Turn on “airplane mode” and Wi-Fi at the same time

Carol writes: This may be more of a data/application question than a tech question, but here goes: Son is in Japan with his Droid Razr Maxx, trying to navigate around roaming and international charges—ouch!
Can’t get a straight answer from our carrier (Verizon); of course, they want us to sign up for international calling and data.
If he leaves his phone in “airplane mode” during the day—to take pictures, mainly—but turns on Wi-Fi in a free hotspot at night, will he be able to upload photos free of charge to Facebook or email (for example)?
We are using Viber for calling/texting, and Skype for online chatting. I am such a technosaur… :/
Hi Carol! Actually, you don’t sound like a technosaur at all. You already know about overseas data and calling networks (and that “roaming” on them costs a fortune), you’re savvy about “airplane mode” (which switches off all of your smartphone’s antennas and wireless transmitters), and you’ve figured out how to save on SMS and phone charges with free chat apps like Skype and Viber.
Not too shabby, if you ask me.

There’s nothing stopping you from turning Wi-Fi back on after activating “airplane mode.”

Anyway, yes—your son absolutely can upload photos to Facebook over free Wi-Fi hotspots in Japan, or anywhere abroad.
Wi-Fi hotspots have nothing to do with cellular voice or data networks (although some cellular carriers, like AT&T, offer Wi-Fi hotspots that subscribers can use), and as long as your son’s phone is set to “airplane mode,” there’s no chance he’ll run up massive mobile charges by accidentally roaming on a Japanese cellular network.
And here’s a tip: both Android phones (like the Droid Razr Maxx) and iPhones will let you turn on both Wi-Fi and “airplane mode” at the same time, meaning there’s no need to repeatedly switch “airplane mode” off and on to connect to a nearby Wi-Fi hotspot.
Here’s how…

For Android phones:

• Tap Settings, then tap More under the “Wireless & Networks” setting.
• Tap the “Airplane mode” checkbox (when you do, you should see a little airplane icon in the top corner of the screen), then tap Back.
• Flip the switch next to Wi-Fi back on, then make sure you still see the airplane-mode icon at the top of the screen.

You can also turn on both Wi-Fi and “airplane mode” on an iPhone.

(Note: the instructions above may vary depending on the make and model of your Android phone.)

For iPhone:

• Tap Settings, then switch Airplane Mode to “On.”
• Tap Wi-Fi, tap the switch to turn Wi-Fi back on, then connect to any nearby network. Again, you should still see the airplane-mode icon at the top of the screen.

Your “Instant Queue” just turned into “My List” in Netflix

Can’t find your “queue” of saved movies and TV shows on Netflix.com? You’re not the only one. Just the other day, I went nuts trying to find my missing queue on the Netflix website.


Well, turns out that our Netflix queues have quietly morphed into a new feature called “My List,” which is slated to roll out to all Netflix users over the next couple of weeks.
Don’t know what a Netflix “instant queue” is—or was? Well, it’s actually an artifact of Netflix’s old DVD-by-mail service, which only lets you keep a limited number of DVDs (anywhere from one to 8 or so, depending on your subscription plan) at home.

Of course, when it comes to Netflix’s library of on-demand instant videos, you don’t necessarily need an ordered “queue.” A saved “list” of bookmarked, want-to-watch videos seems like a better fit … hence the name change, I’m guessing.

Don’t want your saved My List videos ordered automatically? You can reorder your list manually by changing a single setting.

Anyway, if you visit Netflix.com now, you’ll probably see a new “Your List” row near the top of your page, populated by any movies or TV shows that you’ve previously saved to your old Netflix queue.
Move your mouse over the arrows flanking the “Your List” row to scroll back and forth. You can also add or remove videos from the list by clicking the “Add to/Remove from List” button from a video description page or pop-up.

OK, but what about ordering your queue—er, list? Well, Netflix says it can now sort your list automatically, “presenting you with the titles you’re most likely to want to watch right up front.”
All well and good, but there’s also an option to sort your list manually. Just click the “My Account” link at the top of the page, then click the “Order in My List” link. You can also click the “See All” link next to Your List on the Netflix.com home page, then click the “Change order to:” button.
Also, keep in mind that the Netflix mobile apps still show a row of “Instant Queue” videos, but I’m guessing it’ll turn into My List in a future app update.


Note: Since Netflix appears to be rolling out My List slowly, you may see only some (or even none) of the new My List features in your account quite yet.
Your “Instant Queue” just turned into “My List” in Netflix