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Text messaging being replaced?
12-03-2012, 11:13 AM
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#1
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2006
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Text messaging being replaced?
I don't use text messaging. I'd like to find a way to send a message to DS's phone but our cell phones (clamshell Tracphones, good for voice and cheap) are very awkward to use for this.
Anyway, now I read that the text messaging business (a scam IMO) is declining : At 20, the text message is over the hill - MarketWatch
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12-03-2012, 11:21 AM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
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I don't even have text messaging turned on, on my iPhone. I have never sent one and I still don't really understand why anyone would want to. My daughter tried to explain it to me, but I just don't get it.
I am hoping that, with any luck, text messaging will become obsolete before I have to learn how to do it.
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12-03-2012, 11:25 AM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Texting certainly hasn't declined, it's increasing by leaps and bounds, it's just moved to other platforms - as the article (clumsily) mentions. What you're calling text is SMS and it was the only game in town 10-20 years ago. Now there's Twitter, FaceBook, iMessage, Google Voice, Skype, and all sorts of other alternatives, better in some ways. IOW, everyone just has lots of ways to "text" these days, not just SMS.
IMO texting, Twitter, etc. are all useful. If I need to have a conversation with someone, but not urgent, email is good. If I need to have a conversation with someone right away, a phone call. If I just want DW to stop at the ATM on the way home, I can text her - at 1/4th the cost of phone minutes. And if I want to see what's new with all my favorites (more websites than "friends"), Twitter is ideal. ie, I can see what's new at 40 online magazines in a minute or two (and read the articles that appeal to me), instead of looking at 40 sites individually - just one useful purpose.
A scam? Late adopters are hilarious ('get off my lawn...')
I remember my (now 90 yo) Dad telling me the internet was useless. He acted like he invented it a few years later...
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Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
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12-03-2012, 12:17 PM
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#4
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Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: N. Yorkshire
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I don't do a lot of texting, but I find it very useful at times. This morning when I turned my phone off after we got out from the gym I got a message from SIL, texting from the hospital saying that their DD was about to undergo a kidney transplant and they would be on-line for a Skype session at 11am our time. (they live in England). They don't have smartphones or iPads so don't do e-mail away from a PC.
Totally unexpected as she had been on dialysis for months and only on the donor list for 5 weeks
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12-03-2012, 12:24 PM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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It's useful if you are somewhere where you need to talk to someone now, like you would in a phone call, but you are in a situation where you should not be talking (or where it would seem rude to do so).
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12-03-2012, 12:31 PM
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#6
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yeah for instance you're in a noisy public locale.
Or you don't want to have a long conversation. Or you want like an address or another number to exchange. Better to have that info conveyed visually than by voice.
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12-03-2012, 12:42 PM
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#7
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Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by explanade
yeah for instance you're in a noisy public locale.
Or you don't want to have a long conversation. Or you want like an address or another number to exchange. Better to have that info conveyed visually than by voice.
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Exactly. I was/still am expecting a text today from the friend I play tennis with at 7am on Tuesday's. It is usually "CU at 7?" to which I reply "K" (or vice-versa)
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Retired in Jan, 2010 at 55, moved to England in May 2016
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12-03-2012, 12:54 PM
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: San Diego
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ziggy29
It's useful if you are somewhere where you need to talk to someone now, like you would in a phone call, but you are in a situation where you should not be talking (or where it would seem rude to do so).
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Our nephew is a gaffer (lighting for tv/film). Can't really talk on the phone at work - but can absolutely text. It's the only way we stay in touch.
I find it very useful for coordinating meet up spots when in a group that's split up. Example: this weekend I took the team I coach in F.I.R.S.T. Robotics to the championship at Legoland. Team members and parents wanted to go enjoy the park - but we possibly were going to be called back. I made sure I had parents cell #'s and texted when the callback list was announced. That way they could be riding rides, rather than everyone waiting for 90 minutes for this list. I do the same when my sister and I take my sons to disneyland - we can split up - and text when we're off a ride... this way the kids can be standing in different lines, and we have a way to sync back up. Talking doesn't work in this noisy/chaotic environment.
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12-03-2012, 01:13 PM
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#9
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
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I LOVE texting. It is so much easier to contact folks when you can't talk on the phone, or more commonly, don't want to talk on the phone.
I use other forms of digital comm like they say, but must confess that I read more tweets than I send.
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12-03-2012, 01:34 PM
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#10
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 968
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lsbcal
I don't use text messaging. I'd like to find a way to send a message to DS's phone but our cell phones (clamshell Tracphones, good for voice and cheap) are very awkward to use for this.
Anyway, now I read that the text messaging business (a scam IMO) is declining : At 20, the text message is over the hill - MarketWatch
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You might consider signing up for Google Voice. It is free and we love it. You can text and receive texts, and when we travel, we forward calls to our Google number. Our cell phones then ring (if we set it up that way) but best of all, we get an email or text of any voice mails left. Also get a phone number of any missed call, and set SPAM numbers to be ignored.
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12-03-2012, 01:55 PM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern IL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lsbcal
I don't use text messaging. I'd like to find a way to send a message to DS's phone but our cell phones (clamshell Tracphones, good for voice and cheap) are very awkward to use for this.
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If you are at your computer, you can text them via email.
The email address is their 10 digit #, followed by the carrier's email domain.
