Audience: Those interested in the growing text messaging trend.
Search Engine Keywords: text messaging, communication,s hort messaging service, shorthand, messaging, texting, mobile communication, cellular communication, cell phones, mobile service
Abstract: Text messaging is one of the most popular forms of communication with teens. Text messaging is on it way to becoming as big as email when it comes to modern methods of communicating. The key to texting, is being able to understand the shorthand often used in text messages.
Text Messaging Craze
Text messaging is the newest communication craze sweeping the nation.
Softpedia reports that 95.4 billion text messages were sent by US mobile subscribers during the first quarter of 2008.
In a recent Nielsen Mobile press release it was reported that 116 million Americans subscribe to text messaging services.
According to a December 2007 Pew Internet & American Life Project Survey:
• 75% of all American Adults own cell phones
• 58% have sent or received a text message at some point
• 31% send or receive a text message on a typical day
Text messaging allows one to communicate with others that have short message service, (SMS) via short text messages usually 160 characters or less.
Political Role of Text Messaging
At 3:32 a.m. on August 23, 2008 I was notified via text that Senator Joe Biden would be presidential candidate Barack Obama’s running mate for this year’s election. Nielsen Mobile reported that 2.9 million potential voters were notified of Senator Obama’s vice president selection via text messages.
Emergency Usage of Text Messaging
Numerous colleges are taking advantage of the texting craze by using it to send “Alerts” to students, faculty and staff when there is a campus wide emergency. This concept is similar to the “Amber Alert” system that is being utilized throughout the country to assist with “Missing Persons.”
Communicating With the Next Generation
I recently visited my hometown of Fremont, NC, for the weekend and I got a chance to spend some time with my 16 year-old god sister who is a senior in high school. I have had better luck staying in touch with her recently, now that she has a new Samsung “Glyde” cell phone equipped with a complete 32 key, QWERTY keyboard.
This new phone is putting her in the running for “Text Messenger of the Year”. Before she got this phone there was a 50/50 chance that she would answer a call. The odds of her answering a call now, is no better but if you send a text message, you can expect a reply within seconds.
The convenience of being able to type a quick message, full of acronyms and text shorthand, is the preferred means of communication for today’s youth.
However, the trend of communicating via text message is growing rapidly and the age gap between those who do text and those who do not is shrinking.
Marketing Mobile Service Users
A new Verizon Wireless commercial highlights the convenience of its SMS. This commercial, set on the first day of school highlights today’s technically-savvy younger generation. The kids in the ad demonstrate to their parents the numerous ways they can stay in touch. The kids show their parents how to text message, send emails and even take and send photos, as they send their parents off to work. This commercial’s role reverses, shows that today’s youth are on the cutting edge of technology.
Communicating via Text Messages
Text messaging can be a quick and convenient way to communicate. Text messaging works well if you need to ask someone a quick, easy question, and you do not want to get involve in a prolonged conversation. Messaging also avoids the risk of interrupting the message receiver with a ringing phone at an inopportune time. Often a text can be received and replied to unnotice by others.
When communicating via text message, you run the risk of not being able to get your intended message across; if the message receiver can not translate text message acronyms and shorthand.
Per http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/4283
A while back I got a text that read, “R U N C H”. It took me a minute to figure this message out. For those that are like me, that are not up to par on their text shorthand it translates to “Are You in Chapel Hill?”
Acronyms and shorthand might be reasons that this means of communication is so appealing to the younger generation. Acronyms and shorthand allows text senders to develop and communicate via their own secret code, which can not easily be interpreted by those the message is not intended for.
Future of Text Messaging
Like other technological advancements, only time will tell what role text messaging will play in the future. Text messaging is quickly establishing its own place in the world of communication. When I enrolled as a freshman 14 years ago at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1994, I would never have thought that email would emerge as such a major form of communication. Now with 3 or more email accounts, I do not know what I would do without it. I feel lost and out of touch with the world if I can not check my email at least once a day. Well the incoming freshman classes of 2008 feel the same way about text messaging someday?
