If your cellphone is "on", it is ready to receive a little signal that you have an incoming call. The system that deals in those little signals is especially stripped down but it is rich enough and powerful enough to carry a little information. In Gmail, there are options for chats (as well as video "hangouts"). Many businesses invite chatting online with their operators. Once you open a chat with someone, your instant message appears instantly on their screen and their's does so on yours.
Because the light message system is indeed light, it can only carry messages that amount to about 140 characters of print, including spaces. So, Twitter makes use of that limit. It amounts to about a headline's worth of text. These days, most of the Tweets I see use part of their symbol allotment to include a link to a longer story or article. Enter the need for link shorteners, such as Goog.gl, which is Google's shortener. So, here is a link to Nancy Lublin's TED talk on Texting:
https://sites.google.com/site/kirbyvariety/nancy-lublin-s-ted-talk-on-texting
Here is a link to the same page that has been shortened by Goo.gl
You can see the savings in characters. I still have room for a word or two extra.
When I heard about texting, and chats, I thought "Big deal! Just like email: one person writes and the other quickly gets the message and reads." However, I recommend looking at Nancy Lublin's TED talk or using either link above to read the transcript of what she says. She gave me a new respect for texts and interest in them. Just reading that,for instance, texts have 100% opening record, that unlike email, you don't get a text message without seeing what it says, makes me feel that it is understandable that texts are a modified form of communication and matter in their own right.
I also recommend looking into Google Voice. That service can allow over-the-Internet voice transmissions like Skype does but since Google does everything on web pages and it well-known and trusted, you probably have a better chance of connecting with others using Google Voice. I have used Google Voice many times and have never once used it for a voice call. That is because Google Voice can also text and it allows you to use your regular computer to text that teen of yours. It is fast and free for you, although the teen may be charged for receiving a text. All you need is the teen's cellphone number and you can use it to text "Hi, __________ Thinking of you. Love, Grandpa". Many teens will answer texts but don't have time for voice calls. If you use Gmail and have inserted phone numbers into your Contacts, they will be available in Google Voice already. Just type in your teen's name and his number will pop up from your Contacts.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
