This may not be the case for everybody but for me, I used to rarely use SMS to communicate. There has only been a slight increase of SMS activity on my BlackBerry smartphone. What’s the reason? There isn’t actually any real reason that I can think of. Most of my wireless communication typically happens via email, phone calls, BlackBerry Messenger or through third party apps. After thinking about it, I may not use SMS that often due to the fact that once it’s deleted, it’s gone. Unless I choose to delete an email from my mailbox and handheld, I will still have the message backed up somewhere. If I’m at work, I’m usually managing my email and such from my desktop. Some departments in my company are actually banning cellphones, due to SMS abuse. Tsk tsk fellow employees - even without your BlackBerry on your desks, you can still use txtForward.
Actually, txtForward, if used with good intentions, could be very beneficial. The application lets you forward received and/or sent messages to an email address of your choice. With txtForward on my BlackBerry, I should text those who may have thought I died a long time ago. If you’re still curious what this application could do for you, read on.
About txtForward
txtForward was developed by Electric Pocket Ltd. You may recognize the name, as they are also behind, FlipSide MP3 player, Ringo ringtone manager, PhoneFace photo speed dial and Twitterlerts Twitter search. The latest version of txtForward is 1.1.0.6, which will occupy 47.8 KB on your BlackBerry. As the application runs in the background, you’ll find set up incredibly easy. txtForward has a simple enable/disable option, eliminating the need to set filters or unnecessary preferences. You can decide, however, to choose whether to forward received text messages, sent text messages or both. Any email address or mobile number can be chosen to forward the text messages to. If you want to forward your sent messages, I would suggest using an email account not set up on your BlackBerry. Otherwise, you will see duplicate messages.
the main menu
choose the destination
Use the EP Server or forward directly from your BlackBerry
In the email, you can see the number of the sender (the name and number if you have them in the address book) and the message itself. Now, you could grab your BlackBerry and respond OR reply to the message directly. Make sure you don’t modify the subject line or reply address. You now have a reliable SMS archive that doesn’t take up space on your BlackBerry! When replying to an SMS from the forwarded message, the reply is sent from your BlackBerry’s SMS service “at your normal network charge”. For forwarded messages you have two options: have the messages forwarded using Electric Pocket’s servers or directly from your phone. I only had one issue when using txtForward. Their user guide states that PIN messages can be forwarded as well. I haven’t been able to receive any PINs from anyone, whether they are in my address book (or BlackBerry Messenger) or not. I was disappointed as this would have been a very important feature. Other than that, the application performed quite well. It’s an excellent way to keep in touch, without having access to your wireless device…or devices.
Viewing the SMS using GMail
Conclusion
Despite not having any luck with PIN messages, txtForward is a superb way to receive, respond to and archive SMS messages without being on your BlackBerry. With the effortless setup and multiple benefits, you’ll find this solution to be quite useful. txtForward is available at the CrackBerry App Store for $9.95. If you would like to try before you buy, there is a free trial available.
Pros
- Manage SMS messages from multiple wireless devices using one email account
- Read and respond without touching your BlackBerry
- Extremely easy to set up
Cons
- Wasn't able to forward PIN messages
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