Oscar Mayer <nobody@oscarmayer.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 13 Oct 2023 09:35:06 -0400, Paul wrote:
>
>> A way to install a Metro App, might be to use "winget".
>> I don't know what dependencies that has.
>>
>> https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/winget/
>
> This app says it fives SMS/MMS directly to the Windows PC.
^^^^^___ fives?
>
> Private Contacts - Private Call & SMS on Windows Pc
> https://appsonwindows.com/apk/2426789/
> https://download.appsonwindows.com/download/hazar.studio.privatecontacts-v1.2.9-appsonwindows.com.apk
>
> Step By Step Guide To Install Private Contacts - Private Call & SMS using
> BlueStacks
>
> Download and Install BlueStacks ...

That use the Bluestacks emulator for Android on a Windows host. Lots of
Android apps can run under Bluestacks, including:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.abwesend.privatecontacts

Looks the same as the one you mention. However, your software download
site says the app owner is Hazar Studio, but the one on the Play Store
says its owner is 2Gusoft. There is no info on the author at the
appsonwindows.com site. The 2Gusoft one has the Github project and
contact e-mail for the author. The Play Store will require you have a
Google account. No idea from where the other came from.

I wanted more info on the Hazar Studio. So I did a search:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=5877175006043432224&hl=en_US&gl=US

That lists a web site for Hazar at:

https://www.hazarsoft.net/

That doesn't list specific apps. Just mentions they do app coding per
contract. While the Play Store hit is for Hazar, it doesn't list any
apps by that author at the Play Store.

Still no idea where the app at appsonwindows.com came from. In
addition, the instructions say to get the .apk from somewhere else.

Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> wrote:

> But my point remains. The reason the adjective "smart" isn't needed
> before "phone" is that these days, all (almost all?) cell phones are
> smart..

But "phone" by itself still refers to hard line phones (POTS), or even
phones that are VOIP, or like Comcast's telco service "Voice" which is a
channel on the cable modem. Those are still landline *phones*.

Also, there are still dumb cell phones being sold. Example:

https://www.newegg.com/p/23B-00FM-00012?Item=9SIAP7MEVY2767
https://www.newegg.com/p/23B-00E1-00018?Item=9SIAGREK2R7914
https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/great-call-jitterbug-flip2-phone-for-seniors/ID=300407958-product

And they are NOT smartphones. Of course, the marketers don't want
"dumb" part of the product description, so they're just called cell
phones. Adding "smart" differentiates the type of phone, so "smart" is
still required.

Newyana2 <Newyana2@invalid.nospam> wrote:

> "Ken Blake" <Ken@invalid.news.com> wrote
>
>>
> I'll add that in the early days of "smartphones," there were still a
> lot of fliptop cellular phones around that did almost nothing but make
> and receive calls. So using the term "smartphone" was a good way to
> distinguish them from those.
>
> Now that those "dumb" phones are largely gone, the term "smartphone"
> is really no longer needed.
>>
>
> Actually they're making a comeback. I visited two brothers
> this weekend. Both now have a fliphpone. Why? They don't
> want to text and the flip-phone is cheap. Though my fully
> computerized Tracfone only cost me $0 + $20 every 3 months.
> It has Firefox installed and has no problem going online. I
> could text... if I wanted to give anyone the phone number. :)

Dumb flip phones still have their use. I don't want a $600-$800
smartphone in my pocket or in a belt holster when doing construction
work, like siding a house or reroofing. I want a dumb and cheap cell
phone that is just a phone when doing construction, yard work, or other
physical labor, or even while at the gym. I'm not stopping everything
to answer a text or e-mail, but I might pull out of my pocket a dumb
flip phone if I'm expecting an important call, or it's one of my
contacts. If I need more, I go to my car to grab my smartphone, but
that rarely happens. That would be more like work is over, and I need
to check something online.

My grandpa wore Timex watches. He worked on car engines as a mechanic.
His advice was if you feel you must wear a watch, wear one that is cheap
to replace. I didn't listen, had on a pricey watch. When using a
crowbar to lever the tensioner for the fan belt, I lost my grip on the
crowbar, it snapped back, and hit the watch on my other hand. All I
found of the watch was its case and wrist strap. Time for a new watch.
I think it was a Casio, but rather cheap. Only remember it had a tuning
fork, but it might've been Bulova.

