Dont have text? You dont have text?

[OutHouse]

...and, yet, AT&T charges $.20 for every message I receive.

does AT&T offer incoming/outgoing txt blocking?

i know T-Mobile does, all you have to do is call them and totally block all text.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Texting is the norm for all high schoolers now. We use it to cheat on tests and such.

 

[WelshBloke]

...and, yet, AT&T charges $.20 for every message I receive.

Thats mad though. Whats to stop someone like Hal, with loads of free texts, from effing you up by texting you loads? Not to mention some of the free online texting services.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Thats mad though. Whats to stop someone like Hal, with loads of free texts, from effing you up by texting you loads? Not to mention some of the free online texting services.

I don't believe you can be charged if you don't open the messages.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't believe you can be charged if you don't open the messages.

That's the way my Net10 phone works. If I get a text, and have a computer nearby, I check/respond via GoogleVoice, and it doesn't cost me anything. I then just delete the message unopened.

 

[TheAdvocate]

I blocked it, I still have old flip phone, Nokia, charge it once a week, small n light enough to hide in my pocket. I pay $50 a month for 2 lines and 600 shared mins, 11 year old plan!

Ditto, but I have a modern samsung phone. $40/mo for 2 lines, 600 minutes.

If you have something that important to tell me, you can call or leave voicemail.

 

[HAL9000]

...and, yet, AT&T charges $.20 for every message I receive.

Insanity.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

The Captivate has a modified ARM Cortex A8 CPU that is roughly twice as fast clock per clock as the ARM 11 CPU in the Optimus V. Combine that with the fact that the Captivate is clocked at 1GHz vs 600 MHz for the Optimus and the Captivate is easily twice as fast.

It's THEORETICALLY twice as fast. In terms of usage the fact that the Optimus comes with a stock Android ROM and the Samsung Captivate with TouchWiz means most of that CPU advantage goes away. And I should know, I've used both. In normal tasks they're almost the same. I really hate what manufacturers are doing bringing their own, much shittier, version of the original Android ROM. It defeats the whole point of having fast hardware; the software is slowing it down.

 

[WelshBloke]

I don't believe you can be charged if you don't open the messages.

Ahh, thats not so bad. Weird that they know if you've read your texts though.

 

[lxskllr]

Ahh, thats not so bad. Weird that they know if you've read your texts though.

I never paid close attention, but they may not be downloaded until opened. It would also only take a small ping back to the server to know if it was opened or not.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

It's THEORETICALLY twice as fast. In terms of usage the fact that the Optimus comes with a stock Android ROM and the Samsung Captivate with TouchWiz means most of that CPU advantage goes away. And I should know, I've used both. In normal tasks they're almost the same. I really hate what manufacturers are doing bringing their own, much shittier, version of the original Android ROM. It defeats the whole point of having fast hardware; the software is slowing it down.

The problem was never Touchwiz it was Samsungs RFS file system. On a ROM with with voodoo lagfix the Captivate would easily blow away the Optimus. Besides the Captivate had exceptional dev support so there were plenty of great roms to choose from.

The Captivate also had a much faster gpu than the Optimus so it would probably be much more than twice as fast when it comes to gaming.

 

[xSauronx]

i dont text much but i use gtalk all the time for home/work/whatever. i can track the conversation from any device with an internet connection, i remember things better if theyre written and i can refer back to them, and for work...all the field techs use some text messaging. were busy, so we can pass messages or ask questions for non urgent stuff and just get an answer when someone has time, or pass something on without interrupting someone who may be busy or with a customer

 

[Red Squirrel]

I should have it, but for some reason it does not work. I keep forgetting to call my provider. Ironicly I work for them so I can just dial the extension directly from work. Just never think of it. I think they probably just forgot to add it or something.

 

[randomrogue]

I didn't know this was even an option. It's free or super cheap on just about every plan everywhere. Where do you guys live where you don't have texting? It's an essential part of communication all over the world for both work and your personal life. Very strange indeed. I think my boss would freak out and fire me if I told her I didn't have a texting plan and couldn't receive her messages.

 

[MovingTarget]

I have it, but don't use it often. It was included as part of my plan. What I don't have is a data plan. I refuse to pay more than $50/month for the use of a cellphone, no matter how fancy a phone I could get...

 

[pontifex]

Texting gets to everyone, email and Facebook do not.

Sure, but sometimes it's useful to text at work if needed. Sometimes it's needed.

explain pls

 

[pontifex]

If I want to send my mum a quick message and not get pulled into a 45min conversation about people I dont know?

not my fault you can't deal with your mom

 

[pontifex]

Um, because it has a faster, more powerful processor?

Also, LOL at the people who say "it's a phone, call them." You sound like cranky old men. It's a phone, why are you on the internet with it? It's not a computer, it's a phone! Get off my lawn!

The fact is that texting is an integral part of any phone; whether you choose to use it or not is up to you but it definitely has its place. I don't understand people who send tons of mass texts a day but people are often busy when you try to call and it's easier to just leave a message that they'll see when they are available. Ever call someone and hope it just goes to voicemail? Same thing. The other great thing about texts is there's a written record so you don't have to listen to the person's 2 minute long rambling message just to hear the phone number at the very end.

And like I said earlier, it's not the same as email because not everyone has email/data access on their phone, but anyone who has a phone made in the past ~8-10 years has text capability.

i don't use my phone for the internet either, i use a computer.
all i use my phone for is phone calls

 

[alkemyst]

If you are upset over not having text, you would really be upset when you learned I don't even have a cell phone and don't miss not having one at all. I find talking on the phone to people annoying when it is just idle chat.

Wow...you don't do much for a living do ya?

 

[HAL9000]

explain pls

OK, well let's say I'm at work, in a meeting, not allowed to make phone calls and my parents are due to pick me up from work, but my hours change so I need to tell them I'll be out later or earlier, send them a text, it takes 10 seconds. I can't leave the meeting to make a call, I can't make a call in the meeting, a text is no problem though.

 

[WelshBloke]

not my fault you can't deal with your mom

I can deal with my mum fine, I can also deal with post 1980s telephones as well. *shrug*

 

[pontifex]

OK, well let's say I'm at work, in a meeting, not allowed to make phone calls and my parents are due to pick me up from work, but my hours change so I need to tell them I'll be out later or earlier, send them a text, it takes 10 seconds. I can't leave the meeting to make a call, I can't make a call in the meeting, a text is no problem though.

you absolutely have to let them know at exactly that time? You couldn't wait until the meeting was over?

 

[HAL9000]

you absolutely have to let them know at exactly that time? You couldn't wait until the meeting was over?

I'm sorry you're living in the past, but yes, the people in the future need to have the capacity to do things instantly.

In that example, yes I would need to do it then and there.

 

[AstroManLuca]

you absolutely have to let them know at exactly that time? You couldn't wait until the meeting was over?

It was just an example. If I'm at work and/or my friends and family are also at work, texting is just a more convenient way of communicating. You can do it quietly and quickly from your desk instead of having to step out. You don't have to worry about if the person is actually there to answer their phone. Personally I almost always answer my phone unless I'm in the shower or something, but a lot of people I know don't answer their phone when I call. Texting is better in that case because they'll just get the message when they do look at their phone next.

Have you ever called someone hoping to have it sent to voicemail? That's basically what texting is, but faster and with a written record.