What phone does texting like the Iphone?

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Hey guys
My wife has a 3Gs and literally never gets online with it. The only reason she won't let me get rid of the iphone is because she likes how text messages look like conversations where you can scroll through everything that was said between herself and whoever she has text in the past.
Could someone tell me what this "conversation type texting" is called... is it SMS or is that something else? I am hoping to find a phone that offers the "history" of the text conversation that she can scroll through that is NOT on the iphone so that I can cancel our data plan and save the money monthly...
So, if someone could recommend a phone that does not require a data plan that allows the text history conversation style please let me know. Even better if the phone were touch screen and closely related to how an iphone is set up.
thanks
jared
 
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Hey guys
My wife has a 3Gs and literally never gets online with it. The only reason she won't let me get rid of the iphone is because she likes how text messages look like conversations where you can scroll through everything that was said between herself and whoever she has text in the past.
Could someone tell me what this "conversation type texting" is called... is it SMS or is that something else? I am hoping to find a phone that offers the "history" of the text conversation that she can scroll through that is NOT on the iphone so that I can cancel our data plan and save the money monthly...
So, if someone could recommend a phone that does not require a data plan that allows the text history conversation style please let me know. Even better if the phone were touch screen and closely related to how an iphone is set up.

To be honest, your best option may be to cancel the texting plan, block texting completely, and use one of the free or low-cost SMS apps off the App Store. You get an actual phone number with those apps when you register so anyone can text to you, but you have no control over the number or area code you get.

Barring that, if she only texts to other iPhone users, the upcoming iOS 5 will have a new iMessage feature that texts over the data channel to other iPhones running iOS 5. If that's the case (a big IF, I know), then you can do the same… kill the texting plan.

The only other suggestion is to go to an AT&T store (assuming you are in the US) and see what they have to offer and see if something else will fit the bill.
 
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not in smaller phones.

The Androids will look similar, but nothing will look exactly like the iPhone.
 
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well i hate to cancel the texting plan since she does text her mom very often who has the oldest phone known to man (think Zack Morris against a locker here).
after some google searching, i believe the phrase is threaded conversation... so i am just looking for a phone that allows thread conversation texting but does not require a data plan... anyone know if this exists?
 
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only thing about keeping the iphone is that we have to keep the data plan, but i guess what you're saying is that i could cancel the texting part of the plan but then that would do away with texting on my phone since we are on the same plan... what a pickle...

To be honest, your best option may be to cancel the texting plan, block texting completely, and use one of the free or low-cost SMS apps off the App Store. You get an actual phone number with those apps when you register so anyone can text to you, but you have no control over the number or area code you get.

Barring that, if she only texts to other iPhone users, the upcoming iOS 5 will have a new iMessage feature that texts over the data channel to other iPhones running iOS 5. If that's the case (a big IF, I know), then you can do the same… kill the texting plan.

The only other suggestion is to go to an AT&T store (assuming you are in the US) and see what they have to offer and see if something else will fit the bill.
 
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well i hate to cancel the texting plan since she does text her mom very often who has the oldest phone known to man (think Zack Morris against a locker here).

If you cancel the texting plan and use a free SMS app off the App Store, she'd have an actual number that her mother could use to text to her. Although it would be an inconvenience to have one number for calling, another for texting. But aside from having separate texting/calling numbers, it's exactly the same. Except with ads… I should say. And did I mention free?

I feel your pain. It's insidious that texting isn't considered data. It's outright highway robbery. And my wife won't even consider the above option because it's too inconvenient for others to have multiple contact numbers. Oh noooo… she'd rather drop 30 bucks a month to send texts unlimited.
 
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ok ok, i am seeing now... canceling texting could certainly be an option although it would cancel texting for me too so i would have to get the same app (not the end of the world i suppose either but since i use my phone for business use i would be awkward to tell clients they have to text a different number)

i am sure this has been discussed many times and i have found many results on a google search but i will ask it and hope you guys will be gentle on me:
as of right now in July of 2011 can you have an iphone without a data plan? or will AT&T eventually add it to your account... keep in mind, she never gets online so i am not sure how AT&T would "know"
 
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only thing about keeping the iphone is that we have to keep the data plan, but i guess what you're saying is that i could cancel the texting part of the plan but then that would do away with texting on my phone since we are on the same plan... what a pickle...

Ooooh yah. Well unless someone comes up with a specific recommendation, you really need to hit the AT&T store and see what they have to offer. The pickings are going to be increasingly slim in the future. The carriers want to move people to smartphones more and more for the mandatory data plans.

EDIT:

as of right now in July of 2011 can you have an iphone without a data plan? or will AT&T eventually add it to your account... keep in mind, she never gets online so i am not sure how AT&T would "know"

Nope. And yes, they will know.
 
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thanks for the quick replies beach...
i have a close friend that works at my local AT&T store so i will have him take a look for me.
 
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chas_m

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I'm confused. Texting (aka SMS) does *not* require a data plan, at least not in my experience in the US and Canada. You can of course test this by turning off both Wi-Fi and 3G on that iPhone and then try texting (send/receive). It should work fine.
 
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I'm confused. Texting (aka SMS) does *not* require a data plan, at least not in my experience in the US and Canada. You can of course test this by turning off both Wi-Fi and 3G on that iPhone and then try texting (send/receive). It should work fine.

But the carriers *do* require a data plan with the iPhone here in the US. The idea is to save money by ditching the non-required text messaging plan and using free texting services that operate using the data service.
 
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chas_m

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Ah, thanks for clarifying, LIAB.

I doubt she's going to be happy with any change -- the OP might consider just buying out the contract on her phone and going prepaid (that's what I did with my old iPhone, and my wife now uses it) with unlimited texting and no data plan. Short term pain, long term savings.
 
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I doubt she's going to be happy with any change -- the OP might consider just buying out the contract on her phone and going prepaid (that's what I did with my old iPhone, and my wife now uses it) with unlimited texting and no data plan. Short term pain, long term savings.

Errmm… no pre-paid iPhone plans in US either. AT&T just sucks that much.
 
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Or we can just wait for the purported pre-paid/cheaper iPhone coming soon :p. But if you're desperate, there are ways to have an iPhone without a data plan. All my cheap friends have it.
 
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You can gets apps for many phones to emulate iPhone style texting.

For instance here is a Nokia doing it:

text.jpg
 
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if you have to have an app to do it wouldn't you have to have a data plan thus canceling the entire option
 
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jrod almost all phone now can use data all you would do is pay the 50c charge for data usage for the download of the app
 

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