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Decades ago, my partner used Google Voice for texting -- really handy, texts just showed up in the gmail inbox, and could be replied to from there. She didn't l
by jmkb 2y ago
Decades ago, my partner used Google Voice for texting -- really handy, texts just showed up in the gmail inbox, and could be replied to from there. She didn't like cellphones, but usually carried one of the old "Kindle Keyboard" models with unlimited 3G data. The Kindle had simple web browser that could load the low-spec gmail interface, so in essence she had a fully functional SMS device, with no monthly charges.
Notification of incoming texts was the only problem. I jailbroke the thing and started trying to schedule network requests, thinking I'd add some kind of new message counter on the home screen. This proved hard. But it occurred to me that the best place for the counter would be right next to the Kindle's device name, at the top of the screen. And the device name could be updated from her Amazon account.
So I automated a web browser on the home server to log into Amazon and update the device name to "My Kindle (x)" where x was the number of unread Google Voice texts. The Kindle would update the name on the home screen in less than a minute. This worked for years!
(Eventually that Kindle was stolen. I wanted to update its name to something foul but the device disappeared from her account too quickly.)
- toastercat 2y agoGoogle Voice has only existed since 2009, so it couldn't have been "decades" ago. That's how i know your story is fake.
- fyrn_ 2y agoOr just maybe, 1.5 decades and "decades" are compatible when parsed by a human. Calling a story fake for that is a bit much, people just get details wrong, and that's okay
- venusenvy47 2y agoI still use Google Voice for texting, but only from their dedicated web page. I never heard about being able to text from Gmail. I assume this feature is gone?
- dark 2y agono, it still exists.
- vasusen 2y agoGoogle Voice still supports texting from their web page, but the feature to text directly from Gmail was discontinued a few years ago. It was a convenient feature, but now you have to use the Google Voice app or web page for texting.
- kristopolous 2y agoI use it as my primary interface. I can't believe they haven't killed it. I like it, it's useful, I rely on it, and it's from Google. How does it still exist?
- oldang 2y ago[dead]
- LegitShady 2y agoI loaned my kindle keyboard to a coworker for a trip and it was stolen from them in mexico. The joke was at the time it was probably the oldest working kindle possible, so I assume the thief just took whatever was in the bag. Later I found another kindle keyboard for $20 in a flea market but it only worked for 6 months before the battery died. I still have the body around - I wonder how much it would cost to get a replacement battery.
- actionfromafar 2y agoIt's probably a single cell so with some luck you can plonk whatever battery physically fits in there.
- LegitShady 2y agoBatteries for it are pretty readily available across the Internet so you can get the exact right one. It's about 2 minutes worth of work to change.
- Palomides 2y agoI just replaced two, a new battery inc. shipping runs around $15 not too hard to pop open and swap in
- CrazyStat 2y agoYears ago before I got a smart phone I used my kindle keyboard to navigate on a long road trip. It could just barely run the Google Maps website.
- xyzzy_plugh 2y agoThe AT&T bill (IIRC it was all under a single account) for the 3G Kindles was eye-watering. I recall a few byte-shavings yielding something like a million dollars of savings.
- zorked 2y agoFree Internet was a very bold proposition. I used it a lot, via roaming, from a country that was in the very-expensive-roaming lists.
- jmkb 2y agoWorth it, I reckon. You can't buy this kind of advertising: https://xkcd.com/548/ https://xkcd.com/548/
- throwup238 2y agoAmazon really missed the chance to call their network Sub-Etha. Or the Sub-Wave network.
- LegitShady 2y agoI still have my Kindle 3g. I love it. The battery on mine is toast right now so it's not operable. I was going to buy a new Kindle but the prime day preview in Canada doesn't show any Kindles on sale and I was hoping Amazon was going to release an oasis v2 with USB-c before I replaced this. I might just pay $30 for another battery and stick with this Kindle keyboard.
- wwweston 2y agoDoes the connectivity still work? Thinking about pulling out my DX and giving it a spin.
- LegitShady 2y agoI dont think any of the providers around me still have 3g networks for it to connect to, and I know in the US amazon said they would lose connectivity in the US 2021
- thot_experiment 2y agoOh my god! I did this too!!! I didn't have the clever Kindle name change integration but I did use a keyboard Kindle with infinite 3G to text for a while.
- e808 2y agoOh that 'free' 3g was amazing! I was able to hobble through gmail through the browser, and even wrote a kindle-friendly Zork website so one could play text games on it allowing you to choose from a bunch of zmachine roms. Had some traction getting mentioned on a few news websites.