Do you text from your tablet, and what app do you use?

[jchapman01]

Hi! Lately I've started wondering why Android doesn't have the built-in (that I know of) ability to send/receive and sync your SMS messages between phone and tablet. I'm pretty sure I would use the hell out of this feature! I'm pretty sure there are apps available to make this work...

I'm looking for suggestions... What app do you use, and how well does it work?

Thanks!

 

[SpookDroid]

I use Mighty Text for that, but there are a ton of other options. Push Bullet is one, for instance. But I still prefer MightyText. It feels better integrated.

Note that for these apps to work you need your phone to have an active connection (since it'll be the one doing the texting).

Another option is to get a Google Voice number. Then you can text and call from any device, whether your phone is on or off, as long as the device you're using has an active internet connection. Your messages are synced across devices as well.

 

[jchapman01]

Thanks! I've thought about getting a Google Voice number before but never ended up doing it. Can I move my current number over or would that complicate things?

 

[SpookDroid]

Thanks! I've thought about getting a Google Voice number before but never ended up doing it. Can I move my current number over or would that complicate things?

You can port the number. Just bear in mind that doing so does have a few implications:
1) Google Voice doesn't currently support international texting. You can only send texts to US and Canada numbers.
2) Google Voice can work anywhere to receive/make calls as long as you have an active internet connection, but to use on a phone, you either need to be connected to WiFi/mobile data or you need to set up call forwarding to your mobile's number.
3) Calls from Google Voice to international numbers have a cost, and although it's usually lower per minute than most carriers, if you currently have a carrier plan that includes calls to other countries (for instance, T-Mobile's free roaming to/from Mexico and unlimited texting to/from a bunch of countries) then you'll lose that ability from your Google Voice number and would have to use your new assigned mobile number.

 

[jchapman01]

Thanks for your help. Looking at the info you posted, I don't think Google Voice is the right option for me. Hoping an app will give this feature. I really wish that SMS hadn't been removed from the Hangouts app. That would have been a great solution as most of my friends use Android.

 

[anon(9691750)]

Pay 10 dollars for pulse SMS. Best texting app on Android IMO.

 

[jchapman01]

Luckily not long after posting this T-Mobile came out with Digits so that's what I use now. I can even make calls from my tablet if needed. I can even use my same number!

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Luckily not long after posting this T-Mobile came out with Digits so that's what I use now. I can even make calls from my tablet if needed. I can even use my same number!

Verizon has done this since 2014, maybe 2013. Verizon supports windows 10 as well so I can text from my desktop, real convienent.

Do you know if T-mobile supports Windows 10 in that way?

I gave T-mobile a try a year ago and hated that I no longer had that feature, good to know other carriers are catching up.

 

[jchapman01]

Verizon has done this since 2014, maybe 2013. Verizon supports windows 10 as well so I can text from my desktop, real convienent.

Do you know if T-mobile supports Windows 10 in that way?

I gave T-mobile a try a year ago and hated that I no longer had that feature, good to know other carriers are catching up.

I didn't know Verizon had this capability. I always thought T-Mobile was the first to offer anything like Digits (call/text and voicemail from any device with an internet connection).

 

[anon(9691750)]

I do sometimes. I don't have an Lte tablet. I use Pulse SMS.