HTML messages allow for text formatting, multiple columns, images, and brand recognition.

They are growing in popularity and over 95% of customer email programs today will support HTML email. Unfortunately most spam is also formatted using HTML and thus differentiating between requested email and HTML spam messages can be difficult.

HTML emails are therefore more likely to trigger spam filters. According to email deliverability expert Dori Friend, you should NEVER use HTML email. Dori’s advice is supported by some studies.

A 2004 study by AWeber.com shows that plain text messages are undeliverable 1.15% of the time and HTML only messages were undeliverable 2.3% of the time.

But on the other hand we have seen tests were they changed from html to plain text and the open rates dropted with over 15%.

The whole Text vs. HTML email problem is still widely debated in ecommerce circles and the best advice we can give you is to test it out on your own.

Test and determine what works best for your customer base. Your test results will always be your most reliable source of information.

Here are some things to consider when making your decision:

· Over 95% of customer email clients are capable of receiving HTML emails. The compatibility rate will continue to increase. Few outdated email clients cannot display HTML, but you can pretty much bet that the majority of your customers will have newer versions of email clients.

· A surprisingly large portion of the population still uses dial-up to connect to the internet. This creates a longer load time for HTML emails.

· Spam filters are becoming increasingly sophisticated and often block HTML emails since most spam comes in that format. Work related and personal emails are generally in text and do not have delivery problems.

· HTML file sizes are typically larger than text emails and might therefore automatically get transferred to a user’s Bulk/Junk or Trash folders. Aim to create HTML emails less than 24k in size.

Text has limited formatting features when compared to HTML, but it does not necessarily mean it is less effective. Whether you use Text or HTML, be sure to follow these formatting rules.

Tips for Formatting Text Emails:

· Use a text editor such as Notepad or WordPad when formatting your emails. Do NOT use Microsoft Word as it embeds a lot of formatting bugs that make it difficult to work with and results in errors on the recipients’ ends.

· In text emails don’t make the text bold, italicized, colored, or centered. Instead you can use CAPITAL letters for the words or phrases that need emphasis.

But don’t go overboard; too much capitalization is difficult to read, gives the impression of yelling, and resembles spam. In fact many spam filters will deduct points for every CAPITALIZATION.

· The width most email clients can properly display is 65 characters (including spaces). Use a hard return (i.e. press the “Enter” key) every 60 characters or so. Remember that spaces count too. Exceeding 65 characters runs the risk of your recipients seeing awkward line breaks or cut off sentences.

· Create your text email first in Courier font and then in Arial. These are the most commonly used display fonts by email clients. Adjust line breaks and “white space” (i.e. the space between paragraphs). Your message will not look the same in both fonts, so do not stress over it. Concentrate on perfecting the format in Courier.

Tips for Formatting HTML Emails:

· Use an HTML editor like Dreamweaver and take advantage of all the easy to use formatting options. Here you can play around with the text alignment, font size, colors and more, and you don’t even need to know HTML!

· Just as with text emails, HTML emails should not exceed a specified width. Wrap your message in a table no wider than 420 pixels. Your message may get cut off or not print properly if your table width is too large.

· Try to avoid using images. People with slow connections will have a hard time downloading them and those viewing your message offline will not see them at all, which could appear unprofessional on your part.

· Some email clients like Gmail initially don’t show images, so make sure your messages are readable with or without images. We understand that images can be an essential component of your message, and if that’s the case, then be sure to compress your image files properly.

· Use your formatting options tastefully. HTML allows you to make text bold, italicized, and underlined. You can use color and embed hyperlinks rather than use long URLs. You have a lot more ways to make your message visually appealing, however you want to be careful not to go too far.

We’ve offered you some tips and suggestions for creating both Text and HTML emails. Run regular tests to see which format produces better results; it’s possible that your readers may change their mind from one email to the next and that’s OK.

If you know how to effectively format each type you can cater to any audience.

SMS is technology that contributed varied beneficial services to the world and is used in different applications. These applications include business and trade, ebanking, as well as social and spiritual applications.

Indeed, mobile phones have made tremendous contributions to society and to mankind. From its inception as a tool of communication used only by deaf or hearing impaired individuals, SMS or Short Messaging Service had turned into a very powerful means of communication. Also, SMS had made the world smaller and much better as people rapidly gain access to mobile phones. Moreover, it created a new way of system of communication all together.

SMS Applications and Advantages:

SMS has countless contributions to the worlds and let’s discuss some of them.

