Brian Gongol
- Have everyone sit by people with similar types of phones: Smartphones together, feature phones together. Try to pair off by manufacturer and model -- not necessarily by cellular service provider, but by manufacturer of phone
- Why text? Because every communication tool has its place, and this one has a large and growing place. Many people are sending thousands of text messages per month, and if you want to communicate with them, you need to be a part of that stream of conversation.
- When to text:
- Never while driving
- Loud places
- To send short messages
- To get a quick answer to a simple question
- To get or give directions
- To send the same quick announcement to a large group
- To send a picture right now
- How to send a text:
- Pair off with someone who has a similar phone, if possible
- Find the messaging icon directly on the phone or in a menu
- Create a new message (note that, depending on one's contract, this might be free or it might cost 10 cents)
- Pick your contact. You can usually use a phonebook entry, but we'll start by entering a number from scratch.
- Type "Hello world" in the text field. Use the slide-out keypad if you have one, or manually enter the message by pressing the key for the specific letter.
- Wait for your partner to finish
- When everyone is ready, press "Send"
- How to receive a text:
- Usually just a matter of clicking on the message icon or pressing "OK"
- How to reply to a message:
- "Reply" is usually a clear option, using one of the special buttons on top of the keypad.
- We're going to enter a longer message. Those with keyboards will find it easy. Those with numeric keypads may find it frustrating, so it's time to try predictive texting, usually called T9.
- Type this message: "Nice to hear from you."
- Note: There are some people who prefer to substitute "text speak" so that the message would say "Nice 2 hear from U"; in general, I recommend against it. It's confusing to some readers, and it looks trite.
- However, there are some abbreviations you should know: LOL, ROTFL, BRB, TTYL
- Read and reply again: "Texting is easier than I thought."
- You might end up crossing messages while you're typing. That's OK. Your incoming message will go to your inbox, and your outgoing message should be saved as a draft.
- Practice locating "inbox" and "drafts"
- Advanced issues (if time permits):
- Short codes
- MMS and picture messages