I am a pretty heavy user of my Apple iPhone 4's email capability, constantly reading messages as they arrive and sending out responses after tapping madly on the tiny virtual keyboard. It works. My question is whether there's a way for me to see my sent messages on the phone, so I can check prior discussions I might have had with an individual??

I'm baffled! I want to start using Facebook Places when I'm in public venues (having read your article yesterday about Facebook Places and Privacy, thanks for that!) but it can't ever find my location. Is there some secret to getting it to work on my iPhone 4?

My parents are traveling in Africa and I want to be able to quickly see what the time is where they are in Johannesburg, South Africa, before I try to text or call them. I know that the iPhone has a Clock app as part of the built-in software, but how do I add a specific country clock to the list?

My Dad gave me a bluetooth headset that he isn't using, a Nokia BH-700, and I want to pair it with my iPhone 3GS, but I can't figure out how to proceed since the instruction manual has vanished. I have the power adapter, so at least I can charge it, but that's about all I have figured out how to do so far. HELP!?

I'm about to throw my Apple iPhone out the window, Dave, so help me out! I bought an audio book on CD-ROM from the local used bookstore, ripped all the tracks in iTunes, then set the files to "audiobook" format. Sync'd on the iPhone, they show up as audio books, but when I go to play it, the tracks are in shuffle mode, and there's no way to prevent it! How do I fix it??

I downloaded like 5 apps off of iTunes to put on my iPhone. But, when I unplugged my phone from the computer, the games weren't on there!! I don't know what 2 do?? Plz help. Thanks!!

How do I set up another photo album and how would I transfer pictures on my Apple iPhone 3gs to each corresponding albums? Thank you.

Every time you hook up your iPhone to your PC the iTunes app immediately starts by doing a backup of everything that's on the phone. But what is it actually backing up and is there any way to get to the information that's there if you were to lose your phone or if you just want to poke around?

That's the purpose of iBackupBot (formerly known as iPodRobot), a slick little Windows app that makes access the contents of your backups a breeze, whether it's photos, videos, notes, SMS chats or your address book. Some of 'em are already accessible via iTunes, but if you wanted to grab a Note or save a particularly amusing (or incriminating!!) text message, Apple leaves you out to dry....

To set the scene, VOWSoft, Ltd. contacted me and asked if I'd review the application. Since I sync my iPhone on a Mac, not a PC, I had to copy my backup data files across to my Windows 7 system, but I did and it worked great right out of the [virtual] box.

Ever since adhesive companies like 3M came up with high-quality sticker materials, companies have slowly but surely been licensing brands, logos and artwork to help us personalize our laptops, car windows and personal electronics. The first generation were a pain to work with because the stickers were often too sticky: put them on slightly wrong and you were quite literally "stuck" and lifting corners to erase stray bubbles or seams could end up ruining the skin and leave it unstuck on one side.

The latest generation are a huge improvement with their increased thickness and extraordinary vivid color retention. They can be cut into extremely accurate forms and custom fit whatever device you have. With iPhones, they wrap around the back of the phone and include cut-outs for the camera lens and an irregular edge that neatly extends the sticker without covering up any of the controls.

But are they worth it? Should you rush out and drop $15-20 to emblazon your favorite band, artist or comic book hero on the back of your iPhone?

To find out, I was given sample skins from the two main players in this market: GelaSkins and MusicSkins. Both use the exact same 3M film, and both seem to use the same die to cut their stickers to fit the iPhone, so the difference is primarily in the graphic itself. But there's more to it than that, as you'll see...

I've been using the Web-based interface to Google's Gmail service on my iPhone 3GS and am wondering if there's a way to access some of the many folders (well, Google calls them labels, but I think of them as folders) I have set up from within that interface?

My kids have learned how to do screen captures on my iPhone and now whenever they're playing with the phone, they're taking screenshots of what they're doing, be they games, checking my address book or just looking at a map. Cute, but darn annoying when my photo library is overrun with this stuff. Worse, it's tedious as hell to delete them, one by one, on the phone. Without resorting to my computer, is there any way to delete more than one picture or photograph at a time on the Apple iPhone 3GS?

