Wireless Text Messaging w/o A Phone? 19
beroul asks: "I don't want a mobile phone (I'd never use it for voice), but I'd like to be able to send and receive text messages using some sort of small, inexpensive wireless device. Does anyone know of such a thing? I've looked for a send-and-receive pager, but they seem to have vanished as everyone opts for mobile phones. I live in the UK, so I'm looking for something that will work here. Being able to send SMS messages to people who have mobile phones would be a plus."
Use a Siemens M20 or equivalent (Score:1)
http://www.pswin.com/pcsengdesc.asp
Mark
Use a GSM phone anyway (Score:1)
If you ever get in trouble you can even violate your principles and dial 112 (Europe's 911).
Regards,
Xenna
Re:Blackberry (Score:1)
The blackberry may be cool... For North America. Everywhere else in the world, you are already able to send and receive short messages (as well as email) on your cellular phone. It is also easy to write emails on them, especially with dictionary based word-prediction, like some of the Nokia's.
I don't understand why everyone thinks RIM is the best thing in the world. As soon as 3G or even GSM is taken up in North America, they are out of the market...
Jason PollockWhy not get a prepaid phone? (Score:1)
Why not just get a cheap prepaid cellular phone? You don't _have_ to give anyone your number.
It's like buying a PC. You may only want to play quake, but are you really going to turn down the free copy of Unreal Tournament that came with the network card? :)
Jason PollockOmniSky (Score:1)
Buy an inexpensive phone (Score:1)
I'm personally waiting to get my GPRS phone. Here operators are offering GPRS with fixed monthly charge without pay-per-byte policy. With that I'm able to use email instead of expensive SMS messages.
Try Motorola's v.box (Score:1)
Go with a GSM phone (Score:1)
I know you said you don't want a cellphone, but you could just get one of the inexpensive plans and use text messaging only. With mine, I pay $US4.99/mo and I get to send a number of text messages equivialent to the number of minutes in my calling plan (300). Receiving messages is free.
Messages can be sent to other GSM users, or to any email address. People can also send me text messages via email. Very handy.
Motorola T900 (Score:1)
Re:Try Motorola's v.box (Score:1)
For example, receive a text on a Motorola Phone - mine's a Talkabout T2288e and at the end of the text, it can't do a simple phonebook lookup - it only tells you the sender's number, not their name!
I have heard that although the v.box looks promising, the interface is even worse than on the phones (they all share the same software) and, whilst usable, it has several annoying niggles, such as the one mentioned above. Also, the keyboard is actually HARDER to use than a standard numerical keypad for texting, because the buttons are so small, and the functions so confusing.
ICQ...Prepaid? (Score:1)
Re:Blackberry (Score:1)
I'm not sure if it's supported outside north america though. It's kinda funny... I cut through the research in motion parking lot every day on my way to class. One of the neatest things is that it's a 386 processor... and it's the size of an overgrown pager. (well, ther's a big palm-size one too)
Takes a lickin'... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Orange OGP tariff (Score:1)
The trick is that you purchase the phone outright. So you could get a really cheap model. Then after that, there is no line rental, and SMS messages are (I think) 10p each.
Matt
Personally (Score:2)
I eventually just got a PCS cellphone [nokiausa.com], and pretty much ignore the cellphone part. It's cheaper and it seems to work just as well.
I also hear good things about the blackberry [blackberry.net] but I haven't had a chance to try it myself yet.
Re:Blackberry (Score:2)
Wireless w/o a phone (Score:2)
In short, it meets all my comm needs w/o having to be a telephone. Oh, and it can also act as a modem of sorts for my Palm
Blackberry (Score:3)