How to Send a Restricted Text

1. Visit an anonymous text message website, such as Textforfree.net or Txtemnow.com.
2. Enter the recipient's phone number and your desired message. Most sites limit your message to about 140 characters. You can add an alias or fake name to your text, if desired.
3. Review the site terms and conditions, then click on 'Send.'

How to Text People With a Zune

TxtDrop
1. Connect your Zune HD to the Internet. Open the Zune Web browser and navigate to the 'TxtDrop' website (see Resources).
2. Type your email address into the 'Your Email Address' box. Type your recipient's full cell phone number into the next box down and the text message you wish to send in the 'Your Free Text Message' box.
3. Click the 'Send' button, and your text message will be sent for free.
Fishtext/SendSMSNow
4. Connect your Zune HD to the Internet. Open the Zune Web browser and navigate to the 'Fishtext/SendSMSNow' website (see Resources).
5. Select your recipient's country code in the drop-down box. Type your recipient's full cell phone number into the next box. Type your name into the 'From' box. Type your message into the 'Message' box.
6. Click the 'Send SMS' button, and your text message will be sent for free.
Text4Free
7. Connect your Zune HD to the Internet. Open the Zune Web browser and navigate to the 'Text4Free' website (see Resources).
8. Click the 'Send Free SMS' link. Enter the number and provider of your recipient into Box 1. Type your message into Box 2.
9. Type the confirmation code into Box 5 and click 'Send Message(s).'

How to Key West for Free

1. See the sunset at Mallory Square. Each evening hundreds of tourists and residents gather at Mallory Square, located at the end of Duval Street, to witness the spectacular Key West sunset. The festivities begin two hours prior to sunset, and include live music, street performers and craft vendors.
2. Relax on the beach. Key West is known for its small cove beaches. Among the most popular are South Beach, Smathers Beach and Rest Beach.
3. Stroll Duval Street. Duval Street is located in the heart of Key West's Old Town, an historic district located on the U.S. Register of Historic Places and home to more than 2400 Victorian and other notable buildings. Duval Street is also home to a number of bars, restaurants and museums.
4. Attend a meeting of the Key West Writers' Guild. Key West has a long literary history. Ernest Hemingway lived there; so did Tennessee Williams. Continue the tradition by joining a meeting of the Key West Writers' Guild, held each second and fourth Sunday at Kelly's Caribbean Bar, Grill and Brewery.
5. Visit Key West Cemetery. Key West's historic cemetery, established in the mid-19th century in the city's Old Town, houses more than 60,000 above and below-ground stone graves. Among the sections are one devoted to Cuban freedom fighters and another dedicated to Confederate Naval soldiers.

How to Send SMS with a Dial Up Modem

1. Launch the Internet browser on your computer and wait for the dial up modem to connect you to the Web.
2. Navigate to a site such as SMSEverywhere.com, gizmosms.com or sendatextonlint.com (see 'References'). All three of these sites allow you to send SMS messages for free using your dial up modem.
3. Type in your name and the number of the individual you want to send the SMS to. If the site asks, fill in the individual's wireless carrier (if you know it) and your email address.
4. Type the message into the message block. There is a limit of around 140 to 150 characters. It is best to leave the message short.
5. Type in the verifying code if required, then click 'Send Message.' The SMS message is now sent to the individual's phone.