Now that I have a bunch of apps on my new Apple iPhone 3GS, I want to change what's where in the most efficient manner possible: dragging back and forth isn't my idea of fun when there are three screens full of icons! What's the best approach for reordering my apps on the iPhone?

My son and his friends are really into a iPhone program called Foursquare, and whenever they go somewhere, they "check in" so that they can find each other. Neat idea. Is there some way that I can add my own restaurant to the list of places where people can check in so that they'll see we're popular and perhaps check us out?

Okay, this is crazy. My friend and I both have Apple iPhones. We both have Facebook accounts, and we both have the Facebook app for the iPhone. On his, however, if he shakes his phone it gets the latest data from his Live Feed, but on mine, nothing happens when I do that. Is my iPhone 3GS busted, or what??

I've heard I can use my Apple iPhone 3GS as a Kindle without actually buying a Kindle from Amazon. How is this possible and how do I do it?

I've finally gotten my iPhone application published by Apple and it now appears in the iTunes App Store. Super cool. Now, however, I have a few people asking for "promo codes" rather than actually wanting to pay for the app. Since they might offer me some great visibility, I am fine with sending those codes, but don't know how. Help!

Last week I thought I'd lost my Apple iPhone but after a day I found it. Still, I've become a bit paranoid, but having a security code on the phone itself is too annoying. Instead, is there a way for me to remotely set a security code if I do lose the phone again?

When sending mail from Apple iPhone 3GS my copy says from barber This is incorrect. How can I correct this? Thank you! Barbara

I watched the latest Apple announcements and was pretty impressed by the different things that Steve Jobs talked about, but the one that caught my attention was the iPhone Application Genius recommendation service. I'm a bit of an app-aholic, so I like to see what's new, but with tens of thousands in the iTunes app store, well, a recommendation service seems like a great idea. How do I use it?

I don't know if this is even possible, but my girlfriend keeps sending me cute pictures and when I read them on my iPhone I really wish I could save them and use them as wallpaper images. Is that even possible on the iPhone, or do I have to get my computer involved in the process?

What a gaffe! I wanted to get more information about the new TomTom turn-by-turn directions application for the Apple iPhone 3GS and clicked "Buy App" instead of the icon for the app. Next thing I know, I've just paid $99 for this app and it's downloading onto my computer. Not good, not good at all! What can I do?

I just recently downloaded the game "Besieged" for my Apple iPhone but am stumped, unable to get past the last boss. Is there some trick or walkthru or something you can point me to, Dave?

If you've owned an Apple iPhone 3GS, 3G or still have an original iPhone, I don't need to tell you that one of the constant hassles with the phone is battery life. It's better in the newest phone, but everyone who has an iPhone seems to have their own strategy for minimizing battery usage, ranging from "don't use the 3G network" to "disable wifi" to "turn off everything, especially bluetooth".

I leave everything enabled on my phone except Bluetooth and my adaptation strategy has been to have lots of power cords with me: two in my house, one in my car, and one in my computer bag so I can sip at USB power whenever I'm using my computer on the go. It's a hassle, but it's manageable.

Where this breaks down is when you're at a trade show or out for the day, without the chance of getting near a power plug, computer or vehicle. You've seen it at parties, i bet: people making BFF's because they have the ability to quick charge iPhones, huddled by the wall outlet like it's the illicit drug of choice.

It's no surprise that add-on and extension batteries are a popular accessory for Apple iPhones, and six months ago, the major contenders were awkward battery devices with universal plugs that acted like an external gas tank: useful if needed, but clunky as heck.

The newest generation of these devices are sleek and double as iPhone cases, and two of the best are from Tekkeon and Mophie.

Do they work, though, and how do they compare? Read on...

I use Mobile Me with my iPhone now, and am finding that the gallery feature is pretty cool, but it's tedious as heck when I have to upload them one at a time. Isn't there a smarter way to do this on my Apple iPhone 3GS?

I'm a big fan of Apple gear, like you are, and while I've been an iPhone owner for quite a while, I've always been pretty leery about paying for the Mobile Me service. Apparently, though, one of the slick new features is the ability to always find your phone if it's otherwise lost, called "Find My iPhone" or "Find My Phone" or something like that? Coolness. Can you show how it works?