Today’s multi-tasking mobile phones can provide directions, video texting and more. Here’s how.

Treo 700p smartphone

ORIGINALLY, MOBILE PHONES COULD ONLY BE COUNTED ON FOR TWO things-being bigger than a brick and making calls-but only if you had reception. Today’s phones have shrunk, while their features have increased beyond calls: They’ve become versatile devices for entertainment, navigation and communication. But all those features can be overwhelming together, so we’ll explain mobile directions, wireless headsets, video playback and texting tricks one at a time.

Follow along with your own phone. We’ll focus on the latest BlackBerry and Treo PDA phones, but these tips can be adapted for any handset. Once you master these features, you may begin leaving your iPod, laptop and road maps at home; the do-it-all device of the future may already be in your pocket.

Get directions

Palm GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition

One great way to navigate with a mobile phone is to prepare driving directions from a computer in advance, then send the directions to your phone to take on the road. We’ll explain the process on a Treo 700p, but it’s similar for
any phone.

On your PC, look up directions on your favorite mapping site, like Google Maps (maps.google.com), Yahoo! Maps (maps.yahoo.com) or MapQuest (mapquest.com). Once you have the plan in front of you, it’s just a matter of sending it to your phone as a URL, text message or email.

Yahoo! Maps and MapQuest both have links to send directions to a phone as a text message. Click the link, enter your email address and phone number, and the Treo will receive a special URL from the Web site. On the Treo, click the link in the text message to download the directions. Choose “Save Page” in the Page menu to store the directions on the phone, in case you need them again in a place without reception. (Go to Page > Bookmarks View to retrieve the saved version.)

Google Maps doesn’t send directions as a text message, but you can manually send the link yourself. From that site, click “Link to this page.” Copy the new URL and email it to your phone, or see “Texting tricks” to learn how to send it as a text message.

Download a map

While it’s easiest to plan your route from a computer, your phone can bail you out if you’re lost. Visit any mapping site through the Blazer browser on the 700p (or other Web browser on a different phone). The formatting and features may not be as complete as on a PC, but you can enter a local cross-street to get back on track.
If you’re using a BlackBerry 8700 (or other supported hand-set), download Google Maps (free, google.com/gmm) directly from the phone. Just like on the PC version, choose between map and satellite views to keep track of landmarks.

Treos-and some other PDA phones-also support third-party mapping packages with GPS units. We like the GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition ($299, palm.com) and the Street Atlas USA with Blue Logger GPS ($149, delorme.com). Both include Bluetooth GPS receivers that are about the size of two stacked mini cassette tapes. The GPS Navigator can load maps and create directions without a PC, while the Street Atlas package works best by planning a route on a PC, then syncing the results to the handheld.

Install a bluetooth headset

BlackBerry 8700

Many people find the bulky shape of PDA phones awkward for talking. Try a wired earpiece and microphone to clarify calls, or add a Bluetooth headset to go wireless, even keeping the phone in a briefcase or pocket during calls.

Bluetooth requires two devices to initially trust each other in order to communicate. This friend-or-foe assessment is called “pairing” when a connection is made. Once paired, the phone will store the headset’s identification details as a trusted device in order to speed up the linking process in the future.

The pairing process is similar for any phone and headset, so we’ll focus on the BlackBerry 8700 and Logitech Mobile Traveler Headset ($79.99, logitech.com). Select Options > Bluetooth on the BlackBerry. If it’s disabled, click once and choose “Enable Bluetooth.” Hold the button on the Bluetooth headset until it rapidly flashes, making the headset available to other Bluetooth devices. Click again on the BlackBerry, then click “Add Device.” Choose the headset from the menu and enter “0000” for the password. (If you’re pairing a different headset, consult its manual if unsuccessful with
this password.)

The two devices will stay linked until you turn off the BlackBerry or headset-or until either runs out of battery power. They may automatically reconnect when both turn back on, but if they don’t, just push the headset button once.

Learn to text

Text messaging is gaining momentum as another way to stay connected. PDA phones emphasize email, regularly checking for new messages by default. But while the phone has to initiate the request for new email, text messages automatically get pushed to the recipient, making them the best way to send a critical short message; it should appear onscreen immediately.

Before sending or receiving lots of text messages, double-check your carrier’s rate. You may have unlimited Internet and email access, but most carriers charge for text messages separately. Sometimes you can get a bulk plan for a certain number of messages per month, like talk minutes, but most carriers charge 5 to 10 cents apiece to send messages without a plan, while incoming messages are usually free.

These messages come in two types: SMS and MMS. Short Message Service is a standard text message, which can be up to 160 characters, including spaces. Multimedia Message Service is for sending pictures, audio or video. The difference between these won’t matter when sending or receiving messages, but you may see them notated separately on your bill; most carriers charge more for MMS messages.

Download TV

Series 2 TiVo

Several carriers have begun selling video downloads through phones. Unfortunately, they often look blurred and choppy, and you’ll have to keep paying for more content. Skip that route and copy TiVo shows to a Treo 700w instead. It’s also possible to copy TiVo shows to a 700p, but the process may be a bit more complex.

A Series 2 TiVo with TiVoToGo (free feature with service plan, tivo.com) lets you watch broadcast shows on a Treo. The TiVo will have to be on a home network that’s connected to a PC; you’ll need the wireless adapter ($59) or Ethernet adapter ($29) if you don’t already have one.

Go to tivo.com/desktop to download the free TiVo Desktop (not the Plus version, which requires a fee). Once installed, this program will find the TiVo on the network and be able to download its shows. Click “Pick Recordings to Transfer” to connect to the TiVo. Check the shows you want to copy over. If you prefer to transfer a show automatically whenever the TiVo records it-as long as the PC and TiVo Desktop are running-click “Auto-Transfer this Series.” Then click “Start Transfer.”

Once the show has been transferred to your PC, insert an SD card into a flash reader and plug that into the computer. Launch Windows Media Player and click the Sync tab, if it’s not selected. From the TiVo Recordings folder (click the button at the bottom of the TiVo Desktop program to find it), drag the shows to the Media Player Sync List. Click
“Start Sync.” The PC will now compress the shows and move them to the card.

When it’s finished, insert the card in the 700w, push the Windows button and select Windows Media. If needed, tap the menu near the top left of the screen to show the storage card. If you don’t see the videos, click the same menu again and choose Storage Card again. (If you still can’t find the video, tap the magnifying glass under the Windows menu to navigate to the storage card.) Tap a video to play it and choose Menu > Full Screen.

If you don’t have a TiVo, use a program like ConvertMovie ($29, movavi.com) to manually prepare home videos and other downloads for play-back. Click the PDA button to choose the WMV Smart Phone preset for the 700w, or click the phone button for playback on the 700p and many other phones.

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zack stern is a freelance writer based in San Francisco. Email Zack at editor@executivetravelmag.com.