How to Find a Blocked Telephone Number

1. Let the call go to voice mail. The easiest way to find a blocked phone number is to let the call go to voice mail, then listen to the message. Often, people leave their names, phone numbers and reasons for their calls in messages.
2. Redial the call. Many landline and cell phones have 'Redial' buttons---simply press the Redial button after the incoming blocked call. If a person answers, explain you received a blocked call from that number and politely request that person's name and phone number. It may be you get that person's voice recording, in which he identifies his phone number. If your phone doesn't have a Redial button, check your phone documentation for a redial feature, or contact the phone manufacturer and inquire if your model has a redial feature.
3. Press *69. In North America, many landline and cell phone carriers offer this code, which (depending on your carrier) might charge a fee per use. You must press *69 immediately after the blocked call, as this code works only with the last incoming call. For some carriers, you will hear a recording with data about the last incoming call (the phone number, time and date of the call) and be prompted if you'd like to return the call (References 1). Some carriers do not provide this recording, but instead place a call back to the last incoming call phone number (in which case you can either ask the person who answers for her phone number, or listen to the voice message which may contain the phone number). Contact your carrier (whose phone number is on your monthly statements) to find out if they offer *69.
4. Purchase a phone number unmasking service. One such service is TrapCall, which unmasks blocked caller IDs, instead displaying the caller's name and/or phone number. For a free trial, go to Trapcall.com, press the 'Try Trapcall free!' button in the lower left of the web page, and follow the instructions.
5. Purchase an unblocking service. One such service is Unblock Private Numbers that forwards your incoming blocked calls (including those marked 'private') to a toll-free number that unmasks the blocking and returns the caller's name and/or phone number to your caller ID. To sign up for this service, go to Unblockprivatenumbers.com, scroll down to 'Step By Step Instructions,' click the 'Click here' link in Step 1, and follow the instructions.

What Are the Differences Between Twitter SMS?

Interface
Although desktop software programs like Skype and Yahoo! Messenger are capable of sending SMS text messages to phones, you almost exclusively use a cellphone to send and receive text messages. On the other hand, it's possible to use Twitter not only from your laptop or desktop computer, but also on an Internet-ready mobile phone. If your phone doesn't have Internet, you can update your Twitter -- and view others' updates -- via SMS text message, an overlap between the two technologies.
Scope and Influence
One of Twitter's key features is the concept of 'Following' -- each user 'follows' other users and a certain number of other users, which may or may not be among those he or she follows, follow that user. As a result, each message a Twitter user sends out has the potential to reach hundreds or even thousands of users, depending on how many users follow him or her. SMS text messages, on the other hand, are generally sent from person-to-person.
Purpose
Twitter and text messaging also differ in their intended purpose. While people send SMS text messages to one another mostly to privately communicate specific messages and feelings, Twitter has a wide range of applications. These include posting multimedia, advertising businesses and generating publicity. It's possible to send direct, private messages on Twitter, although this tool is arguably secondary to the main Twitter feed -- and the public tweets users post to it.
Cost
Although many cellphone plans these days include the option to add unlimited text messages for a fixed monthly fee, text messaging is, at its root, a service which incurs cost. Twitter, on the other hand, is completely free to use. If you do access Twitter from a cellphone that doesn't have Internet access, the tweets you send to Twitter via text may incur a charge or count against your monthly allotment if you haven't signed up for an unlimited plan.

How to Receive SMS Messages on a Computer

Chat Services
1. Log into your chat service, whether it's Gchat, MSN, Yahoo, AIM or any other.
2. Right-click the name of a friend you want to send SMS messages to, to open a new menu. If your buddy is not yet on your list, go to your Options menu and select 'Add to Buddy List,' 'Add New Buddy,' 'Invite Friend to Chat' or a similar option. Enter your name when prompted. Choose 'Save' to add that person to your buddy list menu, then right-click their newly-added name to bring up the new menu.
3. Look for an option that says 'Send SMS,' 'Send message to cell,' or 'Text Message (SMS),' and select that option. Enter their phone number when prompted, then type a message that says who you are in the box, since it won't automatically have your name. Hit 'Send.'
4. Wait for your friend to send you a message back. By sending them a message, you've given them a number that they can use to send a message to your computer.
Email
5. Give your email address to the person you want to receive SMS messages from.
6. Instruct your friend to use your email address in place of your phone number when sending the SMS message.
7. Look for messages in your email inbox that are delivered from a phone number rather than from an email address.