Communication in the digital age has plenty of strange trappings. Periods can seem aggressive; complete, punctuated sentences can read as uptight. And then there’s the strange space that’s seemed to pop up, more and more, between the last word of a s…
View More Why people leave a space after punctuation in textsCategory: Texting
This Twitter thread of dads texting the bare minimum will make you say ‘OK’
Dads are not known for being prolific texters. While there are exceptions to the rule, we suspect that all dads have, at some point, received secret instructions to only respond with “OK.”
Now, this phenomenon has been immortalized in an extremely good Twitter thread. It was started by user @zenuhhh, who tweeted her text history with her dad on Saturday.
deep convos with ur dad >>>> pic.twitter.com/6OBpBvMCaX
— zena (@zenuhhh) February 24, 2019
Look familiar? It did to a lot of other people, too. The thread quickly filled up with people whose dads cannot seem to text in complete sentences. They would rather talk on the phone, OK? What is it with kids and all this texting? Read more…
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View More This Twitter thread of dads texting the bare minimum will make you say ‘OK’3 texting services that help teens when sex ed can’t
The internet has changed how kids learn about sex, but sex ed in the classroom still sucks. In Sex Ed 2.0, Mashable explores the state of sex ed and imagines a future where digital innovations are used to teach consent, sex positivity, respect, and r…
View More 3 texting services that help teens when sex ed can’tThis video of a voice assistant reading emoji out loud is honestly glorious
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Having a voice assistant read your texts aloud for you while you drive is really convenient, not to mention safer than trying to read them yourself.
But if your texts were sent to you by a child or anyone else communicating exclusively using emoji, you’re in for a wild ride.
On Twitter, creative director Aaron Reynolds shared a video of an assistant — which sounds like Siri, although it isn’t specified — reading out a text from his daughter. It’s basically just one comically long thread of emoji.
After concluding that the text consists of no less than 35 emoji, the assistant puts on a brave face and reads them all aloud. Read more…
More about Texting, Emojis, Voice Assistant, Culture, and Web Culture
View More This video of a voice assistant reading emoji out loud is honestly gloriousHow to make group texting suck less for you and the whole group
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Most would agree that group texts are the absolute worst.
They take up more time than you ever anticipated, reading through all of your messages is a chore, and they seem to never end. Like, never end.
It’s also sadly inevitable that the day will come when you’re forced into a group text, probably one full of many people. But there’s a way to make it more bearable — and to become a better group texter as well. (Odds are, you’re not always on your best behavior, either.)
In an attempt to make the group texting experience more bearable, we’ve put together a list of tactics and things to consider when messaging multiple people simultaneously. Read more…
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View More How to make group texting suck less for you and the whole groupGrandma spends third Thanksgiving with the teen she accidentally invited to dinner
A text which brought together two strangers in a really lovely way is probably the closest thing we have to a modern fairy tale in the smart phone-age.
SEE ALSO: 13 ways to save your Thanksgiving dinner when things get awkward
Quick recap: in 2…
E-scooter companies really don’t want you to do this
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Just because you’re riding around on two wheels with a motor boosting you to 12 mph doesn’t mean you can stop paying attention.
Just like distracted driving, distracted scooting is becoming a concern on the road. That’s why scooter-share company Bird says it joined AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign. Since 2010, the phone company has encouraged putting down the phone for texts, calls, and checking your email (and more), while driving. In 2018, the campaign includes all those behaviors — but on rentable e-scooters.
For confident scooter riders, the inclination to multitask while riding can be strong, as is the pull of the smartphone. The motorized devices may feel like a toy, but they’re considered a road vehicle, riding alongside cars, buses, bicycles, pedestrians, and other scooters. At least you better be off the sidewalk and in the bike lane, or riding along the edge of the road. Read more…
More about Texting, Bird, Lime, E Scooter, and Texting While Scooting
View More E-scooter companies really don’t want you to do thisGroup texts are the new cliques for teens and tweens
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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.
Your kids aren’t allowed to use Snapchat, you monitor their Insta DMs (and their finsta), and they’ve held off on a Facebook account for now. But there’s another option that has many of the same problematic dynamics as the services above and no barrier to entry. In fact, you probably make your kids use it all the time: the group text.
Group texts are the 21st century version of congregating in front of a middle school locker. Kids carry this communication in their pocket and into their homes. At their best, group texts offer a sense of community and acceptance, enhancing social connections and forging friendships. At their worst, they provide one more avenue for drama, exclusion and some downright nasty comments. Read more…
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View More Group texts are the new cliques for teens and tweens5 ways to text from your laptop
Misplace or break your phone? No cell signal? Have no fear. You can still text away with a computer via WiFi.
Texting from a laptop has its perks: it’s (usually) free, typing is easier and faster, and best of all, you can look busy when you’re not.
H…
The creator of Android is building a phone that’ll text and send emails for you
What will the smartphone of the future look like?
Foldable phones are holograms are certainly a possibility, but if you’re Andy Rubin, the creator of Android, the killer feature for tomorrow’s phone might be an AI that’s able text for you.
SEE …
No, you can’t just text your last will and testament to someone, court rules
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Dear friends and family: If you’ve ever gotten a drunken text from me about one day owning my prized possessions when I’m outta here, unfortunately, that’s all null and void.
According to a recent ruling from a French court, a text message of someone’s last will and testament actually has no legal value. My bad.
SEE ALSO: People are texting Stephen Miller, the guy responsible for separating families at the border
As the BBC reported, the case was brought to court because of a dispute. In a text message to his sibling, a man mentioned that he wanted a portion of his estate given to his mother after he dies. When the man tragically took his own life in 2016, his wishes were reportedly ignored — so the mother took the texts to court. Read more…
More about Texting, Will, Culture, and Web Culture
Messenger Kids rolls out passphrases so kids can initiate friend requests themselves
Facebook is making it easier for kids to add their friends on its under-13 chat app, Messenger Kids. Starting today, the company is rolling out a new feature that will allow kids to request parents’ approval of new contacts. To use the feature, parents will turn on a setting that creates a four-word passphrase that’s […]
View More Messenger Kids rolls out passphrases so kids can initiate friend requests themselves