Windows 10 Feature Request: Texting from Laptop/PC

[rockstarzzz]

This is coming with Windows 10.

Sent from Halloween Lumia 930

 

[ven07]

Well you can use whatsapp to in your browser now? xd

 

[Albany Park]

Well you can use whatsapp to in your browser now? xd

Yes I read about that! A useful feature although only available on Chrome (that's what I understand of it anyway). I use Firefox

 

[Albany Park]

This is coming with Windows 10.

Sent from Halloween Lumia 930

Intriguing....I was looking for any information about Windwos 10 on this issue but couldn't really come up with anything. I understand Skype is to be more integrated - is this what you refer to?

 

[Albany Park]

YEAH, like Whatsapp. Oh wait, doesn't even exist on computers. Duh. As antiquated you may consider SMS, but it's the only thing you can be sure EVERY device understands and supports. What is he supposed to do, force all his people to use one certain messenger? Or install an entire bunch of different ones on his device in order to be able to reach everyone he needs to?

Exactly! And even if I did install lots of different messages, it still doesn't solve the problem of reaching people who have no internet connection but do have a mobile signal (as is the case in rural Scotland).

 

[Albany Park]

The reason they don't do it via phone is because MS makes most of its money via subscriptions. They let you call any mobile and text any mobile using Skype credits or subscriptions. If they start letting you text and call for free using your phone allowances, then you network provider makes a LOT of money from you but MS makes nothing. This isn't how they make profit. Their future goals are clearly into cloud computing and leveraging their dominance in operating systems to sell their services. That's why they can afford to give away 8 inch tablet with free Windows on it but then they know you will want to use Office on such device, so they give you that for free for a year with 1 TB online storage. After 365 days, you will surely want to keep using the subscription. Same with Skype.

Yes good point but if they don't start putting such features on, fewer and fewer people will decide to use Windows in the first place. can't generate subscription revenue from people who don't use Microsoft! I currently pay for a Office 365 subscription which I think is good value for money considering you get 1tb of OneDrive. I just wish it wasn't so slow compared to GoogleDrive or Dropbox!

 

[Albany Park]

What did you use on Android to do this?

I used Mighty Text: MightyText | SMS From Computer or Tablet

 

[Albany Park]

I'm not sure what other carriers offer, but you should check with your carrier for sending/receiving text directly from a laptop or desktop. My wife and I do it all the time.

If you're with AT&T, you have the ability to do this already, and you don't need permission from Windows Phone, or any phone. It works with all systems, and it is a web interface that you log into.

https://messages.att.net/

From that page, you can sign up, then log in and send/receive messages. You can also see everything sent and received by your phone number not already sent through this service. It will show AT&T's backup of what you have, or what has passed through their service.

I would think other carriers would offer such a service. Most people are unaware that it is available.

I do believe the suggestion above stating the OP is looking for doing a direct type SMS into the laptop and it send it is exactly what the OP is looking for. Not sure about the calling/receiving calls, though, as that's just calls over WiFi where it spoofs your phone number. With the AT&T messages portal, all messages are live and come in at the same time on my laptop and on my phone. No spoofing, just the web interface to the text messaging server for AT&T, which is the best possible world to be in.

Hi - thanks for your message. Very useful information for WP users in the US. Sadly, I live in England and am on O2. They actually do have their own sort of texting software but it is terrible. It doesn't sync my contacts - I have to manually add them. When I send messages, it only appears on the 02 software and not the phone text message interface which means I can't easily track who I've sent messages to.

 

[Wevenhuis]

I think that skype is the solution. I think by the time windows 10 official release comes out microsoft should invest a lot in promoting the new skype actively. It not only could solve the texting on a laptop/pc question, but also the fact that skype is one of many social media platforms used. Most of my friends and collegues though don't use skype, but facebook chat/messaging or whatsapp. If microsoft wants to get somewhere they really need to get into talks with other social media platforms to have add-ins or plugs-in to the messaging app or skype. I love skype for what it is, but the reality is I have had skype on my desktop and windows phone ever since windows 7 and windows phone 7. I hardly used it. Again because most of my friends choose a different platform. And I can imagine it could differ from country to country. I do not think microsoft, apple and android should make a market out of social media, but for once also think about improving global social media beyond that scope and invest in collaboration and cross platform support and promotion. Otherwise my skype apps wil still remain collecting dust. It's not that I don't want to use skype, but it's my social group that is determining which platform I'm using. That's reality.

 

[Albany Park]

I think that skype is the solution. I think by the time windows 10 official release comes out microsoft should invest a lot in promoting the new skype actively. It not only could solve the texting on a laptop/pc question, but also the fact that skype is one of many social media platforms used. Most of my friends and collegues though don't use skype, but facebook chat/messaging or whatsapp. If microsoft wants to get somewhere they really need to get into talks with other social media platforms to have add-ins or plugs-in to the messaging app or skype. I love skype for what it is, but the reality is I have had skype on my desktop and windows phone ever since windows 7 and windows phone 7. I hardly used it. Again because most of my friends choose a different platform. And I can imagine it could differ from country to country. I do not think microsoft, apple and android should make a market out of social media, but for once also think about improving global social media beyond that scope and invest in collaboration and cross platform support and promotion. Otherwise my skype apps wil still remain collecting dust. It's not that I don't want to use skype, but it's my social group that is determining which platform I'm using. That's reality.

Agreed. Hope it will solve the problem though! I never really used Skype as I find it quite annoying. Most people I talk to I don't want to see their face to be honest!

 

[Igor_BL]

It was possible to send SMS through PC suite from computer with old Symbian. I really don't get it why it's not possible to do so with Lumia phones.

 

[Albany Park]

I know! I never had an Symbian phone but it really does seem a silly thing for Microsoft to leave out. It's these little things that are really holding them back.