Trying To Understand Texting

Cofe · Jul 19, 2011

Texting has been around for awhile now, and I have only found a few instances to use it.

If I were to interrupt someone in a meeting texting is handy.
To send directions or a phone number to someone.

Beyond this I have not found a use for texting. I would rather just call someone to talk with them. And now I see that they have reverse engineered texting....they made a program to convert speech to text....(is technology going backward?)....Why not just pick up the phone and talk...Am I the only one out there that thinks this way? Ahhhh...just needed to rant.

QC · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I can't tell you why it works, but it does. I find uses for text, email and voice. Plus face to face for that matter. They seem to all have their place to me.

scipper77 · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Texting is for when you need to communicate but don't want to have a conversation.

For example, I just scored a free 12 volt tolling motor for my pond hopper from a coworker. My brother in law and I are fishing fanatics but have lives outside of fishing. I'm sure he will be happy the I (we) now have a tolling motor but I don't see a need for either one of us to have a discussion about it so....

I will take a picture of it ant text the pic with a message like "just scored a tolling motor". He will text me back something like "awesome" so know he got the text. The next time he comes over I will do show and tell.

Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1 · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I'll give a couple of examples that work for me

-My wife is upstairs feeding the baby, bottle is empty and needs another 2-oz, baby is still hungry but starting to drift off alittle. I'm on the 1st floor in the office on Iboats.

She sends me a text rather than calling me out loud and wake the baby for the refill. Has done it a couple of times, and hey it works.

-I am a plumber, am upstairs working on a sink. Have my helper go into the basement to turn on/off the water to the house. He texts me he's all set, I do whatever, text him to turn it back on/off if there's a leak.

-Sometimes you have a person that loves to hear themselves talk, if you know what I mean.

Rather than call em and be stuck on the phone for a half hour talking about what they did 20-years ago back in high school, give em a quick text and get one back. Beats a sweaty ear over absolutely nothing.

Raypex · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I find the option to send the same text to multiple people invaluable. I am a contractor and when I need to get one message to several guys, it's easy. Although it occasionally can start a 3 or 4 way conversation with crossed texts and some confusion,but that's rare.

aspeck · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Cofe said:
Texting has been around for awhile now, and I have only found a few instances to use it.

If I were to interrupt someone in a meeting texting is handy.
To send directions or a phone number to someone.

Beyond this I have not found a use for texting. I would rather just call someone to talk with them. And now I see that they have reverse engineered texting....they made a program to convert speech to text....(is technology going backward?)....Why not just pick up the phone and talk...Am I the only one out there that thinks this way? Ahhhh...just needed to rant.

Hey Cofe, my sentiments exactly! It you want me, call me. If it isn't that important, or you don't want the conversation, e-mail me. I get so frustrated when I am in the middle of a conversation with someone and all they are doing is texting. "Umm, excuse me, I am here!" is what I want to scream! The art of conversation is loosing ground FAST, and it is a shame.

Fireman431 · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

With a smartphone, texting can't be beat. If I need directions to meet someone, they can text me the business name. It will come over with the business name and phone number highlighted in blue. Wanna call the business? Touch the blue number. Wanna get there? Touch the blue name. Automatically opens up the yellow pages link and will throw the address into the GPS. Touch the address and there are your driving directions.

Also great for relaying contact info, pics, and instructions ("need milk"). It's the idiots that carry on conversations thru texting that annoy me. That's when you are supposed to call and talk. And the texting while driving? My son is paying the price for someone else's mistake on that one...don't get me started

relocyo · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Fireman431 said:
With a smartphone, texting can't be beat. If I need directions to meet someone, they can text me the business name. It will come over with the business name and phone number highlighted in blue. Wanna call the business? Touch the blue number. Wanna get there? Touch the blue name. Automatically opens up the yellow pages link and will throw the address into the GPS. Touch the address and there are your driving directions.

Also great for relaying contact info, pics, and instructions ("need milk"). It's the idiots that carry on conversations thru texting that annoy me. That's when you are supposed to call and talk. And the texting while driving? My son is paying the price for someone else's mistake on that one...don't get me started

+1 bro... Gotta love the smartphones

matter of fact I do most all of my iboats via my htc evo 4g, reason being I dont jam up bandwidth for the tv to stream full hd, I dont have cable as it is stupidly expensive.... But I also agree, a long drawn out txt marathon is ridiculous... I have seen it kill many a party/get together, everyone staring at their phones in dead silence...

