Surface Pro 3 to send local SMS Urgent help for good cause

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Surface Pro 3 to send local SMS Urgent help for good cause

MarkGM

12 posts

Geek

#185182 12-Nov-2015 21:12

I am trying to see if anyone knows any way to send an SMS from a Surface Pro 3, via some form of App? I have a friend who very unfortunately has a terminal illness, his only connection to the outside world is through a dedicated Surface Pro 3 that has specialist speech/txt/input device attached. The specialist software loaded can connect to SMS through a synced phone but as the software is 'old' so is the only phone it can sync to, a Sony Erickson K610i PRC. I have put a post on the vodafone forum seeing if I can track down a second hand phone but as an alternate does anyone know of a reliable App that can be loaded on a Surface Pro 3 that can send SMS to local numbers in NZ through his home wifi. He can switch out of the dedicated software so should be able to use an App, I still need to confirm this with the device supplier. Everything he does has to be through camera/reflective spot input device. Any help / direction gratefully received.

Yabanize

2350 posts

Uber Geek

#1427215 12-Nov-2015 21:32

Many Cellular USB dongles available from Vodafone, 2degrees and Spark have the capability to send texts via included windows software

It can also be done using serial commands

MarkGM

12 posts

Geek

#1427262 12-Nov-2015 22:18

many thanks for the idea, I looked past the obvious. I have a surface and an old Vodafone vodem so will try it on mine

Jimwalker

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1427264 12-Nov-2015 22:26

You could always us a solution like message media.
They have API's so you can write a custom form in Visual Studio.

mdf

3513 posts

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Trusted

#1427266 12-Nov-2015 22:28

Vodafone's web2text service? Not an app, just a website.

MarkGM

12 posts

Geek

#1427271 12-Nov-2015 22:41

Unfortunately not up to writing 'custom forms' but thanks for the idea.

MarkGM

12 posts

Geek

#1427273 12-Nov-2015 22:44

trying to get more info on the web2text option suggested, first link works but then when 'clicking' the more info link does not work. The initial info suggests that replies get sent back through to mobile rather than Surface.

MarkGM

12 posts

Geek

#1427277 12-Nov-2015 22:49

I have managed to download the vodem software to my surface and the vodem still works so it appears that is a really good / easy option. The sim card I have is dead so I can't completely test until I source a new sim card. I'll try to get one tomorrow with my friends mobile number loaded on it and I think that might be a good way forward. I'm still going to try to source the mobile phone as that means he can do everything through his dedicated communication software and not have to try to swap between programmes. Thanks for the help and support so far.

Sharesies

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kingjj

1728 posts

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ID Verified

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#1427280 12-Nov-2015 22:54

Samsung have software for Windows called SideSync that allows one to mirror their connected (wifi/usb) Samsung phone on Windows and use it with a mouse/keyboard (I often use this when I have a few long texts to write). I'm not sure how he would interact with this software via 'camera/reflective spot input device', I'm not aware of how that works. I'm assuming that allows him access to a keyboard/mouse via gestures?

mdf

3513 posts

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Trusted

#1427283 12-Nov-2015 23:02

MarkGM: trying to get more info on the web2text option suggested, first link works but then when 'clicking' the more info link does not work. The initial info suggests that replies get sent back through to mobile rather than Surface.

Ah, I see. I haven't tried it, but Handcent's anywhere platform allows you to sync an android phone and send and receive texts on your desktop. There's also this extension that claims to do the same thing inside gmail.

Good luck! You wouldn't have thought it should have been this hard.

andrewNZ

2487 posts

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Inactive user

#1427288 12-Nov-2015 23:08

Why not Skype?

mdf

3513 posts

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Trusted

#1427292 12-Nov-2015 23:14

andrewNZ: Why not Skype?

Skype can't receive text messages (or at least it didn't the last time I checked)