I use them BOTH! I have txt msg. conversations with friends and clients alike. Most of my emails on my device with contain file attachments of contracts, proposals, presentations and the such. So I use both very much!

Yeah, I use both almost equally. One thing that I've found is that, at least with my various accounts, there may be days when either SMSs or e-mails are not going through as quickly as they should - network congestion, Web server down, something at the carrier, etc. So if I know this is the case, I just use the method that I have more confidence will actually reach the other person. Or, if I'm really desperate, I'll send both and SMS and e-mail, just to be sure. For emergency use only, though...

Only an American could ask this question (sorry ). Texting has long been recognised as the killer app in Europe. Old or young, everyone loves those SMSs, especially the phone companies. The funny thing is that something they only added as an afterthought has been such a big hit when the follow up that they thought would be just as big (MMS) has been a flop.

David Girdler:

Only an American could ask this question

Well, an Englishperson living in America.

Welcome David ! I don't think -  No, I know that I have NEVER sent an MMS message.

Oops, I need to update my profile. English but living in Germany.

We say "Messaggiare" in Italy (isn't italian really, is from the word "Message" trasformed in "To Message" verb) and it means sending message, TEXTING . My son is "messaggiando" a friend, he said please "messaggiami" (please text to me).

We use it a lot also in the business envirnment, because you can have "delivered message" and "sent message", because are really INSTANT, because if you are in a meeting you sometime can read and answer.

I never use texting for conversations, they are for quick&dirty communications, like coffee? I am 15 mins late, happy bithday, or TVBB (means >Ti Voglio Tanto Bene> I love you so much)

David Girdler:

Oops, I need to update my profile. English but living in Germany.

Welcome David - yes done that one also - in Frankfurt

I actually use SMS for something else too. Our device management software uses a text message to deliver a URL to the user's device from where they can install the agent.

This is quite a neat way of doing it though by the very nature of SMS can never be 100% reliable.

David Girdler:

Our device management software uses a text message to deliver a URL to the user's device from where they can install the agent.

I'm beginning to see this method being used by a number of software manufacturers.

Absolutely! The difference between the texting habits of US and other countries (especially Europe and certain parts of Asia) is well known. I have a data plan as well, but an sms is just so convenient and quick. 

The difference between SMS and email is more the expectations around it. With email it is accepted and expected that a reply will not be soon. With SMS the behaviour is different, in that its more akin to instant messaging. 

BTW, first post on these forums - very high signal to noise ratio! thank you :)

Welcome Brian - it's great to have an audience from so many parts of the world.

I find SMS slightly better than Instant messaging as a reply is not quite so urgent though I agree, that the person on the other end is often expecting to hear from you fairly soon.

I use SMS more for third party web services, like Twitter, Facebook, Plazes.com, and Brightkite.

 I can get practically 450+ per day if I'm not careful.  Thank goodness for unlimited SMS.

I'm quite multy platformed when it comes to communications and it is mainly decided on who I am contacting.

I usually TXT but regularly IM my teenage daughter

I call my wife for a conversation and TXT if just want to pass her a FYI

and I email my best friend, only because that is his favourite form of contact.

I've never actually considered it before ready this thread

I text a few times a day.

I send or receive picture-mail maybe once a month.

Ironically perhaps, I never synchronize email to my mobile device.  I get too much of it to want to deal with it on that kind of a device.  I don't want to see it unless I'm working. 

I try not to synchronize my Work mailbox to my device dur the number and size of attachments that I receive which are for system processing rather than for handling myself.

But during my waking hours, my Windows Live account is costantly feeding my device with my personal emails. Of course, finding the appropriate time to deal with them is another matter.