Make your mobile phone smart with these 25 apps designed to supercharge your handset.
Reach your calendar via SMS
If you use an online calendar service from Google, Windows Live, or Yahoo, you can access some of your calendar tools and information via SMS.
All of these services require you to set up access via the web first.
Google
Users of Google Calendar can perform a variety of calendar tasks by texting GVENT (48368).
Text 'next' to see your next scheduled eventText 'day' to see your daily scheduleText 'nday' for tomorrow's events
You can also set up Google Calendar to send you SMS alerts for new, changed, or cancelled event invitations.
Sadly, Google Calendar for SMS GVENT shortcode is only supported by a handful of US mobile carriers at the moment.
Microsoft Windows Live
If you use Windows Live Calendar, you can set up your account to send you calendar reminders via SMS.
Windows Live alerts are customisable, too, so you can set quiet hours to make sure you don't receive any calendar reminders in the middle of the night.
You can also use Windows Live alerts to receive Hotmail and Windows Live network updates, as well as news updates from Fox Sports, MSNBC, Nasdaq, Newsweek, and other sources.
However, just as with Google, the service is only supported by US mobile networks at present.
Yahoo
To set up calendar reminders from Yahoo Calendar, go to calendar.yahoo.com, select Options in the upper-right corner, and click Reminders.
Get social with SMS
You can use text messages to send and receive status updates on social networks such as Facebook and MySpace.
If you're a die-hard Twitter user, you can also use SMS to perform any number of functions, although not if you're on T-Mobile.
Here are just a few commands you can enter (see Twitter's FAQ on SMS access http://help.twitter.com/entries/14014-twitter-phone-faqs for more information).
- 'FOLLOW' plus a username to start following someone
- 'UNFOLLOW' plus a username to unfollow someone
- 'ON'/'OFF' to start or stop getting your entire Twitter stream delivered via SMS
- 'ON'/'OFF' plus a username to start or stop receiving all tweets from a specific user
Before using SMS with Twitter, it's a good idea to sign up for an SMS plan that allows for an unlimited number of messages per month.
You'll also have to go through a relatively lengthy verification process with Twitter to start using its SMS service (usually involving about four to six SMS messages from each side).
To get started with Twitter via SMS, visit twitter.com/devices.
Set up Facebook text messages
Facebook has some limited services that you can use with almost any phone.
Visit your Facebook Account Settings page and select Register for Facebook Text Messages under the Mobile tab.
Once you've gone through the registration process, you can receive texts for friend requests, messages, wall posts, and your friends' status updates.
You can also update your own status via text message, and search for phone numbers for friends who have added their number to their profile.
If your phone supports multimedia messaging (MMS), you can also upload photos and videos.
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Comments
datasman said: UkThe guy is from PC world what do you expectErmm in this case PC World is a magazine - I assume you didnt realise that
Ian Dudson said: Double twist app finder I thought great until I went to the website You are required to install Google Chrome or Safari before you can view the site I dont want another browser Im happy with Firefox If Microsoft required you to use Explorer to view some sites everybody would scream especially the EEC Google dont go down that road Microsoft has already been stung and are lost a lot of customers inc me with that kind of stunt I like the Android Op system but
Uk said: The guy is from PC world what do you expect
raggedy said: What a complete waste of time Im on a couk site and youre telling me the services I could do in the USA The only reason I can see for this article is so the author can say Ive got an iPhone This site used to be informative neutral and interesting What happened
Ron Graves said: Re A word of caution Many of the services described below depend on SMS messaging and consume your mobile phone plans minutesSo NOT actually installed then Hmm
Ron Graves said: Please tell me what apps you actually CAN install on an ageing mobile phone Im sure my friend who has a decrepit Nokia 3510i would find that idea immensely interesting Not to mention laughable
Aaargh .CO.UK said: Just move to the US then to supercharge your phone eh
Sagman76 said: Pointless all US apps