Fighting the Text Spammers

A few weeks ago I started receiving unwanted text messages on my iPhone and iPad.  They were advertising sites and subjects of a sexual nature.  I texted back the universal message that all ethical testers use, “Stop.”  That generally puts an end to the unwanted messages.  However, these spammer scum were anything but ethical and the messages kept coming.  I asked to be taken off their mailing list, but no dice.

I did an online search for a solution, and was advised to block the phone numbers sending the texts.  I did.  The messages stopped for a day and then started up again, with new phone numbers from the sender.  I blocked the new numbers but each day there were more.  I patiently blocked the new ones, thinking if I can’t stop the messages, at least I can make them work harder to send more.  I was at. war with the spammer scum and almost enjoyed the fight.  I was determined to outwit the spammers.

Finally I searched the iPhone apps and found several that claimed they would stop unwanted spam texts.  I chose one called SMS Spam Filter.  It has both a block list and an allow list.  For each phone number I added the area code and the first 2 digits of the phone number.  If the number began 1(201) 508, I added only 1(201) 50.  This prevented the spammers from using a slightly different number like 1(201) 509.  If they did, it wouldn’t matter since only the 1(201) 50 would be enough to block the spam.  I also noticed all the texts were from either hotmail or cricketwireless accounts, so I added hotmail and cricketwireless to the block list.  I also added certain terms in the messages like “sex,” “slut” etc to the block list.

I had to set this up separately on both my iPad and my iPhone, because texts would get through if I did not.

Next, I activated the filters by going to settings, messages, and message filtering Unknown and spam; then selecting SMS Spam Filter to activate.

It seems to be working as the spam texts have finally stopped.  Take that, spammer scum!

Listen to Rush for Cheap! And Other iPad Wonders.

I am really enjoying my iPad.  My wife and I gave each other iPads for Christmas.

What I like especially like about my iPad is the availability of cheap applications, or "apps," that are quickly downloadable.  I am listening to Rush Limbaugh on a radio station broadcasting in New Mexico, and it is loud and clear.  The app is called "Conservative Talk Radio," and it cost $3.  In addition to Rush I can listen to a long list of other conservative pundits, assuming they are currently broadcasting.

I am a Rush 24/7 user, having paid around $25 for the privilege.  However, listening to that on my regular PC laptop isn't nearly as good.  There are often delays due to cache and other issues.  Listening on my iPad is much better -- no delays, no hiccups, it just works.  Apple's technology is just superior.

Other apps I use are for watching live television from Europe and other areas of the world.  I like to watch French television to improve my French, and the broadcasts are clear, the audio perfect, and the audio and video perfectly in sync (there is no time gap between them, as you sometimes see on a PC).

I can also watch the BBC broadcasts as well as television stations in Russia, China and South America.

Another app (free) allows me to watch NASA television, live.  The other night I watched astronauts frolicking within a space station, plus the control room in Houston, as well as various presentations.

Most apps that I add to my iPad are automatically uploaded to my iPhone as well, over the "cloud."  Photos are interchanged between iPad and iPhone automatically as well.

Other apps that I use on my iPad are these:

Skype -- Free phone calls to anyone in the world, with video as well as audio.  I talked to my cousin in Dallas, and a friend in South Carolina, and it worked perfectly.

YouTube -- Has a free app that works far better than accessing YouTube from a browser.  I like to watch "French in Action" videos in bed at night, just before sleep.

eBooks -- Read books on your iPad, many of them free.  I am reading "Les Miserables" on it.

Kindle -- I buy almost all of my books in Kindle format, and they are accessible from my pc, my iPad and my iPhone.

iTunes -- Music!  I rarely use this app, as I prefer using my pc to burn purchased songs to a CD.  However, it allows one to use his iPad as a kind of skinny boom box.  I like to sometimes listen to Beatles music while shaving in the morning.

Blogger -- With this free app I can post to my blogs using my iPad.

Netflix -- I can and do watch movies on my iPad and they are clear and the audio perfect.

Foreign Language Dictionaries -- I have free apps for French and Spanish, useful tools for a student of languages (as I am).

Texting -- This is not an app, it is built in to iPads.  I can and do text friends and relatives who have either iPads or iPhones.  Unfortunately, you can't text people who have non-Apple phones....but maybe there's an app for that!  I'll check.  (Update:  there are several.)

Should you get an iPad?  Heck yes.

Practical Uses of an iPad

Okay I have a new iPad, an early Christmas present. I never really wanted one before because you can't (I thought ) use them for spreadsheets or word processing. However, I was wrong about that. I just bought an app for $10 that produces spreadsheets similar to and compatible with Excel. It also allows you to word process and do graphic presentations.

Blogger has an app that allows me to blog from my iPad, and I'm doing that now, mainly to try out its capabilities.

So an iPad allows one to do these tasks, assuming he has a WiFi connection:
1. Browse the Internet;
2. Blog;
3. Take photos and videos (Internet not required);
4. Read and send email and tweets:
5. Download and play videos and music;
6. Stream both audio and video from the Internet, like on YouTube (I listened to Rush today and the iPad has a port for connecting earphones);
7. Buy apps to play games, like the popular "Angry Birds";
8. Use other applications like spreadsheets and word processing.
9. Read books in Kindle format using a free app.

You can do all of these things with any modern laptop, but the advantage of an iPad is its portability and long battery life. You can put it in your briefcase, or in your purse if you have the mini model, making it usable for work or entertainment from an airport, a mall, a park or just about anywhere.

Rainy Day

It's a rainy day and the wind has blown most of the dead leaves off of my persimmon tree, revealing a lot of unpicked fruit. I took a photo of the tree and am attempting my first post from my new iPad.

I took the picture with my iPad but can't say I am terribly impressed with the quality.  My iPhone takes much better pictures.

Wifey and I gave ourselves an early Christmas present, two new iPads.  She got the mini and I got the regular size, though I would have been just as happy with the mini:  the quality of this new product is great and it is more transportable than the larger sized iPad.  Both iPads stream videos with exceptional clarity.

I should note that wifey's major task with hers is to conquer the next level of "Angry Birds."