There is a secret hidden within some of the documentation Verizon provides to its users that updates the phone’s internal list of cell phone towers. I scoured the Verizon Wireless web site for the code used to do this and found nothing. Eventually I located it on a folder that my local dealer included with the paperwork when I bought my phone.

Dialing *228 and selecting option 2 will provide this software update. Doing so will:

• Improve battery life
• Provide fewer dropped or blocked calls
• Provide clearer, crisp connections in even more areas across the United States

According to Verizon, you should do this every 3 months. The call is free and will work on virtually all Verizon phones such as the BlackBerry, Treo, LG, etc.

You can invert or reverse the contrast of the screen on the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series device. Here’s how:

1. From the Home screen, select Menu > Options.

2. Select Advanced Options.

3. Select Accessibility.

4. Change the Color Contrast field to Reverse.

5. Press Menu.

6. Select Save.

The result will be a screen like the one below.

BB screen reversed

On the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smart phone, you can skip music tracks or videos not only with the on screen options, but also by pressing and holding the Volume Up button on the side of the device. If you want to move to a previous song, you can use the Volume Down button. This trick is perfect for when you have your BlackBerry Storm in a pocket and don’t want to take it out to look on the screen to control your music.

Q: When you’re using the Browser application to view a web page on the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smart phone, how do you zoom in and out?

A: To zoom in, double-tap the screen as though you are double-clicking a mouse. If you want to zoom out, press the Escape key.

Remove the email disclaimer from a single email message on your BlackBerry Storm 9500 series device.

1. When composing an email, press the Menu button.

2. Select Remove Disclaimer.

For this feature to work, your BlackBerry Storm must be associated with a BlackBerry Enterprise Server that supports this feature.

Enable or disable JavaScript in the Browser for the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series device.

1. While in the Browser application, press Menu.

2. Select Options.

3. Click Browser Configuration.

4. Check any of the following boxes as desired:

• Support JavaScript
• Allow JavaScript popups
• Terminate slow running scripts

5. Select Menu > Save Options.

Set the page that you wish to start out with in the Browser application for your BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smart phone.

1. In the Browser application, press Menu.

2. Select Options.

3. Select Browser Configuration.

4. In the Home Page Address field, type a web address or change the Start Page field.

5. Press Menu.

6. Select Save Options.

Now your new home page in the Browser should be set.

Rename a Bluetooth device that is connected to your T-Mobile G1 smartphone.

1. Press Menu.

2. Select Settings.

3. Select Wireless controls.

4. Select Bluetooth settings.

5. Select Device name.

6. Type the name for your device in the dialog box.

7. Select OK.

You can quickly scan the area for Bluetooth devices on your T-Mobile G1 Google smartphone.

1. Press the Menu button.

2. Select Scan for devices.

Use the Call Forwarding feature of the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smartphone.

First you need to setup phone numbers you would like to forward calls to:

1. Open the Phone application (press the phone button).

2. Press Menu.

3. Select Options.

4. Select Call Forwarding.

5. Select the option for which calls you wish to forward.

6. Press Menu.

7. Select New Number.

8. Enter a phone number.

9. Press Enter.

10. Press Menu.

11. Select Close.

Now you can use the feature by selecting Options > Call Forwarding > Menu > select phone number > Menu > Save.

On the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smartphone, it can be a chore to learn how to highlight, then cut or copy then paste text. Here’s how:

1. Use 2 fingers to simultaneously touch the screen before and after the text that you want to copy.

2. Select the Cut or Copy icon at the bottom of the screen.

3. Put the cursor where you want to insert the cut or copied text.

4. Press Menu.

5. Select Paste.

On the Blackberry Storm 9500 series smartphone, you can delete more than one email message at a time using these steps.

1. Touch two messages simultaneously.

2. Slide your finger up or down to select additional messages.

3. Press Menu.

4. Select Delete Messages.

You can also purge messages prior to a certain date.

1. Highlight a date field.

2. Press Menu.

3. Select Delete Prior.

4. Select Delete.

You can make a shortcut directly to a web page on the Home screen of your iPhone 3G. These are called Web Clips. To make one, follow these steps:

1. While on the site you wish to make a Web Clip for, press the + icon at the bottom of the screen.

2. Tap the Add to Home Screen.

3. Edit the name of the clip.

4. Tap Add.

If you grow tired of the Web Clip, there is a way to delete it as well.

Prevent your BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smartphone from disturbing you while you sleep by putting it in Bedside Mode.

1. Open the Clock application.

2. Select Menu.

3. Select Enable Bedside Mode.

When you would like to disable bedside clock mode, just press Escape.

You can access the settings for Bedside Mode by selecting Menu > Options and changing settings under the Bedside Mode section.

Save any picture in the Browser application on the T-Mobile G1 Google phone.

Simply touch and hold the image with your finger for about 3 or 4 seconds. You will then be presented with the option to View or Save the image.

I experienced a strange problem with my iPhone this week where it refused to vibrate. I wasn’t sure what to do with it. I went under Settings > Sound and made sure Vibrate was set to On, but it still wouldn’t vibrate.

Luckily I came across this post. It actually suggests whacking the iPhone on the back. Apparently the spinny thing inside that makes it vibrate gets stuck from time to time. Mine started working when I made it start to vibrate by calling my own phone while tapping it gently at the same time.

The backlight on the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smartphone is usually set to fade off after a few seconds to save battery power. But you don’t want it to go off while you’re watching a video right? Here’s how to prevent the backlight from timing out while playing videos.

1. Open the Media application.

2. Press Menu.

3. Select Options.

4. Change the setting for Turn Off Automatic Backlighting field to No.

5. Press Menu.

6. Select Save.

Set how long before the backlight times out on the BlackBerry Storm 9500 series smartphone.

1. Select Options from the Main menu.

2. Select Screen/Keyboard.

3. Set the Backlight Timeout field.

4. Press Menu.

5. Select Save.

Q: How do you mark a message as spam on the T-Mobile G1 smartphone?

A: Two ways:

• From a conversation list, touch and hold the message. Select Report spam.
• From within the message, press Menu and select More > Report spam.

Prevent your phone number from being displayed to the person you are calling on your BlackBerry Storm 9530 device.

1. Press the Phone button to enter the Phone application.

2. Press Menu.

3. Select Options.

4. Select General Options.

5. Change Restrict My Identity to Always.

6. Press Menu.

7. Select Save.

Note: This feature can be disabled by your wireless network provider.