• WHAT: Quick ways to get info about an inbound call
  
• WHY: Even if the caller ID isn't blocked, you may not know where the call came from
• COST: Zero (text messaging rates may apply)

If I get a phone call from someone whose number doesn't match an entry in my Address Book it simply shows the number of the caller and, in most cases, I send it to voicemail.  When it's time to return the call, though, I often don't know where the caller is located.  Now, while it's true that with a cell phone the area code doesn't always indicate the number's location, in most cases it still does so I like to use th earea code to determine whether I can still call or if it's too early or too late to be considered normal business hours.  How do you get that information easily and quickly, though? 

I most cases the caller ID, or the message, will give you that information, but for the times that it doesn't there are a couple of quick, cheap tricks you can use to get the location of an area code.  If you're near a computer it's pretty easy to do, of course, by accessing one of the many sites that contains telephone and area code info.  Alternatively, you can just Google "area code 818" in the search line and it will return the answer (in that case, the suburbs of L.A. where I live).  But what if you're not at a computer and just have your cell phone?

For anyone that's got an iPhone the answer is pretty simple.  In the "Recent Calls" area of the phone section, look up the call you want the information about and tap the arrow to the right of the call.  This will take you to another screen that shows you the location of the area code - which can be remarkably accurate or very broad.  In some cases I've had it say "PA, USA" or "KS, USA," indicating just the state that the call comes from.  In other cases I've had it narrowed down to the actual city that the call comes from - if it's a cell phone the carrier might be relaying the cell site ID information which is then translated by the phone carriers into a city.  I recently received a call from area code 209, for example, which is listed in the online tables as "Modesto, CA".  When it showed up in the iPhone's Recent Call directory, however, it was listed as "Merced, CA," a city nearby Modesto, but not Modesto. 

That's great for the few of us that have iPhones but what about the rest of us?  Well, we can still use Google's search mechanism via a simple text message.  Just text "area code 209" to 46645 (GOOGL) and within a few seconds you'll have the identical answer that you would have received using Google's search box online.  It's a simple way to get the info without calling someone in your office, or the operator, to find out just where that area code originates.