My 6 Favorite iPhone Settings / Tricks

So I have been working with the iPhone for more than 1 month and am still really enjoying this hand-held technology tool! There are a couple of neat little tips or operations that I have learned from others that I wish I knew myself earlier so let me share them five of my favorites with you here:

1. Saving Recent Calls to Address Book
2. Setting Home Button to Preferred Option
3. Almost Automatic Domain Name Extensions for Email Addresses
4. Maximize Your Maps Experience
5. Shortcuts to deleting / erasing typing
   
6. Snap Camera Shutter on Release

Saving Recent Calls to Address Book

After placing (or receiving) a telephone call on your iPhone you may have noticed the calls show up in the 'Recents' list under your Phone button.  If that person is in your Contacts (address book) their name appears - there is an easy way to add a recent phone # to your contact list... press the tiny icon at the right side of a chosen recent call (the tiny white arrow inside the blue circle).   

Your iPhone opens up an address book/contact page with that phone number (and the location if that was detected).  You can then click 'Create New Contact' (or you can click 'Add to Existing Contact' if this new telephone number belongs to an entry already in your contacts.     

Setting Home Button to Preferred Option

It is enjoyable and convenient to be able to customize your iPhone to suit your preferences and your own experience. 

One of the cool features is the ability to program the 'Home' button which is the button on the bottom center of the front of your iPhone.

Open the 'Settings' application, then click on 'General' -- scroll down and click on 'Home' and you will see 5 options. Click on any one of these options and have set-up your iPhone so when you press this Home button twice, it will take you to that function. Here are the choices:

• Home = goes to the first page of your iPhone apps
• Search = opens the iPhone search tool (enter a name, application or web URl and it will display
• Phone Favorites = opens the list of favorite contacts on the Favorites Page under your Phone
• Camera = opens the iPhone camera
• iPod = opens the iPod application

Almost Automatic Domain Name Extensions for Email Addresses

When you are using the Mail application on your iPhone there is a built-in shortcut that allows you to quickly add the domain name extension for a recipients email address.  While in the 'To:' field of an email message, simply press and hold down the period button at bottom right and up pops a mini-menu with the 4 most common extensions:  .net, .edu, .org, .com. Roll your finger over to your choice and let go -- it will add that extension for you.

Maximize Your Maps Experience

When using the 'Maps' application (the standard, included app.) there are some really cool features.  I love this little app -- in addition to real-time positioning (blue dot with blue circle represents your position), there is a useful directions and search tool.  Click 'Directions' at bottom and enter 'End' address, then press 'Route' at bottom.  Using your current GPS position it will provide a suggested route for your trip along with mileage, and estimated duration of your trip with 3 modes: Car, Transit and walking/hiking. 

The 'Search' button at bottom allows you to enter a business and it will show (with red pin) the  matches on your map.  Then you can go one step further by clicking on the pin, then click on the blue arrow and it displays the street address, website and telephone number of that location/entity.  Very helpful!

Shortcuts to deleting / erasing typing

When you are in Messages, Mail, Safari or Notes apps on your iPhone just shake (gently) the phone and a small menu will appear, asking if you wish to 'Undo Typing' or 'Cancel.   Click 'Undo Typing' and whatever you have typed so far in that application will be deleted. 

You can also press and hold for a moment in any of these text entry windows (until the magnification ring appears) and then release... you will be presented with a different mini menu 'Select', 'Select All' or 'Paste'. You could click 'Select All' and then backspace to delete all text entered.

Snap Camera Shutter on Release

My buddy Seth showed me this one... while using the iPhone camera there have been times when it was tricky to get a good shot by pressing the home button (with the Camera app open).  Instead, (with the Camera app open) you can also press and hold the home button, releasing the home button when you want to snap your photo.. voila!