Sometimes, it’s the simple things #VZWSM #samp

I have been exploring new ways to use my Galaxy S III this month. Sometimes it ends up being the simplest things that can make life so much easier! So far this month, I discovered three new ways to use my phone for productivity, fun and better communication.

Frustration-free Texting

I am an awful texter. If you have ever received a text from me, you probably had a pretty hard time trying to decipher what I was trying to say. I frequently type away and press send without looking up, only to discover once the text is sent out that it said something like: “What ate yo up toe?” or “Hi lying shift balls?” or even “Getting StarHubs now js :).” Lol, that last one got me an immediate call from the hubby with a “What exactly are you doing?”

Sometimes I’m scared to text because I don’t want to accidentally send something horribly wrong! Then, the other day I discovered that I have several other texting options available to me on the Galaxy S III.

My favorite is the “handwriting” option. I can use my fingertip to just WRITE the words instead of trying to text by tapping little letters on the keyboard! Woot! This works so well for me and my texts have been improving!

The tutorial that I found under Settings > Language and input > Samsung Keyboard > Tutorial was such a big help while I was configuring my text and keyboard preferences. There are four options that you can choose to use while you are typing or texting on the Galaxy S III:

• Handwriting (my favorite)
• clipboard
• keyboard
• voice (default setting)

To use any of these options, you just tap the keyboard icon while you are in typing mode, I love having choices!

Mobile Hotspot

Setting up a Mobile Hotspot on the Galaxy S III is so simple. Three taps and you are ready to connect — Settings > Mobile Hotspot > ON. That’s it! The device you want to connect with should find the portable Wi-Fi hotspot with no problem, just like my Kindle Fire did. Enable Wi-Fi on the device you want to connect with and connect with your  Mobile  Hotspot password for on the go productivity! 

On the fly couponing

Perhaps the simplest tip I discovered this month, was that I shouldn’t forget to use social media and email on the go. While this is nothing new, I did discover an awesome way to not miss out on great promotions when I’m out of the house.

Last week, I was browsing through my Facebook news feed and waiting for an appointment when I noticed Bath & Body Works had a really nice perk on their wall for a FREE bottle of a new body lotion! Ugh, I just knew I was going to miss out on it since the promo was about to expire. When I read the fine print, I saw that I could have the coupon emailed to me, then just show the clerk at Bath & Body Works the coupon on my phone. How cool is that? I mean, you probably already knew about this, but it’s news to me and I am thrilled to have this option! I received my free bottle of lotion and now know to keep my eyes open for future promos like this!

There are a ton of ways my smartphone can help to keep me updated and make life easier! Check out the online workshops to see what tutorials are available for your phone.