How to Send a Text Message to a Cell Phone

These days sending text messages or 'texting' has become a fairly common form of communication. While people complain that it is decidedly one-sided, it doesn't deter us from sending them!

Why do We Send a Text Message

Like I said a texting today serves the same purpose that the phone machine did, not too long ago. What do I mean?

Well! Text messages are decidedly one-sided. So if you want to send some bad news to someone, you'd rather text them rather than calling them. Sure they'll call you back, but then the chances of having to discuss the bad news with them are significantly reduced. It also comes in handy when you want to keep in touch with people. For example, you had a friend in school and you two have drifted off now and haven't met for a year or so. It becomes slightly awkward calling them up and you barely find topics which you two can talk about. But the text comes in pretty handy here again. Sending one is a sweet way of saying that I haven't forgotten about you sans the awkwardness of talking.

Today as people have started becoming busier and busier, they are unable to, or perhaps not in the correct frame of mind to, chit-chat. Enter texting, which allows the recipient his space. The recipient can reply whenever he or she can and then you both can set apart some time for yourselves where you can talk easily.

And how can I forget its role in relationships! I have come across so many people who text someone they really like a 'good night' or another such sweet message highlighting how much the latter means to the former. They are like the letters which lovers exchanged in the past. Perhaps less original and less personal, but the times are a-changin'! Got you interested?

The Procedure

I guess after all the benefits of the text message which I have highlighted, you're quite possibly buoyed by the idea of texting someone! So here's how to do it in 8 easy steps. Now I understand that every cell phone is different. So I'll try to keep the steps as standard as possible

• Step #1:: Press the 'menu' button on your cell phone.
• Step #2: Go to 'messages'. The name 'messages' may not be the same in all cell phones so go to the icon which looks like an envelope.
• Step #3: Select 'text message' or 'write a new text message'.
• Step #4: Start typing. There are two main settings on the texter, multitap and t9 dictionary.
• Step #5: You'll know that it's t9 dictionary when whatever you type comes with an underline. Now take a good hard look at your phone. There will be some letters on the buttons. Press the button, once, for whichever character you want. Suppose you want to write 'John', you will type '5646'.
• Step #6: If your phone is not on the t9 dictionary setting, then you will have to press a button several times to arrive at the character you want. For example if you want to type 'John' in multitap. You will have to press '56664466'. You press '6' thrice because 'o' is the third letter for the '6' button after 'm' and 'n'.
• Step #7: The space bar and the period buttons differ from one cell phone maker to another. But mostly Sony Ericsson phones have the '#' key as the space and '1' as the period. Nokia cell phones have '0' as the space key and '1' as the period.
• Step #8: Now press 'send'. The phone will ask you who you want to send it to. You can key in the number of the person or type the name (in multitap, mind you!) of the person if he/she is in your contacts list.

So now if you want to send someone a message saying that 'I will call later', on a Nokia phone in multitap, you will press

'44409444555 5550222 2555 55505552833777'

The space in between indicates that you have to wait a bit before pressing the button again so that the cursor moves on to typing the next letter.

In a Nokia t9, you will press

'40945502255052837'

Oh, I almost forgot, to delete something you've typed, press 'c' or 'clear'!

Did you know you could send a text message from computer as well? That's right you don't always have to send text message to a phone from a phone! You have to go on one of those 'free messaging' websites, and register there. And they'll send your messages for you!