Ever since the iPhone found its way into the hands of consumers, people have figured out how to make the most of their devices, coming up with clever methods to access its full potential.
Now, users of all types of smartphones have discovered fun and creative ways to alter, modify and customize their phones to best fit their specific needs.
See also: 9 Excellent Apps For Discovering New Things
However, with technology advancing at such breakneck speed, keeping up with all the increasingly intricate updates and modifications can be difficult. But not to worry — some of the most interesting things you can do with a smartphone are simple tricks that require only a basic knowledge of smartphones.
If you're looking for easy ways to customize your phone without jailbreaking or rooting it, try these hacks and tricks on your mobile device.
One of the oldest — and funniest — smartphone "hacks" is making it seem as though someone were stuck behind the screen. The easiest way to create this image is to have a friend press up against a glass panel in front of a solid background. Have him or her come in as close as possible before snapping the picture.
If you need to edit the photo, you can do so directly on an iPhone, or you can use any number of apps if you have an Android. From there, simply set the image as your lock screen and let the hilarity ensue.
You can also find apps for both iOS and Android that can flip, stretch or otherwise alter images to create additional funny lock screens and backgrounds.
It's easy enough to make custom ringtones, but iPhone users can also customize specific vibrations per user.
For those with iOS 7, it's as simple as modifying a person's contact information. Choose the contact, hit Edit, and scroll down to Ringtone or Text Tone — whichever you'd like to customize. For each of those options, you'll find the Vibration setting. Tap it, and choose from different vibrations or create your own. For older iPhones, the same option is under Accessibility in Settings.
This built-in option is sadly not available for Android, but that doesn't mean it's outside the realm of possibility. Vybe is an app that will create custom vibration for you to assign to contacts.
Image: Flickr, Warren R.M. Stuart
In the wee hours of the morning, it can be difficult to work your smartphone, let alone access it to find the weather. But there's a solution — simply put the weather on your default lock screen. Unfortunately, Apple and Google haven't yet added this function to their operating systems, so you'll need to download an app or widget for it to work.
There are several apps to chose from for the iPhone, but we recommend the free and easy Weather Lock Screen.
For Android, you can set a weather widget on your lock screen that you can access instantly (see number 6 on this list), such as Beautiful Widgets.
For total customization, why not personalize your app icons? It might seem like a difficult feat to pull off, but there are easy ways to stylize your iPhone icons to best suit your aesthetic.
This is another hack that requires special apps, and there is no shortage to choose from, both free and paid. Examples include Iconical, CocoPPa, and App Icons.
These apps allow you to choose from a library of set icons, upload your own images from a computer or camera roll. You can also download iExplorer if you are little more savvy, and you can find a full tutorial here on how to use it to change your icons.
Lest any Android users feel left out, here's a hack just for you. If you want to turn on your computer remotely without paying for a service like the Revolv, there is a way to do so from your smartphone that doesn't require rooting.
By using the Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna, you can set it to turn on your home computer with the tap of a button. Find the full setup here.
The NFC can also perform a number of functions, from sharing information to entering driving mode. Wield it responsibly.
Image: Flickr, Kenneth Close
Widgets are probably the most useful tools in your Android arsenal. They can preserve battery life, run in conjunction with others and relay information faster than it takes you to open an app.
So why not add them to your lock screen to quicken the process even more?
Lock screen modifiers, such as WidgetLocker Lockscreen, are apps that not only allow you to put your favorite widgets, shortcuts and sliders right on the lock screen, but some also allow you to customize the background and layout however you want.
Have you ever found yourself in desperate need of Google, but had no more data left for the month? Forget trying to find free Wi-Fi or paying fees — by texting your inquiry to GOOGL (46645), Google will send you back relevant results within a minutes. You can use this to find local movie listings, restaurants, word definitions and measurement conversions.
This is definitely less of a hack and more of a useful trick, but it comes in handy when you really need to know the definition of "groze" while on the go.
Know of any other fun ways to tinker with your smartphone? Leave suggestions and examples in the comments below.
Image: Flickr, Jon Bounds