Basics: How to make the most of your smartphone

Browse the web

If you have a 3G or NextG phone, there’s a very good chance that it has a web browser built in. To use the web browsing function, you’ll need a phone plan with a data allowance – and if you have that, then you can access the web from wherever you have 3G coverage.

Just fire up your phone’s web browser from the applications menu. If you have a data account you should be able to browse the web just as you would on your computer. One thing you may find is that many sites will not appear to display well on your small mobile screen – but the good news is that a lot of sites now have ‘mobile’ versions specifically designed for mobile phones. Google, for example, should automatically detect if you’re using a mobile and direct you to its mobile phone search page. As another example, mobile.wikipedia.org shows a version of Wikipedia formatted for mobiles.

Extend battery life

If you find that your phone isn’t lasting long between charges, turn off Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and other features in the phone’s settings menu. These drain battery life when active, and turning them off can extend your phone’s stamina considerably. Turning off vibration when you don’t need it (since it uses a lot of power), and the display backlight will also improve battery life.

Install new applications

A lot of phones now allow you to install new applications. These can be games, contact managers, programs to sync your data with your PC, productivity tools and much more. Some of the newer smartphones look and work very much like PCs in this respect, and checking out the manufacturer’s website will most likely reveal a range of things you can do on your phone that you never thought possible.

Note, however, that most applications are written with a specific phone operating system in mind, and will work only for phones that use that operating system. You can’t use an iPhone application on an Android phone, for example.

Apps are like mini computer programs, and enhance the functionality your smartphone.

The final word

We’ve really only scratched the surface of what your mobile phone can do here. With newer phones, the sky really is the limit when it comes to capabilities. The key to making the most of your phone is to not be afraid of it. Try things out, send a few MMSs, install a few new applications. You’ll likely find many ways you can use your mobile to make your life richer.