texting

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Woman Gets PhD in Texting
 Woman Gets PhD in Texting 
Aug 6, 2009 7:57 PM CDT

Woman Gets PhD in Texting

Philosophy thesis is first on text message communication

(Newser) - A British graduate student has earned a PhD in texting—an academic first, Discover magazine reports. Caroline Tagg’s doctorate, more specifically, is in the philosophy of texting communication. Tagg studied 11,000 texts from 235 people over four years. Among the findings: The average text is 17.5 words,...

Texting Boosts Driver Crash Risk 23 Times

Texting while driving found to be deadliest distraction

(Newser) - A first-of-its-kind study has found that sending and receiving text messages is the deadliest distraction for drivers by far, the New York Times reports. The study, which involved cameras in the cabs of long-haul trucks, found that texting raised a driver's risk of collision a whopping 23 times, putting it...

Voicemail Is So Over
 Voicemail Is So Over 
Jul 9, 2009 1:14 PM CDT

Voicemail Is So Over

System too slow in faster-paced world

(Newser) - After some 25 years of popularity, voicemail has become merely an annoyance for many, the Boston Globe reports. "What I really hate are the soliloquies," says a time-crunched user. But the long-winded are only part of the problem, experts say; the real culprit is the rise of texting....

Why One Mom Drew the Line at Skype
Why One Mom Drew the Line
at Skype
COMMENTARY
Jun 28, 2009 2:05 PM CDT

Why One Mom Drew the Line at Skype

Technology that brings us together can pull us apart, she writes

(Newser) - Today’s world of cellphones, tweets, and texts makes it possible to stay constantly in touch—but where do we draw the line between contact and privacy, connection and independence? When it comes to family intimacy over distance, that question comes into sharp relief, Peggy Orenstein reflects in the New ...

Smartphones Dial Up Etiquette Debate

Some call tapping rude; others call it necessary

(Newser) - Most companies don’t have rules about smartphone use at work—but with more people eying their BlackBerrys during meetings, a debate is raging over smartphone conduct, the New York Times reports. Many call excessive BlackBerrying the height of rudeness, but others hold that today’s world requires constant electronic...

OMG! Wrld's Bst Txtr Wins $50K

500 text per day habit pays off for Iowa teen

(Newser) - A 15-year-old Iowa girl took home $50,000 and a new phone after thumbing her way to first place in the National Texting Championships yesterday, CNN reports. Kate Moore, who has developed a 500 text-per-day habit since getting her first phone last year, aced speed and dexterity tests as well...

Texts, Tweets Have Roots on Typewriter

German chose character length by writing random messages

(Newser) - The man who chose text-messaging’s magic number—160 characters—did so in a decidedly low-tech way, the Los Angeles Times reports. In 1985, German Friedhelm Hillebrand typed message after random message into his typewriter, and found that 160 was “perfectly sufficient,” he said. And now sufficiency is...

Cell Phone Ban May Follow Mass. Trolley Crash

(Newser) - The head of the Boston-area transit authority said today he'll ban all train and bus operators from even carrying cell phones on board after a trolley driver told police he was texting his girlfriend before a collision yesterday. About 50 people were hurt in the underground crash in downtown...

Sexting Pics Live Forever, Teens Warned

Stalkers, potential employers may have access to photos years later

(Newser) - The critical problem with sexting is that salacious snaps teens send of themselves from their cell phones can exist forever in cyberspace. That's the message Australian authorities are stressing in a new educational anti-sexting campaign. Nude pictures sent in fun could end up being posted on the Internet by sexual...

Sex Query? Experts Help Teens Via Texting

Health professionals text teens answers to anonymous sex questions

(Newser) - Teenagers no longer need to reveal their angst over pregnancy or noisy sex in crowded classrooms, the New York Times reports. Public health officials, fretting over the state of sex ed in US schools, are now answering questions via text message. Some use multiple choice menus and automated responses, but...

