2. History It’s speculated that the first ever text message was sent during 1989 by Edward Lantz, a former NASA employee. He used a Motorola beeper and formulated a message using numbers read upside-down However, this can’t be considered a true text because it was not a SMS (short message service) text.
3. History Credit for the “invention "of text messaging is given to a Finnish engineer named MattiMakkonen. He created the Short Message Service (SMS) between mobile phones and wireless carrier networks. It was originally developed in the 1980’s to automatically send customer-care alerts and service notifications directly to consumers’ mobile phones. This would be a big time-saver because wireless carriers no longer had to call people individually. Makkonen later became the VP for Nokia.
4. History On December 3, 1992 the first text for commercial use was sent by Neil Papworth to his friend Richard Jarvis. The message was “Merry Christmas”. It was sent from a computer to a handset device using the Vodafone GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) network.
5. How Does Texting Work? Type your message Message flows through the SMSC Message is sent to the tower the tower sends the message to the designated phone as a little packet of data on the control channel Aside from the actual text, the actual data format for the message is also sent (length of the message, a time stamp, the destination phone number, the format, etc.)
6. Quick Facts A single text contains 160 characters or less. Anymore will overload the system. For Chinese, a single text can be no more than 70 characters. 95% of all text messages are delivered within 10 seconds. Text messaging on your cell phone is cheaper than sending a voice message. Texts cost an average of 15 cents each. Unlimited texting costs an average or $15 a month.
7. Texting and Culture Over 70% of mobile phone users send text messages Who sends you personal texts? - 80% said friends/ 61% partner/ 39% parents/ 22% children In Europe and North America, there are over 85% users of SMS. Because the limited amount of characters per text, a new form of language known as “text speaks” or “text lingo” (abbreviations of words which tends to avoid typing the whole word) has become popular and has also become part of the modern vernacular.
8. PROs and CONs PROs: -Cheaper and more convenient than phone calls. -Allows for information to be spread quicker and easier to multiple people at a time. -You can use texting to vote in contests, buy tickets and participate in polls. -Allows you to communicate in situations where talking is not appropriate. CONs: -Text messaging has been proven to be an addictive activity. It has been compared to be as addictive as cigarette smoking. -Marketers can send text or spam to your cell phone. -Some students have been caught using text messaging to cheat during tests. -Texting while driving has caused many deaths. -Lessens spelling and grammar skills. -Lessens basic communication and social skills?
9. How Texting Relates to WRT 235 Texting is a form of electronic writing. It’s becoming a key part of modern communication and it’s important that we know about it.
10. Resources Hord, Jennifer. "HowStuffWorks "How SMS Works"" Howstuffworks "Communication" Web. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://communication.howstuffworks.com/sms.htm>. Grey, Mac. "A short history of text messaging." Free submit articles Directory Article submission Free submit tutorials. Web. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://e-articles.info/e/a/title/A-short-history-of-text-messaging/>. "The History of Text Messaging." Free Articles Directory | Submit Articles - ArticlesBase.com. Web. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/the-history-of-text-messaging-1177228.html>. "Cost of Text Messaging - Get Prices and Information -." CostHelper.com. Web. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://www.costhelper.com/cost/electronics/text-messaging.html>. "SMS Facts & Figures - funSMS.net." FunSMS.net - Short Messaging Service (SMS) & Cell Phones Portal - Free SMS. Web. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://www.funsms.net/sms_facts.htm>. "Are You Web Aware? | Text Messaging." Media Awareness Network | Réseauéducationmédias. Web. 25 Oct. 2009. <http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_teachers/are_you_web_aware/web_aware_tm.cfm>.
