What is Texting?

OK, I'm an old fart. The only cell phone I ever owned was just a
plain phone about 10 years ago, and I got the thing to use from my
employer I had at the time. It was handy for the job, but I never saw
a need to own one. I retired shortly after that, and have not used
one since.

I know that the cell phones these days have internet access, email,
built in games, cameras, flashlights, and all sorts of other gizmos.
I probably wouldn't even know how to turn one of them on, and if I
did, I'd only use the phone. amd maybe the camera and flashlight.

Anyhow, I keep seeing commercials about texting, and I know this is a
popular thing for young kids to do. But what is it? Isn't that the
same thing as email? I still dont understand how anyone can type on
those tiny keys. Heck, I find most calculators too small. I just
wanted to ask because they keep mentioning this on a commercial. The
part I dont understand is why dont they just make a voice call and
leave a message. I know the phones have built in answering services,
after calling a few of them. So why even bother to struggle to type
something on that tiny keyboard when it seems it would be easier to
just call and tell the person "I just bought a candy bar", or whatever
they tell each other.

I guess I am just getting to old to understand all this stuff, or
maybe I just dont see why I'd want or need it. It's just like I enjoy
going on the web once and awhile, but I surely could not enjoy it on a
one inch phone screen. Heck, I cant even read my 17" monitor these
days without reading glasses.

Gary

garyroland@unlisted.com schrieb:
> [...] So why even bother to struggle to type
> something on that tiny keyboard when it seems it would be easier to
> just call and tell the person "I just bought a candy bar", or whatever
> they tell each other. [...]

Texting is so much less intrusive. You send a message, the receiver gets
a short beep and he can read the message whenever there is time. It is
also faster and more effective.

You just cannot call someone, say "hey I just bought a candy bar" and
hang up. It's more like dialling the number, waiting a minute for the
other party to pick up and then the dialog is more like "hey, it's me,
how are you...yes I'm on the bus (other passengers starting to look
angry) just wanted to tell you I just bought a candy bar...yeah my
dentist sais that too....yeah, the kids are fine...blah...blah". Takes
at least five minutes, so texting is always faster.

Andreas

garyroland@unlisted.com wrote in
news:rkgnl39bo6jrfthtvgdnk5prdaq472t3aq@4ax.com:

> But what is it? Isn't that the
> same thing as email?

It's a way for SELLphone companies to SELL the most expensive
data interconnection on the planet. Verizon gets
$810,811/Gigabyte for text messages! Kids think it's cute
because they can text each other nasty messages without the
teacher finding out....you know, like those nasty messages you
used to pass to Margaret in English class on a tiny piece of
paper for free trying to get in her pants after school behind the
bleachers...(c;

Kids have now been sold on the idea of passing notes
electronically at great expense over the SELLphone system.

As to your new phone, nothing could be simpler to operate....once
you take the time to put your contacts in the phone's memory.

Press ONE button, the phone says, "Say A Command". You say,
"Call Home", and the phone calls home. When home hangs up, the
phone hangs itself up. Can it be any simpler??

Or you can just say, "Call 212-293-3345" and the phone calls that
number.....

If you get a Bluetooth headset, you don't even have to take the
phone out of your purse or pocket or glovecompartment! Bluetooth
has a range of 30 ft. The tiny phone never has to be held to
your ear at all.

My bluetooth headset is in stereo because my phone is also my
music player. This is nice because the phone controls are on the
headset along with the player controls. When I make or take a
call, the music pauses until I'm done, then resumes
automatically. Bob Dylan waits for me!...(c;

You're in for a pleasant surprise when you take those black
glasses off and shed the negative attitude......

Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v

<garyroland@unlisted.com> wrote in message
news:rkgnl39bo6jrfthtvgdnk5prdaq472t3aq@4ax.com...
> OK, I'm an old fart. The only cell phone I ever owned was just a
> plain phone about 10 years ago, and I got the thing to use from my
> employer I had at the time. It was handy for the job, but I never saw
> a need to own one. I retired shortly after that, and have not used
> one since.

Gary,
Since almost all cell phones these days are digital devices they have a lot
of features and functions that the old analog bricks never had. One of these
is the ability to send and receive short text messages (about 150
characters) sort of like a telegram. The kids love this and it is popular in
much of the world where it costs much less to send a text than to talk. In
the USA most plans' voice minutes are so cheap that it costs less to make a
one minute call than to send a text message.

There are a few times when it's important for us old geezers to know how to
use text messages:
1. Emergencies. When the cellular system gets hit really hard, like after
Hurricane Katrina, people have found it almost impossible to get a voice
call through the system. However, text messages take much less bandwidth and
travel the same route as the control and billing messages. For this reason
text works when voice won't. If you need to get a message through in tough
circumstances, text is the way.
2. In high cost roaming. If you ever go on a cruise ship you'll probably
find your cell phone works on the ship at sea. This is because the ship has
a small cellular system linked via satellite to shore. The trick is it may
cost you $5/min to make or receive a call. Sending a text onboard may cost
around 35c. On a cruise ship I send all my calls to voicemail and leave a
greeting telling callers to text me.
3. When you want to contact someone who doesn't answer the phone. Some
people leave their phones off, keep strange hours, don't have or check
voicemail, etc. If you send these folks a text message it waits until they
turn their phones on and informs them they have a message to read.

Here's a link to wikipedia's page on the Short Message Service:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_message_service

--
Donald R. Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

garyroland@unlisted.com wrote:
> OK, I'm an old fart. The only cell phone I ever owned was just a
> plain phone about 10 years ago, and I got the thing to use from my
> employer I had at the time. It was handy for the job, but I never saw
> a need to own one. I retired shortly after that, and have not used
> one since.
>
> I know that the cell phones these days have internet access, email,
> built in games, cameras, flashlights, and all sorts of other gizmos.
> I probably wouldn't even know how to turn one of them on, and if I
> did, I'd only use the phone. amd maybe the camera and flashlight.
>
> Anyhow, I keep seeing commercials about texting, and I know this is a
> popular thing for young kids to do. But what is it? Isn't that the
> same thing as email? I still dont understand how anyone can type on
> those tiny keys. Heck, I find most calculators too small. I just
> wanted to ask because they keep mentioning this on a commercial. The
> part I dont understand is why dont they just make a voice call and
> leave a message. I know the phones have built in answering services,
> after calling a few of them. So why even bother to struggle to type
> something on that tiny keyboard when it seems it would be easier to
> just call and tell the person "I just bought a candy bar", or whatever
> they tell each other.
>
> I guess I am just getting to old to understand all this stuff, or
> maybe I just dont see why I'd want or need it. It's just like I enjoy
> going on the web once and awhile, but I surely could not enjoy it on a
> one inch phone screen. Heck, I cant even read my 17" monitor these
> days without reading glasses.
>
> Gary
The main reason I use texting is because I am in an area that I cannot
talk (as to not bother others, such as at a movie, on a bus, library,
ect), or if I am too busy to get into a direct conversation (such as
when I am doing my homework.

Plus, unlimited texting plans can be bought for $5-$15 (depending on
your carrier), while there is no really "unlimited" calling plans (there
might be unlimited calling to anyone on the same carrier (at&t, verizon,
ect) as you, but for outside your carrier, there is no unlimited)