Thing Two-Mobile Tips and Tricks!

Thing two is all about getting better acquainted with your mobile device of choice. 

I'll be using my iPhone 5c (my favorite color blue, if you must know!) throughout this process. I actually just got the phone a few weeks ago, and good thing I did! I was previously using an iPhone 4, so "old" and "outdated" that there weren't even and links or information provided for the 4.

I had already seen the official Apple iPhone 5c tips and tricks (http://www.apple.com/iphone-5c/tips/) linked in the challenge.  As I recall, my cell phone carrier linked me to those when I first got my 5c so I breezed through them then.

As a digital native, paired with the fact that I'd already spent some time getting to know my phone and that many of my friends also have the same or similar phones using the same operating system, I figured I really wouldn't learn anything in the Thing. However, I should not have jumped to conclusions as I did learn several useful things!

One trick that will come in handy is how to view time stamps from text messages.  I've got a few group texts that run continuously, and if I'm away from my phone for a while playing catch-up can be tricky.  A timestamp would be useful, so I can know how recently something was sent. 

I also liked the compass trick that was shown.  By swiping over the compass the app turns your phone into a leveler (picture the air bubble in the water on a ruler [is there a better name for this device?] that helps you level art you're hanging on the wall, for example).  Even though I don't think I'll use it much, its nice to know its there. 

The only trick I wasn't previously familiar with from the 15 (More)... web page (http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/iphone-more-tips-tricks/) was the Find Word Or Phrase within a Web page trick.  I use that fairly frequently on laptop or desktop computers, but hadn't realized I could duplicate the trick on my iPhone! Awesome! I think this one will be a time saver. 

The rest of the tips I either already knew about or really weren't relevant to me (there were a few Twitter tips, for example, but I'm really not much of a tweeter). I think its definitely worth mentioning here, though, that these "Things" can benefit more than just me-they can benefit my patrons and coworkers too.  More than once a patron has come in with a mobile device that for some reason they can't get to function properly...knowing all these little tips and tricks can be hugely helpful. Its always good to learn something new and have a refresher on things you already know! 

However, now that we've got the basics out of the way, I'm excited to move onto our next thing-Utilities!   Stay tuned for my next post...

So begins 23 Mobile Things! Part One-Blgging and Registering

Hi all!

My name is Olivia and I'm a 2013 MLS graduate of IU Indianapolis.  I'm currently working in both public and academic libraries in Minnesota, so I get to experience the best of both worlds!  This blog was set up as part of the requirements for the the Minnesota multitype library systems' 23 Mobile Things program.  Over the next few months I'll be blogging about my experience trying out a wide variety of mobile apps!  Hope you enjoy! :)

Olivia