text messaging - the pastime of morons: A QUESTION

[TMurphy]

I got my first cell phone in college, and have ALWAYS paid for it myself. Because of that I:

Don't use mobile internet, ever.
Don't download ringtones, ever.
Don't subscribe to any games or services that cost extra.

I DO, however, pay about $6 a month for text messaging. I only started doing this when the cost of the messages I RECIEVED from friends exceeded the cost of the plan, so I broke down and paid for it--it was cheaper.

I felt the same way you do about text messaging--it's an utter waste of time. However, since I started paying for it (and using it), I have found it to be a useful tool for communicating simple messages, or asking simple yes or no questions. And, yes, sometimes it is faster than a phone call.

[windshieldbug]

"blOk: help! we nEd wormz!"

[Rick F]

Was it a Nokia?

[dmmorris]

I had a similar prob' with my son. He's on our "family Plan", we (my wife & I), pay the $10 for his basic phone service, but then he started text messages which were soon out of control. Then we signed the kids up for unlimited texting for a mere $30 per month with the understanding that they would pony-up the $30 themselves. Problem then was, we ended up chasing them each month for the money................so I called ATT/Cingular and had them shut-down-texting on their phones so that they could not send or recieve text messages. Problem solved.

His options were:
1) Mend his ways....and not use texting
2) Have his bank autodraft me the texting fees at the start of every month.
3) Get his own "stand-alone" account.

He has opted for number one......."Gee Dad, I was thinking that maybe I don't really need that texting stuff right now."

[lgb&dtuba]

Actually text messaging does have some non-idiotic uses. I work in computer support and we have our exchange server set up to text message us automatically under certain conditions.

Me, too. But I don't consider it a good thing. I have to carry a dingleb.... er, Blackberry at work and it's a royal pain.

[TMurphy]

Mark my words:

This (OK...relatively) worthless feature WILL BE offered at NO EXTRA CHARGE on all cell phone plans sometime within the next 2 years.

I would not be surprised in the least if that happens.

Of course, there will then be a new "better" feature to replace it.

My older brother has worked for one of the largest cell phone providers in the US for the past 7 years...and they are more than happy to make their customers pay for services that cost next to nothing to provide.

[SplatterTone]

I have to wonder how successful the vendors of amateur radio equipment would be at marketing the VHF/UHF wares to the text messaging crowd. It would surprise the britches off a lot of people what can be done with this stuff. Back when only rich people carried "mobile phones" and before Al Gore was credited with inventing the Internet, hams were sending the equivalent of text messaging, via packet radio, nationwide.

With a decent local repeater, you can talk all over a city on your pocket sized, hand-held radio. Some repeaters can be linked into the internet to repeaters in other cities so you can talk to somebody there. Repeaters in a state or region can be linked together so that you can talk all over the state.

And if you are truly obsessed and moderately insane, you can set up an antenna array to bounce your signal off the moon to the other side of the world. (not kidding).

Boy, what these communication obsessed people are missing by not fiddling with amateur radio. And there is usually no charge to use the equipment. But it is the neighborly thing to do to join the local repeater club and contribute a little bit to the maintenance of the equipment.

[Carroll]

text messaging - the pastime of morons
- bloke

Looks like you were right:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,326027,00.html

[windshieldbug]

The 14,000 messages

How does anyone have the time to run our government!?

the local repeater club

I thought they were just called "stutterers"

[SplatterTone]

thought they were just called "stutterers"

Gadget lovers. Geeky, dipweed gadget lovers. Back in the good old days, ham radio was one of the few areas the hard core, demon possessed gadget lover could find respite.
After Gore invented the Internet (and ManBearPig ...
http://www.southparkzone.com/episode.php?vid=1006
), the choices expanded a lot and gadget loving got more respectable and less geeky, so ham radio has suffered decline. Pity. So many neato gadgets. So few people playing with them.

[windshieldbug]

"blOk: hA! we nEd wormz! >=^): "

[Chuck Jackson]

teach him to be a man

Oh boy, I think I can see what's coming.


Chuck"thinking that our resident boy wonder probably wants to duck and cover, and wants the board to see I didn't fire the opening salvo on this one so think kindly of me"Jackson

[Chuck Jackson]

..Besides, kitty-cats are kinda cute when they arch their l'il backs...don't cha think...??

True, true.

Chuck"hoping, not wishing for, some manly sternness"Jackson

[The Jackson]

Pssh, it'll never catch on.

What's your opinion, Mr. Bell?





(in before William Bell jokes)

[OldsRecording]

Joe, be watching out for the latest new thing. It already might be in our area and your boy might already be using it. It is called VoiceText.

You enter the 10 digit Personal Access Code of whomever you are trying to text into the phone's keypad, and place the phone it up the the ear. (I know, putting a phone up to your ear sounds pretty geeky, but this really does work!)

When your friend receives your signal he can connect with you by simply pushing a single button on the phone!

Now for the exciting part: You no longer need to press any buttons to text! I am NOT kidding! This is sooooo amazing!

You simply speak the text into the phone! It is instantly delivered to your friend, who can actually hear your voice when his phone is up to his ear, in real time! (Imagine that!)

This is so fast and seamless that text texting will be completely passe in the next year or two after you inform your kids that they can speak into the phone now to text their buddies, that it is far faster and easier and that it is going to cost a lot so they had better not use that feature. (Heh, heh, heh … )

Imagine the possibilities for these kids - You can actually text your voice, it is faster and easier, you friends can VoiceText you in real time (like a sort of "voice chat" if you can believe such advanced technology packed into a phone) AND this feature will only cost the mom or dad an additional $9.95 per user, per month on their family plan.

Best part is that most phones are ALREADY set up for this feature. You merely need to pay the fee and give the convenient, pocket-sized instruction card to your child and they can start using this excellent feature of their phone right away.

VoiceText – The Next Big Thing

Oh, right. Next you'll be telling us that we'll be getting dairy products delivered right to our doors in recyclable, envionmentally-friendly containers by professional delivery technicians in a fleet of trucks with actual refrigeration technology built right in.

<img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii31 ... ilkman.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

[windshieldbug]

<img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii31 ... ilkman.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

You can't fool me! That's a photo of a guy STEALING milk from houses... look at the basketfull he's already stolen!

[windshieldbug]

Thanks Wade, I almost had the hurt put on me by AMBIGUOUS
(American Milk Borrowers In General Under Our Union and Society)

[Kevin Hendrick]

Be glad you didn't have the Occupational Safety and Health Implementation Taskforce after you!

[Rick Denney]

I took his phone and threw it in the pond.

It sounds as though you've solved ALL the problem.

1. Tell him that he'll get a new phone when he goes down to AT&T and opens his own account, paid for with his own money.

2. It sounds like it's about time for Joe Baker's Indigent Child plan.

Rick "thinking it takes a decent arm to get the cell phone from the back porch to the pond" Denney

[SplatterTone]

WAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA!!
http://tinyurl.com/2exr9n