Pa. Parents Fire Back at Sexting Charges

Team with ACLU, sue DA over teens' felony child-porn cases

(Newser) - A Pennsylvania district attorney is trying to snuff out “sexting” by threatening felony child-pornography charges for teens who have taken, appeared in, or sent naughty pictures, the Wall Street Journal reports. But while many capitulated, the parents of three others have teamed with the ACLU to sue George Skumanick...

Girl Faces Kid Porn Charges for Posting Self Nudes

14-year-old may have to register as sex offender

(Newser) - A 14-year-old New Jersey girl has been charged with possessing and distributing child porn for posting nude photos of herself on her MySpace web pages, reports WPIX-TV. If convicted, the girl may have to register as a sex offender. The case highlights increasing problems with children posting or texting racy...

Spokane School Jams Cells During Class

District consulting with FCC on legality of jamming

(Newser) - Students in Spokane, Wash. couldn't could call or text during class for 3 whole days, KHQ-TV reports. A school there recently tested a cell phone jammer to get kids focused on academics, but admitted the move may not be legal. They're checking with the FCC. "We just thought it...

Engineer Sometimes Let Rail Buffs Take Controls: Feds

(Newser) - The engineer of the passenger train involved in the September collision that killed 25 people near Los Angeles sometimes allowed amateur rail buffs to ride with him and take the controls, the Times reports. Federal investigators today released evidence, including a text from the day of the crash: “I’...

Jail for UK Driver Who Texted Before Fatal Accident

Woman who slammed into victim at 70 mph said phone wasn't involved

(Newser) - A UK woman who sent more than 20 text messages while driving before crashing into a stopped car and killing another motorist has been sentenced to 21 months in jail, the Times reports. Philippa Curtis, 21, said she was not using the phone when she plowed into Victoria McBryde at...

Self-Portraits of Teens Spur Kid-Porn Charge

Nude photos shared by phone could make senders sex offenders

(Newser) - Pennsylvania teens are in trouble over child-porn photos—of themselves. Three girls who took the pictures, and three boys who got them via cell phone, have been charged, Pittsburgh’s WPXI-TV reports. A student was caught with one of the phones in school in October, prompting a police investigation. But...

Text Offering 'Chicks With Drugs' Dupes Crooks

Friend of Ohio victim suggested pranking carjackers

(Newser) - Three carjackers who expected to meet “hot chicks with drugs” found cops and cuffs instead—all thanks to a prank text message, CNET reports. At gunpoint, the Ohio men robbed Alan Heuss of his BMW, cell phone, and cash. Later, when Heuss told the story to friends, one suggested...

Texting Could Save Dying Languages
Texting Could Save Dying Languages
Jan 2, 2009 8:25 AM CST

Texting Could Save Dying Languages

Linguists push to get more of them on cell phones

(Newser) - Linguists trying to save the world's endangered languages believe cell phones—more specifically, texting—can give them a vital boost, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some 7,000 languages are spoken worldwide, but predictive text software currently exists for just 80. Experts believe developing the technology for more tongues will...

Calif. Texting Ban Hits Jan. 1
 Calif. Texting Ban Hits Jan. 1 
Dec 26, 2008 4:45 PM CST

Calif. Texting Ban Hits Jan. 1

(Newser) - California is beefing up its distracted-driving laws, DailyTech reports, with a ban on adults texting while at the wheel going into effect Jan. 1. The state instituted a hands-free law in July, at the same time prohibiting teen drivers from texting and driving; the new law extends to adults, and...

Russian Slaps &trade; On ;-)
 Russian Slaps ™ On ;-) 
Dec 12, 2008 6:01 AM CST

Russian Slaps ™ On ;-)

Entrepreneur seeks to nudge businesses into paying $$$ for use of emoticon

(Newser) - A Russian businessman says he has been granted the trademark for the ;-) emoticon and will start charging for its use, the BBC reports. The entrepreneur, president of the Superfone mobile phone advertising company, doesn't plan to go after individual users but intends to ask corporations to pay for a...

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