In last week's post, we recommended that you keep your phone's ringer volume on the highest setting, so if it's ever lost nearby, you can give your number a call and follow the sound. But if your phone was set to "silent" when you misplaced it at home, there's still an easy way for you to track down your cell. Just blast some music — really!
You know that annoying interference you hear through your car or computer speakers right before your phone rings? Yeah, it goes a little something like "blip, ba da blip, ba da blip, ba da... bzzzzzzz"? Basically, you're listening to the cell phone tower communicating to your cell phone — the wires to your speakers act like antennae and pick up the transmission. It's annoying when you're trying to enjoy music at your desk, but you can use that interference to track down a silent cell phone in your house.
If you know your phone is in your house or another enclosed area, get an old boombox (do you still have one of those?), a set of speakers with long cords or a music player with headphones. Walk around the house with the music on after calling the phone (If you're alone, try a website like icantfindmyphone.com).
It won't ring on silent, of course, but the speakers may pick up interference as you move around the house and give you an audio trail to follow. As you get closer to your phone, you'll begin to hear more and louder interference. It's like a high-tech game of Hot and Cold.
Other cell phone tips and tricks:
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- 911 Emergency Calls In A Modern Wireless World: Truths & Tips
- No Roaming: How to Use Your Phone or Tablet Offline While Traveling
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That's cool about the car speakers. I've never had that happen to me though. I do pick up the interference when I'm listening to music on my iPhone headphones right before I get a call though.
i thought the apple find my phone utility allows you to command your phone to play a tone, even if it's in silent mode
haha neat- I never thought of this before! My boss's cell used to get interference right before it was about to ring. So we would be on the landline phone and I would hear the interference and tell him his cell was about to ring so we should end the call.
for ages he thought I was psychic! hahaha
This is a great tip. We still have our son's baby monitor and the same thing happens when that is on near a live mobile. Must remember this next time.
For android users there's an app called where's my droid - best thing ever! You send a text message or email, and even if you phone is on silent, it will override that and ring. I sadly use it all the time lol
I originally put this on another post, but thought it might be relevent here regarding having or not having a land line:
We moved from our house 18 months ago and never reactivated the land line. (My husbands idea) We each have a cell phone. Uh huh....We live in a basement apartment so we have discovered our calls; frequently get dropped. Well "Einstein" aka my husband who THINKS he knows all things tech because he can wire an entire house for electricity.....will not budge regarding getting a land line.
Did I mention the reason we sold our home and moved to a newer town is because I had to quit my NURSING job (meaning I know how many 911 calls can save a life and how many dropped calls can kill someone) and go on disability for life for severe respiritory problems and arthritis...so I can't move and If I am having an attack I cannot talk....
Obviously we need a land line and will get one now that I found a "tech" article prooving that we really need one so I can be found in case the worst happens.
What if the battery is dead?
I use an app from the Android market called Where's my droid. It turns the phone onto the loudest setting and makes it go off if you text a secret word to your phone. Really useful and works perfectly.
There's an app called Find My iPhone. I downloaded it on my laptop, synced it to my iPhone (or vice versa - whatever), and activated it. Or so I thought.
Last time I lost my iPhone, I couldn't figure out how to use it for the life of me. :(
This only works if you're on a GSM network. Verizon's CDMA doesn't cause the same interference, or if it does, it's so low it's inaudible. I've had both Verizon and AT&T phones back when it was Cingular as personal and work phones. Great idea though if you are GSM.
Or, if it's night time, turn all the lights out and look for the light up screen! (My husband's suggestion)
Very useful tip indeed! After misplacing my phone on several occasions, I found an app on the Android Play Store called "Ringer Restorer". It basically un-mutes your phone if you call it 5 times from the same number.