WIMUSKY · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I must be one of the few who doesn't text. In fact, I've never texted. I rarely use my cell phone to begin with and didn't pay the extra for texting. My cell phone bill is $29 every month and I don't come close to my 500 allowed minutes.

relocyo · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

WIMUSKY said:
I must be one of the few who doesn't text. In fact, I've never texted. I rarely use my cell phone to begin with and didn't pay the extra for texting. My cell phone bill is $29 every month and I don't come close to my 500 allowed minutes.

Also a good point, my bill is in the $125 a month range... But in a pinch its priceless... That is if I havent already drained the battery surfing iboats

aspeck · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

WIMUSKY said:
I must be one of the few who doesn't text. In fact, I've never texted. I rarely use my cell phone to begin with and didn't pay the extra for texting. My cell phone bill is $29 every month and I don't come close to my 500 allowed minutes.

I have texted 4 times total in my "cell phone career." Costs me 15 cents per text, so incoming and outgoing texts. I am a cheap skate also!

dockwrecker · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I hate texting. If you want me to have information, then Email me so i can easily save it and pass it on. You want to chat? Then use the stupid thing for what it was originally designed and CALL ME!

scipper77 · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

aspeck said:
I have texted 4 times total in my "cell phone career." Costs me 15 cents per text, so incoming and outgoing texts. I am a cheap skate also!

Before I had a smart phone I did pay as you go texting. Some of my wilder months I would hit the 12 text mark. It just didn't make any sense for me to pay for any extras because even if I payer for each text it was cheaper than a texting package.

dockwrecker said:
I hate texting. If you want me to have information, then Email me so i can easily save it and pass it on. You want to chat? Then use the stupid thing for what it was originally designed and CALL ME!

My smart phone has an app where you can enter random numbers and then talk to another person on the phone. It's called the phone app. A poorly written app if you ask me.

soggy_feet · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

My situation and main thoughts:
1. Cell coverage can be spotty here. Texts get thru, but you'd have to redial if you were to try to hold a voice conversation.
2. I work in a machine shop, I might have a few minutes while a part is running, but if I were to call you for something, you'll most likely hear cooling fans, CNC machines, fork trucks, and who knows what else. You probably won't hear me.

Tim Frank · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

It would be interesting to see if there is any correlation between aversion to texting and age.
I don't understand the attraction...but my daughter(s) send 1000+ texts a month; a number I don't understand, but shrug and drive on.
i prefer other communication methods..especially those that have UIs that fit my hands and fingers...

Heck..."texting" doesn't even pass the spell checker that I have....

wifisher · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

soggy_feet said:
My situation and main thoughts:
1. Cell coverage can be spotty here. Texts get thru, but you'd have to redial if you were to try to hold a voice conversation.
2. I work in a machine shop, I might have a few minutes while a part is running, but if I were to call you for something, you'll most likely hear cooling fans, CNC machines, fork trucks, and who knows what else. You probably won't hear me.

Yep. Easy way to tell somebody what you need to without bothering them. They get the message the next time they check their phone. And they don't have to dial voicemail. Can be sent from either a quiet or noisy location.

I text all the time. It just saves having to answer the phone for a short message. With a full keyboard it is fast and easy.

southkogs · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Wife seems to really like to use texting ... therefore, I now text.

It has it's uses - quick bursts of information that people need seem to work well texting. Conversations can get pretty annoying.

scipper77 · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

southkogs said:
Wife seems to really like to use texting ... therefore, I now text.

It has it's uses - quick bursts of information that people need seem to work well texting. Conversations can get pretty annoying.

Yet we are having this conversation through typing it out.

I work with a guy who is always Texting. I have taken to calling him "lady fingers".

Perlmudder · Jul 19, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Text / BBM is the greatest part of having a smart phone. When it comes to hooking up with girls, trying to meet up with friends in a loud bar, or just trying to make the work day pass faster it is priceless.

marcoalza · Jul 20, 2011

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I don't mind texts as they can be a useful way of quiet communication but what bugs me is the way kids text:

i realy h8 it wen txtN S done lk dis. 2 me it shO ignorance of d en lang n shd B banned.

.......damn it it's too difficult for intelligent people to do.

Trying To Understand Texting

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