There are valid reasons for using a cheap dumb cell phone. Luckily the
last time I forgot to take the phone out of my swim shorts when going
into the resort's hot tub was for a cheap dumb cell phone. Useless for
the rest of the vacation, but no qualms in tossing into the trash.

On Sun, 15 Oct 2023 19:04:10 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:

> The Play Store will require you have a Google account.

Just a minor correction, you only need that Google account to download from
the Google Play Store repository if you don't know about the FOSS skins.

All the FOSS skins already have an anonymous Google account which is what
they automatically use to download apps directly off the Google Play repo.

In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sun, 08 Oct 2023 15:14:49 -0400,
jaugustine@verizon.net wrote:

>Hi,
>
> My brother has a Windows 10 laptop. I have a Windows 7 laptop.
>Note: My Windows 10 laptop has issues.
>
> He asked me if there is an app for Win10 he can use so he

AFAIC, apps are for phones. Mainfraims have "application programs"
Computers have programs. -- Because every time you said app, I
thought you were talking about a phone.

>can send a Text message to someone's Cell Phone. Note: My brother
>has a land line (NO cell phone).
>
> I did a google search and at microsoft's web site for Windows 10,
>the information I saw had to do with using a Phone App, then select
>Message, etc.
>
> My brother lives far from me. I would like to send him an email
>with the information.
>
> Did Windows 10 come with a Phone app with the ability to Text?

No, but other people solved it.

First learn the name of
what is cellular provider for this number

So the answer to my own qustion is:

https://www.ipqualityscore.com/free-carrier-lookup
https://www.hlrlookup.com/
And probably, but I haven't tried it
https://freecarrierlookup.com/

When you know the provider, you can go to this page and find how to
email a text to the phone:

https://www.notepage.net/smtp.htm
For example, to text a Verizon phone, send an eamail to
10digitphonenumber@vtext.com
unfortunately, Verizon has two other choices,
@myvzw.com and @vswpix.com
But 99% of the others only have one.

Even though I use Mint Mobile, the email address is tmobile.
OTOH a friend who uses Cricket has a cricket email address.

No more lifting that heavy phone to make a text when you are already at
your keyboard.

> Thank You in advance, John
>,

On 1/29/2024 7:48 PM, micky wrote:
> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sun, 08 Oct 2023 15:14:49 -0400,
> jaugustine@verizon.net wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> My brother has a Windows 10 laptop. I have a Windows 7 laptop.
>> Note: My Windows 10 laptop has issues.
>>
>> He asked me if there is an app for Win10 he can use so he
>
> AFAIC, apps are for phones. Mainfraims have "application programs"
> Computers have programs. -- Because every time you said app, I
> thought you were talking about a phone.
>
>> can send a Text message to someone's Cell Phone. Note: My brother
>> has a land line (NO cell phone).
>>
>> I did a google search and at microsoft's web site for Windows 10,
>> the information I saw had to do with using a Phone App, then select
>> Message, etc.
>>
>> My brother lives far from me. I would like to send him an email
>> with the information.
>>
>> Did Windows 10 come with a Phone app with the ability to Text?
>
> No, but other people solved it.
>
> First learn the name of
> what is cellular provider for this number
>
> So the answer to my own qustion is:
>
> https://www.ipqualityscore.com/free-carrier-lookup
> https://www.hlrlookup.com/
> And probably, but I haven't tried it
> https://freecarrierlookup.com/
>
> When you know the provider, you can go to this page and find how to
> email a text to the phone:
>
> https://www.notepage.net/smtp.htm
> For example, to text a Verizon phone, send an eamail to
> 10digitphonenumber@vtext.com
> unfortunately, Verizon has two other choices,
> @myvzw.com and @vswpix.com
> But 99% of the others only have one.
>
> Even though I use Mint Mobile, the email address is tmobile.
> OTOH a friend who uses Cricket has a cricket email address.
>
> No more lifting that heavy phone to make a text when you are already at
> your keyboard.
>
>
>
>
>> Thank You in advance, John
>> ,

Check out SIGNAL messaging app for phone AND desktop
Also CHATOX

Karen wrote:

> Check out SIGNAL messaging app for phone AND desktop
> Also CHATOX

<https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/>