# Texting - Yay or Nay?



## Wild1 (Oct 22, 2019)

What are everyone's thoughts on texting? 

Do you love it, or wish the phone couldn't do it? Or do you avoid doing it anyway and wish your younger relatives would just pick up the phone? 

Often my mother and I have said we wish we could text him and have him text. (So much easier than email for quick little things, like "Got home safe," and less disruptive than phone, say if it is late at night). Also with his hearing being bad this would be a good way to clarify details that can sometimes be misheard and cause confusion when trying to coordinate plans for instance. 

Thinking of getting my grandpa a smartphone and this would be one of the reasons (yes you can text with the flip phone but it's just too hard really). Thoughts?


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## toffee (Oct 22, 2019)

I have a mobile wich I use -more to txt than ring☎ -never been overly keen on phones -


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## Silverfox (Oct 22, 2019)

With having grandkids I find myself texting more often than I used to. I really actually much rather use my phone for phone calls, but do text a few times per day.


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## JustBonee (Oct 22, 2019)

At first I didn't like texting,   but now I find that I text a lot more than call,   especially with family.   If it's going to be a long-winded conversation that requires an immediate response,    than I'll call.  
The new phones make texting  so easy.


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## Keesha (Oct 22, 2019)

Love it. It gives all people time to answer when it’s convenient for them and doesn’t put anyone on the spot.


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## Keesha (Oct 22, 2019)

Wild1 said:


> What are everyone's thoughts on texting?
> 
> Do you love it, or wish the phone couldn't do it? Or do you avoid doing it anyway and wish your younger relatives would just pick up the phone?
> 
> ...



I personally think it’s a great idea for your grandpa. 

It’s a perfect way to keep in touch and will be something he can learn to do. 

It’s something I wished I’d taught my folks to do before they became incapacitated. 

They can keep the phone near them at all times so they don’t have to get up to answer the phone. 

You can send pictures and do all kinds of other stuff like add reminders for things. 

It’s a good idea.


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## Wren (Oct 22, 2019)

I rarely use my mobile phone and text only when necessary, sometimes if I’m out with friends their phone never stops pinging to alert them they have a text, even during a meal, it would drive me nuts !


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## Trade (Oct 22, 2019)

I like it, but I have a basic flip phone where you sometimes have to press a key 3 or 4 times to get the letter you want, so that limits how much I use it.


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## gennie (Oct 22, 2019)

I never warmed up to texting but love FaceTime with little great-grand on I-Pad.  Does that count?


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## Capt Lightning (Oct 22, 2019)

Like Trade, I find that it's inconvenient to construct a message without a full keyboard - so I don't text.  Nobody texts me, mainly because they don't know my number!

One of my pet hates is people using 'text speak'.  If they can't be bothered to write properly, then I can't be bothered reading what they have to say.


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## Keesha (Oct 22, 2019)

Trade said:


> I like it, but I have a basic flip phone where you sometimes have to press a key 3 or 4 times to get the letter you want, so that limits how much I use it.


That would be annoying and I wouldn’t like it. 
I’ve got an iPhone which makes texting super easy so when answering I assume that everyone’s got an easy texting pad.


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## Trade (Oct 22, 2019)

Keesha said:


> That would be annoying and I wouldn’t like it.
> I’ve got an iPhone which makes texting super easy so when answering I assume that everyone’s got an easy texting pad.



I like my flip phone. It's cheap and small so I can put it in my pocket and I don't even know it's there. 

But I gotta be careful to check my pockets before I put my pants in the wash. That's how I killed my last flip phone.


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## Keesha (Oct 22, 2019)

Trade said:


> I like my flip phone. It's cheap and small so I can put it in my pocket and I don't even know it's there.
> 
> But I gotta be careful to check my pockets before I put my pants in the wash. That's how I killed my last flip phone.


I wish I could say I killed my last phone the same way. My way was even sillier


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## hollydolly (Oct 22, 2019)

I have the latest Iphone.. keep my phones uptodate all the time, and do text  or whatsapp a lot.... it's a lot easier and faster  WhatsApping using the computer as well...


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## jujube (Oct 22, 2019)

Yay. It allows me to communicate with the younger relatives, who apparently have given up actually "talking"......


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## applecruncher (Oct 22, 2019)

Texting is fine for _some _situations.
But for lengthy communication email is better, and for some things phone is best.


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## Wild1 (Oct 22, 2019)

Thanks for all the positive feedback. I have another thread on here about the smartphones themselves. 
One thing I remember doing when I was young was exchanging letters with older relatives. While it's nice and I almost kind of miss it, I think both of us quit doing it because it is just difficult to keep a conversation going.... and with how fast texting is, letter writing is kind of unfathomable. 

