TEXT TEXT TEXT!!!

Last weeks discussion about texting and e-mailing really caught my attention seeing as how I use both of them to communicate. When the question how many of you text or e-mail more then your talk on the phone was asked, I wasn't shocked that everyone in class raised their hand and if any of your were welcome to the technology age, kidding.

My first cell phone I got when I was 16 was a pre-paid Virgin Mobile cell phone. That was the biggest piece of crap I ever had in my life haha, but thats how and where I learned to communicate through a cell phone , aside from calling someone ha. Texting was so weird to me. I wasn't used to haveing an entire conversation though text. I mean I was a teen so I was into it, but it missed the voice part ha. Hearing the others person's voice, actually hearing them laugh instead of thinking " I wonder if they are really laughing or just saying lol" (which I am guilty of lol). But I got use to it, and it became my maine source of communication. I dont even call my mom, she'll call me, but if I need to say something to her I just text ha. I guess from texting so long, I'm not used to talking on the phone now instead of texting lol. Although texting has been an incredible invention in terms of communication, its not when it comes to human stupidity. Texting while driving has been an increasing reason of accidents while driving. I'll admit, I am a stupid human too. After seeing all these people get into accidents from texting you would think I would stop right? No...I'm stupid haha. But I am stopping because I'm too broke to affrod an accident haha, kidding. Heres a link to a video of a girl texting while driving on Youtube. I dont think its real but you get the point, Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDCPbUMRCXM

Email vs. texting

Today in class, we started to learn about communication and how we communicate effectively with one another. We discussed all of the different possibilites such as face to face, email, text messages, telephone. and so on. In todays society people are all about technology. Whether it be business related or personal, communicating through text messages are growing rapidly.

Before there was such thing as texting, people communicated over the internet through the e-mail system. They still do, but I think e-mailing is becoming less and less popular as society learns about all the new things that keep coming out in the technological world. People are getting e-mail on their cell phones which is good to have, that way in case they don't have access to a computer, they can just hop on their cell phones and recieve e-mail. But what about the people who don't get e-mail on their phones? Texting is a very simple and easy way of communicating without actually speaking with the person. When a text message is sent, it goes directly to the recievers cell phone and they can view it right away. When an e-mail is sent, it doesn't go directly to that person; it goes to their inbox. They have to log onto their email and open up the message rather than just click view on their phone or have it pop right up. If you are just looking for a quick response, texting is usually the way to go. Not all people have text messages, but it has been a growing trend and more and more people are joining the 'texting' world. Another point to go along with e-mails is that sometimes, if people don't check their account frequently enough, the sender could go days or weeks or however long it takes the person to check it, without getting a response. If you send a text, there is usually a better chance of getting a quicker reply.

People also use texting just to inform somebody whatever it may be that they want that person to know or if they just have a simple queston. It's alot quicker than calling them and having a conversation, when you can just send them a message and have them respond without all the extra talking. Texting also comes into use when it is not a good time to be on the phone or if it's a situation where you can't really call someone. Such as if your at work and just need to find out something at the moment and you can't call them-just send a quick text or if your in the movies, you can't really talk on the phone. and so on. My point is that texting is alot easier to use than the email system. Its almost always handy and it is alot quicker and more efficient for the user.

Text Messaging

Last week Professor Drake lectured about language and its origins. This got me to think of how I use language everyday. I feel that texting takes up about 50% of my language per day. It seems pretty ridiculous but it is the easiest way to contact somebody without verbally speaking to them. This got me to look into text messaging and how it evolved.

The first text message was officially sent, back in 1989, by a man who used a Motorola beeper. The recipient received the message as upside down numbers that could be interpreted as words. Texting was not very popular for a couple years with only 0.4 messages sent on average per month per customer in 1995. Most companies did not know how to bill text messages so this slowed the progression of the new technology. Many phones now offer a new form of text messaging called SMS. SMS stands for short messaging service. SMS is now offered with most smart phones and is used on the 3G network.

Text messaging has become the most widely used mobile data service. Approximately 74% of mobile phone users use text messaging today. In the UK, about 50 million text messages are sent everyday. This proves that text messaging has become a very serious means of communication and we should all embrace the new technology.