Two examples:
3125551212@vtext.com
3125551212@tmomail.net
You need to know their carrier, then find the carrier's email domain.
-ERD50
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12-03-2012, 02:05 PM
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#12
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W2R
I don't even have text messaging turned on, on my iPhone. I have never sent one and I still don't really understand why anyone would want to. My daughter tried to explain it to me, but I just don't get it.
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Do you use email? Texting is basically the same, but can be faster and far more convenient on a phone. As other's have said, silent communication is essential in some circumstances.
I text only rarely, but I certainly 'get it' - it has all sorts of advantages for some people.
-ERD50
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12-03-2012, 02:42 PM
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#13
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Where it's a ripoff is the phone companies charging by the text and it costs them even less than a voice call.
But the popularity gives them leverage to try to fleece you.
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12-03-2012, 03:01 PM
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#14
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by explanade
Where it's a ripoff is the phone companies charging by the text and it costs them even less than a voice call.
But the popularity gives them leverage to try to fleece you.
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Not so much popularity (demand will drive up prices - that isn't 'fleecing' anyone), but the lack of competition. Too few carriers.
That 140 Byte text message (plus some overhead) is a tiny fraction of a single second of speech equivalent. Yet, they charge about the same for a text as for an entire minute of speech. And, it doesn't even need to be delivered with the same time constraints - they can buffer up hundreds/thousands of texts for several seconds, and send them as bandwidth opens. But that would make speech choppy and unintelligible. Texters are being overcharged by factors of thousands, only companies with monopoly-type powers can get away with that on such a large scale.
-ERD50
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12-03-2012, 03:25 PM
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#15
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 331
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I use Google Voice as my main phone number (I ported it to GV last year) and as long as they don't start charging I will never go back. If someone calls and I don't pick up on one of my forwarding numbers they leave a voicemail it transcribes it (pretty well if they speak fairly clearly) and emails and texts it to me so I can get it instantly anywhere in the world.
When in the USA I often use skype to send text messages overseas. It is SO much cheaper than a phone call to an international cell phone normally. I can often say what I need to say in 4 text messages for 39 cents where the same phone call might end up costing me $3.00 or more, sometimes much more if they decide to talk...
I hardly ever actually pick up the phone and call anyone anymore and unless I am expecting something really important will rarely answer my phone. I figure they might want to talk too long so I let them leave a message and I will read it in a few seconds when GV transcribes it. If it is an emergency (never happened yet) I can call them back, otherwise, I will respond to them via text or email.
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12-03-2012, 05:32 PM
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#16
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast, hi there!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midpack
...(snip)...
A scam? Late adopters are hilarious ('get off my lawn...')
I remember my (now 90 yo) Dad telling me the internet was useless. He acted like he invented it a few years later...
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By scam I meant the cost/text is not in keeping with normal pricing. Note I'm not against this or most other technologies. I'm a pretty heavy tech user and worked in the industry for many years. I think you misunderstood my intention here and maybe I wasn't clear.
If you have the right phone and like to thumb it, I can see at least occasional use of texting to get the job done.
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12-03-2012, 05:40 PM
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#17
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast, hi there!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERD50
If you are at your computer, you can text them via email.
The email address is their 10 digit #, followed by the carrier's email domain.
Two examples:
3125551212@vtext.com
3125551212@tmomail.net
You need to know their carrier, then find the carrier's email domain.
-ERD50
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DS has Page Plus I think. Apparently vtext.com is supposed to work with them. So I'll try that.
Thanks!
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12-03-2012, 06:01 PM
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#18
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Location: NC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lsbcal
By scam I meant the cost/text is not in keeping with normal pricing. Note I'm not against this or most other technologies. I'm a pretty heavy tech user and worked in the industry for many years. I think you misunderstood my intention here and maybe I wasn't clear.
If you have the right phone and like to thumb it, I can see at least occasional use of texting to get the job done.
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Sorry, I laid it on a little thick, but texting isn't going away.
And I note the 'ripoff' statements above and I don't dispute that, when DW had an AT&T phone they charged her similarly. However, we have Net10 for now, and texts are 0.25 minutes with them (and presumably Tracfone and Straight Talk too). That seems fair to me, so we text vs call when we can. FWIW...
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
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12-03-2012, 06:15 PM
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#19
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast, hi there!
Posts: 8,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bizlady
You might consider signing up for Google Voice. It is free and we love it. You can text and receive texts, and when we travel, we forward calls to our Google number. Our cell phones then ring (if we set it up that way) but best of all, we get an email or text of any voice mails left. Also get a phone number of any missed call, and set SPAM numbers to be ignored.
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I'll have to check this out. Not sure I understand the pluses and minuses. Thanks.
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12-03-2012, 07:21 PM
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#20
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Peru
Posts: 6,335
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I think I must be living in a cave... From being the community Guru, I've become the local Doo Doo. A little slow... Just found out that my cell phone has a stopwatch, note pad, three games, an MP3 player, FM radio, calculator, a flashlight that it calls 'lantern' as well a something called templates and a choice of predictive texting... along with the camera, an internet browser, blueteeth, speakerphone, and voice notes, and an appointment calendar, earphone micorphone, charger and alarmclock. Not bad for $10..
Now, what's this bit about texting?
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