Cheat Codes for Everyday Life, and How to Use Them

Too bad hitting Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start won't get you 30 extra real lives. But cheat codes do exist in the everyday world. Here's how to use a few of them.

Order unlisted items at fast-food restaurants.

In-N-Out Burger
The so-called inventor of the "secret menu," this West Coast burger chain has dozens of off-menu items. Some favorites:
The Flying Dutchman // Two beef patties, two cheese slices, no bun
The Neapolitan // A three- layer milk shake
Animal-Style Fries // Topped with cheese, grilled onions, special sauce
Jamba Juice
Hush-hush, less-healthy flavors:
White Gummi Bear // Sour Patch Kid // Red Gummi Bear // Fruity Pebbles // Strawberry Shortcake
Starbucks
Red Eye // Drip coffee with a shot of espresso
Black Eye // Drip coffee with two shots of espresso
Chipotle
This "gourmet" burrito joint will make anything it has the ingredients for, including quesadillas!

Google in "alternate" languages.

Klingon google.com/intl/xx-klingon/
Elmer Fudd google.com/intl/xx-elmer/
Pig Latin google.com/intl/xx-piglatin/

Send calls straight to a recipient's voicemail. (Even when the phone* is on.)

Call 267-SLY-DIAL (267-759-3425)
Enter recipient's phone number. Leave a message explaining that it's just not working out.

*Works only on cell phones

Teach your iPhone to swear.

1. Add your favorite four-letter words to your contacts list, a source for the predictive text database.
2. Get on with your ducking life.

Master the in-line multifunction button on your iPhone earbuds.

Press once to answer a call // Press twice to send the call to voicemail // Press once to hang up
Call-Waiting
Press once to hold the current call and switch to new call.
Hold for 2 seconds and release to ignore the new call.
When listening to music
Press once to play or pause a song.
Double-click to skip to the next song.
Tripple-click to return to the previous song.

Enable the 30-second commercial skip on your TiVO.

On your remote, press: Select, Play, Select, 3, 0, Select

Text faster.

BlackBerry
Double-click the space bar to drop a period followed by a space.
iPhone only
Save yourself a tap. Hit the .?123 button, but drag your finger to the mark you need, then release.

Enable half-star ratings in iTunes.

On a Mac
With iTunes closed, open Terminal (in the utilities folder). Type: defaults write com.apple.iTunes allow-half-stars-bool TRUE. Press Return. Close Terminal.
On a PC
With iTunes closed, open the file called iTunesPrefs.xml using Notepad or Wordpad. Locate this code:
<key>User Preferences</key><dict> Below that line, type: <key>allow-half-stars</key> <data>dHJ1ZQ==</data>
Save the file. Restart iTunes and give Ricky Martin the half star he deserves.