How to access the secret test menu on a Samsung Galaxy S2

One of the very strangest hidden secrets in todays phones are the "secret codes". Whilst Im not going to give you a list of all the secret codes that have an effect on the Samsung Galaxy S2 I will give you a heads up about one of the safest codes, the "Test Code". To start this you need to go into the "Phone" application and simply type:
*#0*#

As soon as you type this code your screen will change and will look like the image to the right. This screen allows you to test a number of simple things and Ive just picked a handful to look at.
This screen is the dimming test, its meant to show red, green and blue stripes going from light to dark, basically dimming the colour from the respective section. Whilst not too amazing its a very simple to understand test that everyone can see.

Sadly they arent all that simple and if you click on the sensor option you are met by this beastly looking screen (picture on the right) full of long words and long numbers. Im not going to pretend to understand much thats going on here but a few things are very interesting. Firstly the phone measures its relative flatness, (the job of the accelerometer) secondly if you put your finger over the proximity sensor (near the front camera) the screen will turn green and vibrate.

Though th e oddest thing about the Sensor test function is the "IMAGE TEST". I wish I was making this up but clicking on the image test on my phone brought up the picture of a chihuahua, or to us less animal loving people, a dog, that can be seen in the screen shot to the left. Quite why wed find a dog like this in the Sensor test has baffled me but it may well be the weirdest secret you will find on a Samsung Galaxy S2.

When you are done testing things, or feel "stuck" as you can do with the "Touch" test, press home to return to the home screen. There doesnt seem to be any possibility of damaging your phone by playing with these small in built tests, though the dog picture may unnerve you for a little while.