[3GScottishUser]

Panasonic are set to brighten up the way folks text by adding colour.

Panasonic mobiles being launched in the Autumn will include this new feature. A brand new way to make your messages stand out! Sounds like a pretty good idea for textaholics, amazing no other company has thought about it.

[jman]

It sounds like a good idea, but, what are the chances of networks charging standard text prices for this enhanced text feature.

[3GScottishUser]

They should'nt charge more but then again they might!

Not sure how the colour works. it will obviously only be viewable on Panasonic handsets initially or until others licence the technology. I will try and find out more and post the details.

[Ben]

Doesn't sound like it'll be a flyer to me... it's going to make texting more complicated and, as you're limited to so much data in one SMS whether it's 7-bit or 8-bit, you're going to get less characters for your money.

It'd take someone far bigger than Panasonic to change the global SMS standards. IMHO it'll end up being one of those SMS enhancements that never catches on - like early Sony and Phillips phones with their various icons that only worked when you texted another phone that was the same.

MMS maybe...

[JB's Best Mate]

Reminds me of the Panasonic Text from home idea that they launched along with BT a few years ago , you could send/receive a text from a DECT phone at home.

The idea didnt catch on as far as I am aware but lets face it if these companies keep trying one day they will come up with a cracker.

Coloured text sounds so dependent on having compliant handsets that it wont catch on for such a basic idea , Happy to be proved wrong :)

[@NickyColman]

Well Sony Ericsson already have that idea but used it on MMS! Virtually everything is customisable - text, background, size, boldness etc. The only problem is, only compatible handsets can see the difference!

[3g-g]

Reminds me of the Panasonic Text from home idea that they launched along with BT a few years ago , you could send/receive a text from a DECT phone at home.

The idea didnt catch on as far as I am aware...

The text from a landline (http://www.bt.com/bttext/faq.html) is up and running just now, and has been for a little while AFAIK. If you're connected to a digital BT exchange you can send a SMS from any mobile to the landline number, if you have a SMS capable handset you'll receive a text message on the handset, as you would your mobile. If you dont have a home SMS compliant handset, your phone will ring, you answer, and the SMS is read to you! Works the opposite way too, you can send texts off to any mobile number at a cost, (and with a compatible handset) as you would presume.

[Ben]

Yeah... that's very much standard SMS and just making BT's service and landline handsets compatible. No actual changes had to take place to the way other carriers use SMS.

Panasonics idea seems a bit silly... coloured text et al is firmly in MMS territory IMHO.