Blackberry users and those familiar...

[RamboPreacher]

I have a "stupid" question(s), anyone?

How does one "text" message someone else?

I send and receive emails all teh time, dozens and hundreds a day, but what it "texting".

I also have an Instant messager client(IM+) as well, but that is like AIM, Yahoo messager, and MSN messager, etc. - so am very familiar with that going on as well.

is there some client I need, it seems to be something built in, but don't know what it would be, or how to use it, or to whom I can text to.

[HogWild]

You can click on a name in your address book and pop up your menu. Just select "SMS Text _______".

Or when you are in your message section, where you would normally read your Emails, you can pop up your menu and select "Compose SMS Text". You will then select a name from your address book or you can select the option to "use once" and manually enter a new number.

Hope this helps!

[RamboPreacher]

You can click on a name in your address book and pop up your menu. Just select "SMS Text _______".

Or when you are in your message section, where you would normally read your Emails, you can pop up your menu and select "Compose SMS Text". You will then select a name from your address book or you can select the option to "use once" and manually enter a new number.

Hope this helps!

so it's based on their phone number? do all (newer) cell phones allow this? what if it's not a cell phone?
edit: nevermind - just tried one to a phone and it errored and said destination not authorized to receive.

[HogWild]

Your Blackberry should be ready to SMS text right out of the box.

However, SMS messages are limited to 160 characters. Hince the use of texting and chatting lingo. I.e., lol, brb, ty, etc.

Also, your service provider may charge per SMS message (usually 10 cents). Unless you have a plan that provides for a certain number of messages per month or unlimited.

I send well over 1500 texts a month so I use an unlimited plan.

[HogWild]

Yes all cell phones are equipped to do this. I have met some people that have had their providers block the ability to receive messages but this is rare.

Landlines and VOIP cannot text. There are some services that will convert your text into a voice recording to be sent to a landline but I think that's kind of needless.

All you need is a cell number. Try mine. Send me an SMS by selecting use once and then entering 608-449-6421.

[RamboPreacher]

my plan is unlimited as well, but was going over the bill recently (I normally never see them, as this is a work-benefit, so it's all free to me), and saw that it was never used.

[HogWild]

you can also just click reply on any text you receive and send a return message.

[RamboPreacher]

kewl - thanks!

[HogWild]

I enjoyed that little exchange. See now you are a pro!

On a funny note (Rambo and I were texting about short cuts on the BB) I have become so use to double tapping the space bar for a period that it throws me off when I am typing on my laptop. I hit the space bar twice but no period appears! Argh!

You will also become a pro at abbreviating words so that you can get a message under 160 characters.

BTW, you can also send a MMS from some BB's. That's a multimedia message like a picture, video, or sound file that you can also send text with... It just depends on your model of phone and your service provider.

[dolfan]

I was astounded to learn that my niece sends 500 texts per month. HogWild, you do 1500. A kid that works at our store does 2,000. I haven't sent 500 since they invented it. I doubt I've sent 200.

BUT, while you're online, you can save money on outgoing SMS by sending them from your computer to the target cell (unless you have unlimited plans, that is, then it is no concern). There are a number of websites that let you send them online to cell phones. I use one or two: text4free dot net and gizmosms dot com.

[HogWild]

Lol. I hate talking on the phone. I want to say what has to be said and then hang up. Unforunately, other people don't appreciate my anti-social behavior. No one has ever really been happy to hear me say, "I'm going to hang up now so you'll stop talking!"

So the answer for me is texting. I also IM from my BB but I still rely primarily on texting.

To understand how one would reach 1500 or 2000 texts per month, you have to understand that most texts are back and forth conversations. Many of my texts are basic one or two word replies to someone else and vice versa.