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Cell phones have become ubiquitous. It is now unusual to find anyone who does not have one of the little beasties. The obvious next step was to seek a means to ensure your cell phone is unique and different from all of the others out there. A variety of features exist in varying combinations and there are the usual tricks like customizing the picture on the screen or the ringtone. These are almost all more style than substance.

We*ve all experienced the ringtone that outstays its welcome and then just won*t go away or a ringtone that is just particularly inopportune for some reason. There are also stories of just the wrong cell phone wallpaper showing the bosses relative or some other potentially embarrassing sight. Some people actually use those phones for something other than status symbols. Here are a couple of tricks for those.

One potentially useful trick is the doggie whistle. For cell phones that allow multiple ring tones, using the inaudible dog whistle for one provides a handy method to discourage annoying dogs that might chase you as you jog, harass you as you walk or some other hassle.

Another useful trick is that of habitually locking the phone's keys when you replace it into a pocket, purse or other container. The random presses of buttons that otherwise occur are a drain on battery power unless the phone has been told to ignore them with the lock command, and can potentially save money if the phone might accidentally hit the correct combination to make a call. Another useful feature to save battery power is airplane mode, for those times when you do not desire to answer the phone but do expect to need the phone's other features, such as a planner function or even clock.

Finally, cell phones are terribly convenient. Carrying around a phone book isn*t. Yet conventional directory assistance costs can add up. The alternative is 800-FREE411, or 800-373-3411. This is an ad supported directory assistance that can be used to find numbers you haven*t stored on your phone without running up those directory assistance charges.