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Teen texting expert shuns shorthand, but is not slow
William Glass, 14, sends text messages like a middle-aged, technology-clueless English teacher. Properly spelled words. Correct punctuation. Precise capitalisation. Lengthy paragraphs. No shortened words.
- By Jenna Johnson, Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service
- Published: 23:58 August 15, 2008
Washington: William Glass, 14, sends text messages like a middle-aged, technology-clueless English teacher. Properly spelled words. Correct punctuation. Precise capitalisation. Lengthy paragraphs. No shortened words.
OMG!?! R U Serious?
"I don't know, I guess I just never started using the abbreviations, so I'm used to typing things out," Glass texted. "Also, everyone understands words, but everyone might not understand the abbreviations."
Glass shuns shorthand but embraces speed. At a pace that veteran secretaries might envy, Glass sends as many as 800 texts a month, his thumbs quickly flying across his phone's Qwerty, or mini-keyboard.
Winning formula
That speed and respect for the English language landed Glass in the LG National Texting Championship in New York last month.
In June, Glass logged on to the LG Electronics website for an online qualifying round. Phrases popped up on the screen, and Glass quickly typed them into his phone and messaged them to the cellphone company.
"I've never won a contest that anyone could enter," Glass texted. "Also, the website didn't say when the winners would be notified, and I assumed that they would tell me immediately after, if I was a winner."
But the next day Glass received a voice mail from an LG representative saying that he was a semi-finalist and inviting him and a parent to New York for the texting championship.
With less than a month until the showdown, Glass started practising, focusing on increasing speed and remembering where the punctuation marks were.
It helped that Glass and his friends communicate nearly exclusively by text message to arrange trips to the mall, share funny stories, pass electronic notes during class and stay in touch in the summer.
"He developed crazy texting skills," said his mother, Tonya Glass. But she also points out to any critics, such as those who sarcastically blog about the competition, that her son has a life outside of text messaging and has stellar grades at Leonardtown High School, where he will be a sophomore.
"I like to show these to as many people as I can," she said, holding up two honour roll certificates in protective plastic sleeves. "William is an honours student. He does other stuff, like studying and getting good grades."
Glass kept practising up to the last minute in New York, sending texts as he and his mother explored the city and lounged in plush robes in their Times Square hotel. But during the semi-final round, Glass slowed down, messed up and lost.
One more shot
Just when he thought he was out of the competition, contest organisers told Glass he had one more shot at the $50,000 (Dh183,500) grand prize, albeit a long shot. He could go up against 200 New Yorkers, possibly the toughest crowd of texters out there, who had gathered to fight for a final spot in the competition, open only to owners of LG phones.
The texters stood with hands behind their backs and counted down from ten. As soon as a message appeared on the monitors, they grabbed their mobile devices, typed with a flurry of thumbs and hit "send" on messages such as "They gave a monkey a typewriter, and he typed only 2 words: Chuck Norris." and "I am sooo ready 4 this down n dirty battle on the QWERTY!"
"The entries couldn't have any mistakes, at all," Glass texted. "What we typed had to be copied exactly from the screen, even down to the spaces and punctuation."
The first person to send a perfect text won the round and the other four texters were out, until only one remained: Glass. Suddenly, he found himself standing at the podium as one of eight regional finalists. And with his shy smile and popped polo shirt collar, he was a crowd favourite.
"He was adorable," said Demetra Kavadeles, an LG spokeswoman. "He had the crowd cheering for him. They just loved him."
But with all the lights and cheering and cameras and the "Austin Powers" theme song blaring from the speakers, Glass lost his focus. He made a mistake quickly and was out.
Still, Glass walked away with bragging rights and $800, which he plans to spend on a new iPod and back-to-school clothes.
"I was a little disappointed that I didn't win, but I had already known because I made a mistake in my message," Glass texted. "I did win some money though, and I'm going to try again next year for the grand prize."
The $50,000 cheque went to Nathan Schwartz, 20, of Ohio, who said he sends at least 5,000 texts a month.
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