I'm considering (finally) learning how to text

[blackprophet]

Is it correct to say there are only two kinds of smartphones, iPhone and Androids?

IOW are all smartphones that are not iPhones called Androids?

To answer your questions, Siri is only for iPhones, and yes you need an internet connection to use Siri. However Siri is not voice to text, its a whole search and digital personal assisstant module.

If you just want to use the voice to next feature, then you don't need the internet. And pretty much all start phones have voice-to-text built in now.

There are blackberrys and windows phones too (smartphones), but they are not as popular as iPhone and Android. And to muddy the waters even more, Blackberry is making an android phone.

Some of the links I posted before are windows phones, they are dirt cheap and will give you similar functionality. And if you wait a few weeks you can get the new budget windows phone (http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/lumia550/specifications/) which will come with Cortana, which is the windows version of Siri (and is reportedly better). And it will only run you $140, comes unlocked, so you can keep your current plan. And if you wanna play around with cortana, you can connect to wifi. And they will run windows programs.

I think an iPhone would be overkill for you. For what you want right now, and to align best with your philosophy, I think a cheap windows phone or android would be best.

However, full disclosure, I am the biggest anti-apple person ever.

 

[kenny]

Thank you blackprophet!

 

[kenny]

I think Siri is exclusive to the iPhone (Apple). Android is the Samsung version.

Thank you, Chrono.

It is easy to google up tons of detail on each product or service, but very broad overviews for dummies comparing them (when in 2015 you are even ignorant of the terminology everyone takes for granted) are harder to locate, hence this thread is really valuable to me.

 

[kindred]

I haven't read through the whole thread, but I thought you might be interested in this phone that I just ordered yesterday.

It is a Tracfone smart phone for $99.99 and comes with 1200 minutes, 1200 texts and 1200MBs of data and 365 days of service. It also includes a phone case. My husband has been using Tracfone for many years and was about to run out of minutes. HSN often has great bundled deals around Black Friday and Christmas, but they started a little early this year. This deal is even better than adding minutes to his old "feature phone" and now he will have a smart phone for free. He might lose his phone number (I haven't checked on that yet) but he doesn't mind if he does.

http://www.hsn.com/products/lg-ultimate-2-android-smartphone-bundle-tracfone/10069915

 

[aljdewey]

Why would introverts prefer texting to phone or email? (you may push me over the edge, here)

Late to the convo, so please forgive if this was already mentioned.

By avoid live phone conversations, introverts can avoid conversations that potentially make them uncomfortable or exhaust their mental energy.

I can see why texting is preferred to email; it tends to be shorter (less prone to novellas), and it's more efficient to check texts than to pore through spam or work emails looking for something from a friend.

ETA: I generally don't prefer texting as it used to be more work for me to type it all out, but since my phone put a handy microphone to let me speak the text, I'm much more amenable to it.

 

[amc80]

A woman's voice kept speaking up telling us things like, "Move to your right one lane and turn left in 1000 feet."
I admit, that was cool but more creepy than cool.
I'd NEVER accept that service for free, let alone pay a penny for it.
But I can understand how lazy people or those with no sense of direction see it as a good thing.
I've always had an excellent sense of direction.
I google up the route and look at the street view before leaving home and take notes, (Paper an pen) if it's complicated.

I have a really good sense of direction- it's like I have an internal compass and always know which way is which, and which way I need to go. I also look up directions before I go somewhere, and almost always commit them to memory within a few seconds. I'm neither lazy, nor do I lack a sense of direction.

You know what? I still use my phone's nav. Why? For starters, it tells me the current traffic. If I see there's a lot of traffic or an accident, I can quickly change my route. It will reroute me in a matter of seconds with a new plan. If I'm in a new area and need gas/food/drinks/bathroom it will tell me where one is. Could I do this without nav? Sure, but it would take me much longer and be less convenient. It costs nothing. I'm not sure why you said you'd NEVER use it, it really is quite handy.

 

[kenny]

Yes the current traffic feature would be really valuable, especially here in So. California where we live and die by our traffic conditions.

I'm really not sure why I'm such a luddite about some things.
It makes no sense.
I should have been born 50 years earlier.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

Have you decided yet Kenny?

 

[kenny]

Have you decided yet Kenny?

Not yet, but thanks to you guys my mental block against texting is melting.
Thanks.

 

[Elania]

Maybe this has already been suggested but I'm curious why you can't each choose how you want to communicate? You call and leave a voicemail (which on his iPhone is likely transcribed to text anyway) and he texts you back a response (that should be fairly easy to read on your phone although it might be tough to text back a reply). Apologies if I glossed over an important fact, like maybe you don't have any text messaging on your plan.

 

[kenny]

Maybe this has already been suggested but I'm curious why you can't each choose how you want to communicate? You call and leave a voicemail (which on his iPhone is likely transcribed to text anyway) and he texts you back a response (that should be fairly easy to read on your phone although it might be tough to text back a reply). Apologies if I glossed over an important fact, like maybe you don't have any text messaging on your plan.

Thank you, that's a good idea.
Yes, my cheapo phone and plan allow texting.

BTW I also just found out my iMac puter already has a texting program called, "Messages".

Apparently I can type on my keyboard and send it to a phone as a text.
When they text back from their phone I get it on my puter not on my phone, or something.

I may try this.

 

[Calliecake]

Kenny, I know the whole texting thing doesn't interest you much but as your sweet nieces get a little older this will be the way they will communicate. Trust me, there will be many days you will be happy you text. I hear my from my nieces and nephews all the time thru texts.

 

[kenny]

Thanks Calliecake.
Family-kids are reason enough for Kenny to get dragged, kicking and screaming, into texting.

 

[Calliecake]

Kenny,

I thought of you this morning. I recived a text from my niece saying she really wanted to talk and asking if now was a good time to call. My reply was anytime is a good time to call. I really think you will be glad you started texting as the kids get older. I get many texts a week from them and they always brighten my day.

 

[kenny]

Thanks.

 

[VRBeauty]

Thanks Calliecake.
Family-kids are reason enough for Kenny to get dragged, kicking and screaming, into texting.

Yay! I think you're going to like texting, and your new smart phone!

 

[kenny]

Thanks Calliecake.
Family-kids are reason enough for Kenny to get dragged, kicking and screaming, into texting.

Yay! I think you're going to like texting, and your new smart phone!

Thanks, but while I may start to text I have no plans to buy a new phone or get Internet on a phone.

It would bother me to pay one penny more than I pay now, which would already pay for all of the texting I'm ever likely to do ... like maybe 3 texts a month.

 

[LLJsmom]

kenny, I didn't start until this year, and mostly b/c my son is 12 going on 13. 'nuff said.

 

[wakingdreams53]

Hey Kenny!

I haven't read through the whole 4 pages of the thread, but wanted to add my $0.02.

I was super upset when I had to convert to type on a screen, it was unreasonable and I held onto my T9 for as long as I could (T9 text is what you have on your Nokia, typing with the number pad). Even today, while its convenient, I hate using the screen.

I use Google Voice to text and have a specific phone number that is used for business-- I find typing business texts on the computer to be much more effective than on a phone. Check it out, if you're partial to converting