Tips and Tricks for iOS 4.1

Easy SMS searching

A new feature in the iOS 4.1 now allows you to search your text messages right through a search box at the top of the message list. All you need to do is enter the search string contained in the message you are looking for.

Keep a tab on SMS/MMS Character Count

Image courtesy: [@iMuggle]

Unlike the previous version, you can now view the character count in your SMS or MMS before you send it. Go to Settings > Messages, turn ON Character Count. Now as you type the message, the character count will pop up as soon as you exceed 30 characters. Please note that this will not limit your messages to 160 characters, but simply split the message into multiple messages, depending on your carrier.
Passcodes are more secure

Let's face it; an alphanumeric passcode is several times more secure than just a numeric passcode. You are now allowed to create such an alphanumeric passcode and this can be enabled by going to Settings > Passcode Lock, where you can turn OFF Simple Passcode. You can then click Turn Passcode On to set your more secure alphanumeric passcode.

Turn Cellular Data Off

For those not on an unlimited data plan, there is a way to save money. Just go to Settings > General > Network and turn OFF cellular data. 

Time by Voice Command

You can now make the iPhone speak the time at your voice command. All you need to do is to press and hold down the home button on your iPhone or press the center button on your headset and ask "What time is it?" The iPhone will answer and tell you the time in a female robotic voice.
Create a real playlist

While you could create On-the-Go playlists until now, the end result was a lame playlist when you synced your iPhone to iTunes. But this has been addressed in IOS 4. You can now create proper playlists with real names that don't get lost even on syncing with iTunes.
Change keyboard layout

In case you do not like the default QWERTY keyboard layout, you can change it. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > International Keyboards > English and try out any alternative layout or a hardware keyboard connected to your iPhone.
Lock the Screen Orientation

The iPhone's accelerometer has an uncanny habit of kicking in when you don't want it to, such as while watching a video lying down. Well, iOS 4 has made life easier for you because you can now lock the screen orientation with ease. Just double-tap the home button to bring up the multitask drawer, swipe to the right to reveal the orientation lock icon situated on the extreme left and tap on it to lock the screen orientation (portrait mode for videos).
Choose a Search Engine

Not everyone likes to use Google to search the web, and if you are one of those, you can now change the search engine and use Yahoo! or Bing instead. To do this, go to Settings > Safari > Search Engine and choose the search engine you prefer.
Search The Web and Wikipedia from the Spotlight Screen

Now you do not just have a choice of search engines, you can even choose whether or not to use Safari to search. You can go to the spotlight screen and type anything you want to search and you will be given options to choose The Web or Wikipedia. Only after this will Mobile Safari launch and your search results will be displayed.

New Spell Checker

Now you will not go wrong with spellings in your tweets and messages. There is a new spell checker in iOS 4, which marks a word with a red scribble line under it whenever it is misspelt.

To view various options for the correct spelling, just tap once on the misspelt word and you will get all the possible options for the correct spelling from which you can tap and choose the correct one.

If the misspelt word is indeed what you meant to type, then simply click on the input word and you will see that the word with the wrong spelling is offered for use. This word is now stored in the dictionary for future reference and use.
Zoom Digitally

The iPhone's camera app now supports up to 5x digital zoom, which can be enabled by tapping once on the screen. When you see the zoom slider at the bottom, slide towards the plus sign to zoom in and toward the minus sign to zoom out. As is usual with digital zoom, you will see some jaggies and noise at full zoom.

Focus While Video Shooting

While it was possible earlier to tap to focus before taking a still image, now you can tap to focus even while shooting video.
Save battery by putting your iPod to sleep

If you have the habit of listening to music while you go to sleep, chances are that you usually wake up with an iPod with depleted battery in the morning. But now there is a way to get around this. Launch the Clock application, select timer function and set the amount of time you would like to listen to music before the device goes to sleep. Now tap on "When Timer Ends" and select "Sleep iPod". Your iPod will automatically go to sleep after the timer ends.
Open Safari link in a new page

You can now touch and hold on a link in Safari, and you will be presented with options to open the page, open it in a new page or copy the link.
Zoom and fit an image in Safari onto your screen

If you double tap on an image inside a webpage opened in Safari that is not linked to any URL, it fits to the screen automatically. Double tap again to return it to normal.