I do like talking though. But with some of my older relatives hearing, (esp. my Grandma, who I don't think could actually learn it at this point) it would be so nice if they were able to. My grandma is now getting really isolated not even having a TV in her facility (She's in a MC type facility because she needs the extra help getting around and all that). If she had a smartphone, it would have been different, but I can tell SHE (unlike my grandpa) would not be able to learn at this point (she is more incapacitated and Grandpa is still doing well and has more of a positive attitude toward learning new things). 



applecruncher said:


> Texting is fine for _some _situations.
> But for lengthy communication email is better, and for some things phone is best.



Yeah, some young people are really bad at this. Like, they don't answer their phones when they totally have no good reason to and then text the person back! I've seen it and had discussions about this firsthand. It makes me feel old seeing them (slightly younger than me) feel differently about this. But I'm OK with that because of course, I'm right


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## Wild1 (Oct 22, 2019)

gennie said:


> I never warmed up to texting but love FaceTime with little great-grand on I-Pad.  Does that count?



As far as my question is concerned it kind of does count. Do you have a smartphone? Or a flip phone? If you have a smart phone and still don't like texting that's definitely useful information to me. 

Trying to figure out if Grandpa should step up to a smartphone or not. Trying to figure if he would use the texting or not as that would be a major benefit of it (he too, loves his iPad!)


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## applecruncher (Oct 22, 2019)

The other night was an example of when  phone call is more appropriate than texting. Partner of a firm I used to work for passed away.  Former co-worker and I talked on phone .....5 minutes about Ken and 5 minutes catchup.

Phone calls aren't THAT big of a deal...really. I don't understand why so many hate talking on the phone.


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## Camper6 (Oct 22, 2019)

Wren said:


> I rarely use my mobile phone and text only when necessary, sometimes if I’m out with friends their phone never stops pinging to alert them they have a text, even during a meal, it would drive me nuts !


Yes but you can set the phone to not ring or notify.  the message will still be there.


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## TravelinMan (Oct 22, 2019)

I like to text my friends and attach a picture or two.  I can press the microphone button and  just dictate the text message body instead of having to type on the tiny keyboard.  Of course then I have to be in a place where I can speak out loud.  If not, my smartphone keyboard is large enough to type in my message.

Usually, when I try to call someone and they don't answer I will send a text.  Often that person is in a place where they can't take a voice call but can answer by text.


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## Ken N Tx (Oct 23, 2019)

I text 2 words..."Call me"


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## treeguy64 (Oct 23, 2019)

I much prefer texting to phone calls, unless there's a lot to be discussed. Texting gives you a record of exactly what was covered. I use texting for my contracts, as well. As every Judge Judy viewer knows, texts are admissible evidence in court cases.


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## Wren (Oct 23, 2019)

Camper6 said:


> Yes but you can set the phone to not ring or notify.  the message will still be there.


I do but my friends won't switch theirs off,  they might miss when their contacts last visited the toilet, photo's of what they're about to eat and where they are every minute of the day !


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## rkunsaw (Oct 23, 2019)

applecruncher said:


> Texting is fine for _some _situations.
> But for lengthy communication email is better, and for some things phone is best.


Exactly what I was going to say.


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## Camper6 (Oct 23, 2019)

It sure is nice to be able to stay in touch with family far away. Messaging allows that conveniently and affordable.


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## Ruthanne (Oct 23, 2019)

I loved to text when I had a useable cell phone to text on but now only have the crappy govt. one that is really hard to text with.  So yes and no.


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## Wild1 (Oct 23, 2019)

applecruncher said:


> The other night was an example of when  phone call is more appropriate than texting. Partner of a firm I used to work for passed away.  Former co-worker and I talked on phone .....5 minutes about Ken and 5 minutes catchup.
> 
> Phone calls aren't THAT big of a deal...really. I don't understand why so many hate talking on the phone.


Even as a member of the younger generation I 100% agree with that. I think Miss Manners would have your back on this one too. I fear the day when people argue that it texting would be the appropriate medium for that kind of thing.

Not saying texting should replace all other forms of communication, but trying to get a feel for how many folks out there use this as a tool in the "communication toolbox" and find it useful (or not so useful at all).


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## StarSong (Oct 23, 2019)

My cell phone gets far more use for text messaging than phone calls.


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## Keesha (Oct 23, 2019)

Ken N Tx said:


> I text 2 words..."Call me"


My husband does this also. Sometimes I forget that he’s at work with other people sitting around him and I can be quite the texting queen at times. 

He will send one message. 

‘I’ll call.’Lol .


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