Carroll County Times Articles
Old Cell Phones Still Have a Few Tricks
by Richard Waganer – July 26, 2009
So, you haven’t upgraded to the latest iPhone or Blackberry yet. Everyone around you is showing off their new sleek and almost sexy hand-held device. They taunt you with touch-screens, Twitter enablement and 3G Internet connectivity. As you look down at your seemingly ordinary mobile phone, a sense of regret swells inside you because your service agreement doesn’t expire for another year.
Well, pick your chin up, because I’m going to show you a trick or two that will bring a new sense of pride to your old phone. First, I must explain that some of these tricks require your phone to receive text messages. Some mobile phone service providers charge extra for texting if it is not included in your monthly plan. So you may want to check your mobile phone bill. In addition, although these services are free to use, they are ad supported. I’ll explain this in more detail on a case-by-case basis.
OK, all set. Grab your phone and add a new contact to your list. The contact name should be ChaCha. The number is 800-224-2242. So what is ChaCha? It’s a free question-answering service that connects your phone to a voice-activated Internet search engine. Basically, you call ChaCha and a recorded operator prompts you to ask your question. Speaking in a clear and concise voice, ask your question. Then you simply hang up. In a few moments, your mobile phone will receive the first of three text messages. Text message one is a text transcription of your question as ChaCha interpreted it. Text message two is an advertisement from a sponsor of ChaCha. Text message three is the answer.
You can ask any question. I’ve found brief questions that detailed are best. It’s fun to publicly challenge the owner of a new iPhone or Blackberry to an Internet search using their device against your old phone just calling ChaCha. They start typing frantically and you just speak the question. They could win on speed if they are a savvy mobile Internet user, but remind them how easy your solution was. And of course, don’t share your secret ChaCha number!
Another service your mobile phone provides is 411 directory assistance. However, many times there is an extra charge to make a 411 call. Google comes to the rescue. Add another contact to your mobile phone list named Google411. The phone number is 800 466-4411 (Goog411). The next time you need to find a business listing, try Google411. It’s free, except for text message charges if you choose to have the search details sent to your mobile phone. You can even ask the Google411 service to find a business from a category, like “restaurant” or “gas station” if you are in an unfamiliar area.
On a final note, I use these services personally, but I don’t endorse them or guarantee your service results. Just realize that you can still use your good old mobile phone to do more than you thought possible.
About the Author
Richard Waganer is the owner and producer/director of Waganer Digital Video, a board member of the Carroll Technology Council and chairman of the CTC marketing committee. He can be reached at Rich@Waganer.com, or visit www.waganer.com.
