Trying To Understand Texting

[kenmyfam]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Text is useful occasionally but if you got something to say then call me !!! One minute phone call compared to much longer typing and reading.
Just my 2 cents though.

 

[Cofe]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

There are some very good replies on this topic. I can now understand the direction the smart phones are taking us.
As was mentioned about using short cut words, I agree that it is difficult to write and understand without getting a brain strain. I guess that it is like trying to understand a different language that has no boundaries on spelling or grammar. I just hope that the new voice to text programs will work well enough to drive out this ?eubonics / valley girl? approach to communication.
As many people have indicated, texting has its place to improve communication as a tool. I also agree that it is annoying when people in the same room with you cannot carry on a conversation because they are rudely involved with texting at length , or playing angry birds or some other application. It seems that there needs to be some rules made on proper / accepted codes of conduct in social settings. Sometimes I can sense that people in a group feel they are being ignored by people ?that are off in another world? entranced to their cell phone.

 

[angus63]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Texting means never searching for a pen and paper to take down a list of items. Texting means my memory can relax because I have the phone number or directions saved. Texting means I can direct people in the field and there is no denying. Texting means I can reach my teens while they are working or at school without getting in trouble. When I need to discuss, I call. When I need to convey info, I text.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I think one significant thing is the civility that runs through this thread.
Nothing heated, just "it's not for me" or " I love it".

Now texting while driving might be a hotter topic....:facepalm:

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Now texting while driving might be a hotter topic....:facepalm:

Man you know how to heat things up!

I don't know about where you guys are but here it's an absolute nightmare.

What chance do we have when I myself have witnessed a Police car being driven with the driver holding 2 phones at the top of the wheel and either texting or copying a number from one to the other !!

 

[scipper77]

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.

Texting shorthand is the result of the infancy of texting devices. If you have ever tried to text with a clam-shell (slang for flip phone) you know exactly why people learned to text like that.

It's funny to me because I liken it to old timers who can't let go of there old ways. In this case it's kids who learned to text like this when phones didn't have keyboards and it stuck.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

What drives me crazy is when people bring their texting acronyms to forums, idk(just recently figured out that one) ....:facepalm:

 

[drrpm]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

My wife and daughters text a lot. Frequently there will be multiple texts back and forth to the same person and I ask if it wouldn't be easier just to call and talk to them. Generally they ignore me. I don't text, though I guess there are some instances where its useful. I also rarely turn my cell phone on unless I'm making a call or expecting one. It's amazing how many people leave their driveways already on the cell phone. It wasn't that long ago that we were able to survive quite well without being in constant contact.

 

[skargo]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I text 800-1000 times a month easily. 95% or more are related to my business. That and my smart phone as a whole makes running my business profitably much easier! A few years ago, before I started my business, I was a text/smart phone hater. You have to be flexible, and adaptable in these technological times!

 

[Cofe]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I have just did a search for braille cell phone and was surprised that they make such a thing. Now that would be a good tool especially for the vision/hearing impaired.
LOL.....Makes me wonder how long it will be before they make a lip reading application for cell phone video for the hearing impared?.......oops....guess they already have that, "Texting".....

 

[ezbtr]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

works great at my job on the piers by the ship cranes, almost zero cell coverage while on top, inside cranes. Also my 12 yr old son likes it

 

[solmate]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

What chance do we have when I myself have witnessed a Police car being driven with the driver holding 2 phones at the top of the wheel and either texting or copying a number from one to the other !!

While hauling my boat to the lake on saturday, saw an Oklahoma Highway Patrol driving 70ish mph with an Ipad hanging on his steering wheel...... Wow, I feel safe

 

[DJ]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I watched a teenage girl plow into the back of a stopped car last week-texting.

She was right beside me. Nothing I could do but stay out of the way. It was scary to see a wreck about to happen.

Yes, I stuck around to tell the Police Officer what she was doing when she hit the car. When I left, the P.O. was reading her the OH SO expensive ticket she was getting.

Nobody was really hurt-Thank God. However, I'm sure the person that was hit will have a field day in court.

There is a time and place for it. It is useful. However, driving is NOT the time to text. It is too distracting.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I need to comment on the speech to text feature.
I have a suction cup windsheild mount that charges my phone, and is great for using the GPS function on my droid X.
While driving I see my emails pop up..I tap the screen..when SAFE I scan the email, tap the reply icon and hit the microphone.
Say what I want to type for a responce, then hit send.
For a guy that used to have a pager 25 years ago, it's a loooong way from then!

 

[DJ]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

My Ford "Sync" does that through the onboard system.

10:00 and 2:00.

 

[JB]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

I watched a video clip last night.

Pedestrian was absorbed in texting as he started into a crosswalk (he had right of way).

Driver approached the crosswalk, against a red light, while texting!!.

Neither saw the other. Ped was knocked into the air and came down on the hood of the car. Apparently only minor injuries. Transported to medical facility.

LEO trying to interview the driver (who was still texting) lost his temper and snatched the device from the her hand and threw it about 100yards.

An extreme example of people withdrawing from the here and now to play with the latest toy.

 

[mnypitboat]

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!

But isnt email essentially the same thing? The obvious advantage in that situation, is that, being like email, however you do not have to stop and check your email. I can send the same information in a text that gets to you immediately, whereas I have to wait til you check your email otherwise.

Prime example today. I am in a room working on a computer upgrade. The instructions state to load a certain software version. Well this unit already had that version. I tried to call but had no signal. I sent an email, but did not get a response til just now and it said to reload software no matter what. So I essentially wasted most of the day because I couldnt use texting in this instance. Had the person I was trying to reach had texting, I would have been out of here by 1pm, now it looks like I will be here til 10pm and then have to drive home 3 hours. So texting would have been a huge time saver today and I would be sitting in my pool drinking a cold one instead of sitting in a steril room waiting on software to load.

The other great thing about texting is the ease of creating a shopping list that a man can follow. My wife sends me pictures of the items I am supposed to pick up so I dont accidently buy the wrong type of cheese.

If its a quick note, and I really do not have time to talk, texting is great too. Most times I am in a crowded area, or a noisy area and cant hear the phone, but can easily send a text and get it to someone.

Texting is not for conversations for me. If I want to have a conversation, I will call. If I want to send a quick note, I will text. If I have called and cannot get ahold of someone, I will send a text that says "call me".

A replacement for a phonecall? Not really. But texting does have its place, just like email and faxes and smoke signals.

 

[QC]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

The other great thing about texting is the ease of creating a shopping list that a man can follow. My wife sends me pictures of the items I am supposed to pick up so I dont accidently buy the wrong type of cheese.

TOTALLY AGREE. I don't know about the rest of you, but I get the "Hon, can you run to the store for me?" all the time . . . Then she says "I need a tomato", and as I head for the door "Oh, and paper towels", and then "the kids drank all the milk". So then I'd walk back in and have her write me out a list. Now, with txtng, I run out the door and yell back "Text me a list", and I have it before I get to the store. I love it!

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Another point about calls and voicemails, I don't leave voicemail anymore. Mainly, because whether you're calling a cellphone, or a digital home phone, it tells you you've missed a call. Because of that, nobody I know bothers listening to the voicemail, they just call whoever it was they missed, and find out what they wanted.

 

[Cofe]

Re: Trying To Understand Texting

Was talking to a guy today who said he used texting while deer hunting in tree stands last year. He said he could keep track of the other hunters, and find out where the game were moving. Said that he downloaded a bird song to use for his texting ring tone.
"I thought to myself that it didn't sound like deer hunting to me, but this is a new age."