• Banking. SMS had contributed so much in terms of transactions like depositing and withdrawing money. Instead of people going to the banks to transact, the latter had instituted various ways so that the customers can perform bank transactions through short messaging service. This makes them complete their financial transactions with out leaving their offices and or their homes.

• Social Aspect. SMS has made old acquaintances and family members become continually in touch.

• Business. SMS allows for the sales and purchase of goods easier. By just sending and receiving text messages, both buyers and vendors of products need not have to meet face-to-face when trading.

• Spiritual Aspect. In religion and beliefs, SMS too had played a significant role in propagating the faith and inspiring the weary soul. Bible verses were now sent through text messages.

SMS Disadvantages:

Like any other technological advances, SMS has its own share of disadvantages. First of all, it is being used by unscrupulous people to blackmail others. Some crooked group of people will send you text messages stating that you have allegedly won in a lottery or promos. Then you’ll find out that the aforementioned were not true and will only bribe you some amount of money.

SMS has made some families disintegrate in one way or another. Husbands and wives can be occupied sending text messages to some friends or colleagues. Rather than talking to one another and their children, they’ll usually pick up the cell phone and text or play games. Likewise, children are communicating to their peers most often using text messages and lose quality time interacting with their parents. Sadly, their interaction, communication, and even relationship are endangered. Some users also became addicted to Short Messaging System.

Nevertheless, all is not yet lost in terms of getting the full potential of this new messaging tool. We only have to apply it in the way that we can maximize its usage and services. Sending scams, blackmails, and others with the same evil motives should be stopped at once. We can all start sending good and inspiring messages that will enable others to be uplifted and inspired to do what is right. We should not forget to interact with other individuals, as well. While SMS is a great help in communicating to people, face-to-face interaction should not be put aside. Technology like this is beneficial, but abusing it will ruin its true purpose and functions as to why it is invented in the first place.

I have Verizon and my plan gives me 250 text messages to any Verizon or non verizon customer. However I’m wondering if it costs extra (even though I have 250 messages on my plan) to text message phones outside of the U.S.? Can anyone tell me?

How do people send those viruses through text messages? I sent someone a text message that they have not yet read and I want to crash their phone so they can’t get it. Any help?

After being arrested, police officers not only went through my phone and my friend’s, but also started to text message contacts to exchange information with them. They lured another person to the scene with these text messages leading to his arrest. Is any of this legal? There were no warrants involved.

I have Verizon, and in my Outbox where it shows all of my sent text messages, there will either be a picture of an envelope with an arrow (means the text was sent) or a picture of an envelope with a hand holding it (means the text was delivered and the recipient has actually opened it and read it) next to each message. Some messages I have sent still just have the sent picture next to them, and not the read picture even though I know the recipient has read it. Is there a way to configure your cell phone so if someone sends you a text it doesn’t show up in their Outbox that you’ve read it? This would be useful if I don’t necessarily want to respond to a text, but don’t want the sender to know that I’ve read it and just ignoring them. Is it just certain cell phones or carriers that provide this option? Thank you!

Mobile phones are moving into new grounds and bringing us greater features than ever before. The most exciting of these features is the easy and instant access to the internet or WAP. There is a great expectation for what WAP will allow on mobile phones including instant messaging and email. Speculation is beginning as to the future of the lowly text message with such an exciting alternative.

Text messages have no need for alarm, however. They aren’t going anywhere.

For those slower on the advent of mobile technology, text messaging may seem as though it was just invented. However, with the rate technology moves in our modern times, text messaging is almost ancient. Some ancient things still have value, and text messaging is one of them.

Text messaging is easy. Sending a text message is almost as easy as making a phone call, and in some cases simpler than that. Text messages are short bursts of information that can be replied to instantly and silently. It is easy enough for those without a great deal of background knowledge and experience in computers or handhelds to be able to use and not feel intimidated.

Text messaging is already established. Text messages have been around long enough to already be established. They are used with great frequency and most mobile phone tariffs automatically include text messages along with voice minutes. Many phones don’t yet accept WAP or the internet, and those that do are a bit expensive for the casual mobile phone user. Text messaging was here first, and a lot of people are already using it. They won’t be switching any time soon.

Text messaging is cheaper. With text messages already included in a basic phone plan, it is cheaper than using WAP. Internet access almost always requires an additional monthly fee, and that fee is not small. Text messages are almost free with certain plans.

Text messaging is faster. Until a phone savvy individual learns their way around the WAP as well as they do their standard messages, text messaging will be faster. Sending a short phrase via text takes less time than typing a full email regardless.

In short, text messaging is already here and being used by most mobile phone users. WAP is exciting and new, but won’t replace text messaging any more than mobile phones have replaced landlines.

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