of my kids, went to the cricket along with 62,000 other people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Car parking was on surrounding parkland. Knowing that finding the car at 11pm in the chaos could be a problem, I’d investigated those iPhone apps that allow you to mark where you parked to make it easy to locate later. However, none appealed - especially as most were paid for apps, thus no way to “try before you buy”. The one frebie I did try wasn’t overly impressive, to say the least.

Instead I decided to let the Maps app on the iPhone do it for me. So when we parked, I dropped a pin to mark where we’d parked. I’ve got to say, I wasn’t confident because, from the experience of Maps telling me I lived at least four doors away, I had found Maps to be out by about 50m at times. And seeing the mass of cars, knowing it would be dark, and having only about 300m to walk from the stadium, 50m becomes a large degree of error.

And anyway,… more...