Texting | Gadgets & Technology

Geek Etiquette: Who’s On Your Approved-to-Text List?

texting 198x300 Geek Etiquette: Whos On Your Approved to Text List? First, full disclosure: I was reluctant to jump on the text messaging bandwagon. A few years ago, I rarely texted and actually found it intrusive and annoying. Today, I text friends and family often and see the benefits and convenience, but limit my text conversations to close friends and family.

Recently, I encountered someone who uses text message much more liberally — he’ll text a doctor when running late for an appointment or message the principal at his child’s school with questions.

Since I am not a big texting fan and consider it to be a communications platform for close acquaintances, these behaviors strike me a completely rude. I wouldn’t fathom texting the principal at school or my son’s doctor reminding him to send me a copy of a report. I started to poll my friends asking them where they draw the texting line…most agree that it’s a quick messaging solution reserved for friends and family.

Tell us: Where do you draw the texting line? Do you think it’s appropriate to send text messages to your child’s teachers, your doctors or your accountant?

1 in 10 Women Hack Into Their Partner’s Online Accounts

All you need is love… and a poorly encrypted password.

Nearly half of women know their partner’s passwords for their email and Facebook accounts with one in ten admitting they snoop behind their partner’s back, according to a recent poll.

In the survey of 3,000 British women 18 to 45 who are in a relationship, researchers also found that 38 percent check their partner’s web browser history whenever they use his PC, while a third confess to peeking at his mobile phone.

The U.K. study also found that one in six women has gone as far as setting a “honeytrap” — sending messages to their partner from a fake online account or mobile number in an attempt to catch them.

Other interesting tidbits:

-28% said they questioned calls from an unknown number on their partner’s phone

-One in 20 have caught their husbands or boyfriends sexting — exchanging racy text messages or pictures — with members of the opposite sex.

-A fifth have argued with their partner over putting kisses on text messages to another woman

-Nine in 10 consider any form of ‘sexting’ to be disrespectful and not harmless fun, with eight in ten saying they would end the relationship.

- Most women would confront their partner if they found anything on their phone but 45% said they would keep the information to themselves and let things play out before saying anything

Do you keep digital tabs on your man? If so, has it ever backfired completely? Let us know in the comments section!

T-Mobile Gets Sued For Censoring Text Messages

t mobile vairy text 11 300x300 T Mobile Gets Sued For Censoring Text Messages Reefer madness! T-Mobile is being sued for preventing its customers from receiving text updates from a California medical marijuana dispensary. In a court filing on Wednesday, the wireless carrier maintained that it may pick and choose which text messages to deliver on its network.

EZ Texting, the New York-based texting service behind the lawsuit, offers a ‘short code’ service that allows clients to send mass text message advertisements to mobile phone users who opt-in. For example, a pizzeria that sends special offers to any customer who texts “PIZZA” to a 29292. According toe EZ Texting, texts sent to T-Mobile users from its client WeedMaps, an opt-in service that points users to their nearest legal medical marijuana dispensary, were blocked by the wireless carrier and has filed suit on WeedMaps behalf.

Citing the right to pre-approve any marketing campaigns conducted on its network, T-Mobile says EZ Texting neglected to submit WeedMaps for approval, and therefore, the carrier terminated the program. T-Mobile, which accounts for 15 percent of the nation’s wireless subscribers, says such approval is necessary to protect against shady or offensive marketing campaigns. However, EZ Texting alleges that even after it had stopped providing service to WeedMaps, T-Mobile pulled the plug anyway. According to the suit, EZ Texting also claims that if a judge does not promptly order T-Mobile to transmit its texts, the company will go out of business.

The Federal Communications Commission prohibits telephone providers from blocking calls placed on their networks, yet such laws don’t apply to text messages. While this the first federal case testing whether a wireless provider may block texts it finds objectionable, it’s certainly not the first time a similar flap has made headlines. In 2007, Verizon caught flack for blocking political messages from a pro-choice group, and earlier this year, Sprint blocked Catholic Relief Services’ attempt to raise money for the the Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

“Distracted Walking” On The Rise

walkingtexting 300x219 Distracted Walking On The Rise States across the country are banning “distracted driving” — which includes talking on the phone and texting while behind the wheel, but there’s a new problem on the rise: distracted walking.

Citing a recently published study, the New York Times wrote:

Slightly more than 1,000 pedestrians visited emergency rooms in 2008 because they got distracted and tripped, fell or ran into something while using a cellphone to talk or text. That was twice the number from 2007, which had nearly doubled from 2006, according to a study conducted by Ohio State University, which says it is the first to estimate such accidents.

And considering that there are likely more incidents that didn’t bring people into the ER, the number can only get higher. So, what’s a busy, metropolitan city with tens of thousands of pedestrians to do? Initiate a texting while walking ban?

[polldaddy poll=2552479]