If you're new to Windows Mobile Smartphones (and PocketPC's) then here are a few tweaks to get you started taking advantage of the many features that your phone has to offer.

1. Calendar. By default, only the next appointment from your calendar is displayed on the Windows Mobile Today Screen. To change the setting so that upcoming appointments are displayed:

• Click Start >> Settings >> Personal >> Today.
• Click on Items (at the bottom of the screen).
• Select Calendar.
• Click Options (on the right of the screen).
• Check Display upcoming entries instead of Next Appointment.
• Click OK and you're good to go.

Better yet, download TodayAgenda which has more options.

2. Word Completion. If you use a word from the "Word Completion popup" box, by default there is a space added after the word. To some (myself included), this feature is a bit annoying. To remove the automatic addition of a space after using a suggested word (or to remove this feature altogether):

• Go to Start >> Settings >> Personal >> Input.
• Click on the Word Completion tab (at the bottom).
• Uncheck Add space after word to get rid of the space added when you use the suggested word.
• Uncheck Suggest words when entering text or uncheck Suggest words when entering text to stop the popups.

3. Change the Soft Keys. Soft keys are hardware buttons on phones that will bring up a display of menus or launch a program when you press it. The left and right soft keys on the ATT Tilt for example, default to the Calendar for the left one, and the Phone Book on the right. These programs can be changed with a little help from a 3rd party program called Softkey Manager.

After it has been installed, open it up and simply select the programs you would like the Soft keys on your phone to open. On my phone, I have also downloaded and used the program NueNoBar2 to remove the tray at the bottom which displays the name of the soft keys. This gives me more room on the Today Screen, but the soft keys will still launch the applications.

4. Increase the Start Menu Functionality. The regular Windows Mobile Start Menu only shows recently opened items, and a "Programs" folder. You them have to open the folder of the program that you want and click on the file to open it. It doesn't have to be like this. QuickMenuworks like a dream to by providing access to all programs via expandable sub menus, plus show a list of currently open programs at the top of the menu,AND will make the "X" button actually close any open programs. I've already discussed it in more detail here.

5. SMS Sent Message Notification. Seeing the "text message sent" popup can be changed using Schaps Advanced Configuration. This program can be used to change MANY of the settings on your Windows Mobile phone (PocketPC), including the disabling the SMS sent notification bubble. ** You also need to have Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 for this program to work).

• Open the Advanced Configuration program (assuming you have already downloaded and installed it).
• Click on the Messaging tab.
• Click SMS sent notification and choose Disabled at the bottom.
• Click Done.
• Follow the instructions and allow the Soft Reset (which will happen automatically).

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