As a married SD, I have to be cautious with communications.  For the most part, I use an email address on my backup laptop in private browsing mode.  Unfortunately, the young hottie SB's prefer texting, and I have lost some prime opportunities because I cannot and will not communicate via texting.  My phone at home is not secure.

Question for the board.  Does anyone know of how I can text using my laptop?  I tried a cheap burner phone, but the service was quite unpredictable and of course I could not use that phone while at home.  

1) You can text using WhatsApp. Find it in your App Store.
2) You can download the Burner App onto your phone and create a new, anonymous number for texting that no one else will be able to open even if they have your phone.

As Jake said, Whatsapp is an option and you can use it on a computer with or without the app.  https://faq.whatsapp.com/an/web/26000012/  

If you have a google voice number you can also chat/text with it and do so from your desktop, though you'd have to have a google account and the # would be tied to that account.  https://voice.google.com/about

I had been able to text on my desktop with ATT, but they ended that service at the end of October.  I really miss that service as it was easy to send and read texts at work without having to pick up my phone.  Maybe other carriers have that service.

Very timely post.  Am learning that texting/emailing can be a generational choice, even beyond hobbying.  Like you, am in a similar situation and prefer email anyway.  Gives me the privacy I need and much more convenient than texting since I spend much of the day on my computer.

 
Not only providers, but have connected with more than a few, lately who rarely check email.  At first it caught me off guard and wondered if my email messages were politely being ignored.  After following up via text, to my surprise, I learned email is no longer a universal choice these days.

but Jake is older than dirt,

 
That said, his advice is actually sound on this, and I will further agree with you that texting is by far the communication vehicle of choice with SB's. Of the POT SB's I actually have met over 90% of them have gone to texting prior to meeting, maybe 5% have chosen to stick with DM through the site, and way less than 5% have opted for email.  

 
I have mixed feelings about texting/emailing. For most simple communications I prefer texting, but when trying to have an actual conversation about anything important where I can't convey my thoughts in ten word bursts, I prefer e-mail where I can converse in complete sentences without wearing my thumbs out. lol Yes, I am old too. I hate talking in "text speak" I hate sending messages with a bunch of auto corrections and I don't like spending several minutes trying to compose a coherent text message of any length. That said, I very rarely have "deep conversations" with POT SB's before (or even after) meeting. I am not interested in changing the way they want to communicate, I just want to get laid.

I like typing with complete words in sentences.  Have you have tried voice to text?  It's really good, especially when I'm driving or just lazy to type.  I find if I'm speaking clearly the error are usually less than swipe to text, which can be pretty good, too.   But, I get wanting to use email.  I'm more comfortable typing with a full keyboard.

I hardly email with any of my friends.  Almost always text.  One of my female friends who is in her early 40s says she rarely even checks her personal email.  Good thing we exclusively text.

you're assuming GaGa is sober when he is texting. lol. It would be interesting to see what voice to text came up with, with his drunken slurring. lol

Just teasing Gambler!

but yeah assuming me being sober while texting would be a bit of a reach. lol

 
BTW, I very rarely slur, either by voice or when PUI. lol

A potential SB pointed out the Google Voice option.  Works great.  Must remember to check the box so that the  text messages do not forward to the phone linked to the Google Voice account.  

I am now able to text from my laptop.  Ultra convenient.  Full sentences and using all my fingers as opposed to overuse of the thumbs texting on the phone.  

It's probably a great thesis for some anthropology doctorate submission.  But I find, as others suggest, that texting or "snapping" is the current method a lo mode.  

As part of my professional, corporate training over the last few decades I was taught (and I mentor new talent) that one should:  

1. Never send an email when a telephone call can be made, and  
2. Never make a telephone call when a face to face meeting can be conducted.  

The more engaged you can make the discussion the more you can get and receive the non-verbal, and often subtle feedback necessary to ensure effective communications.  

That's all thrown out the window with Millennials. The tend to multi-task all day and they do it in a mobile-phone-centric universe;  messages by phone, game apps on the phone, ecommerce on the phone, email on the phone (rarely!) and all the popular social apps: Snap, IG, FB, WhatsApp, and of course, Seeking.  

So get used to secure message apps on your phone and/or PC  I'm still gratefully single so not worried about being caught - even by a current SB.  

Using your phone's voice-to-text is an obvious tool to make this easier. But, it's hard to use while driving (In California, you can get a distracted driving citation so use those headphones) and even harder to use in a crowd.  You don't want that 76 year old hag at the Starbucks table next to you hearing your description of your favorite position for deepthroat BJ's...  

Some apps will work interchangeably between phone and PC (including laptops). Try Skype. It's free but you may need to ask your POT to download and setup. I suggest this for pre-M&G's when we are far apart or she seems a bit skittish about meeting in public. So if you get her to download it for a video "face-to-face" verification, just keep using the text message option.  If you do not want your skype messages to show on you phone, either log off the app or just delete it.  Beware of WhatsApp though. It may be a yellow flag of a UTR pro (if that's not your bag) or cat fisher.  And it can be used on a phone other than the one used to set up the account.  However, all messages within it are fully end-to-end encrypted.  

Life is good.

The Cat

I hate Snapchat. Messages and pictures disappear quickly, and if you do screenshots the other person is informed. At least with text you can preserve your convos and images.  With so many chicks in play, that sort of memory aid is very useful. So avoid Snapchat if you need any memory help.

I simply can not type nor seldom use any smartphone other than when out of office/home for mapping, news or listening to audio books etc., while driving.  

If I have to text which seems needed for SB I have a VOIP system where any texts are immediately forwarded to my email and then can easiiy respond via VOIP site.   I am used to my five 28" monitors in front of me and full keyboards.  When I travel I even pack a full-size keyboard for laptop and if I know I may have to text from car have a USB plug in keyboard I will take with me in the car.  Too old to try and get my big fingers to type decently on those tiny keys

In the business I am in can not use texting for clients and has never been an issue.  Have of course different phone numbers and emails for business vs personal and no need to hide from anyone.

Just an alternative thought

I agree with you for the most part Dave.  I hate the frustrating tiny keyboards on smartphones.  I'm Waaaayyyy more comfortable with a big keyboard.  I prefer my PC, but also use an iPad which took some getting used to since it's IOS instead of Windows. What really made the difference for me was getting a nice Logitek keyboard and case for the iPad, nearly as easy to type on as the PC.  As for texting, I do find it necessary if I'm going to be successful in the Sugar Bowl.  So I use an LG Stylo phone.  It has a nice rubber tipped stylus which you can use to tap the screen.  It eliminates the frustrating Phat Phingers syndrome and makes texting almost easy. It's an Android device so now I have to switch back and forth between 3 operating systems.  If an old guy like me can do it, anybody can!