Gmail Adds Text SMS and Chat

Google Labs has added the ability to send and receive SMS text messages from Gmail. The Google Gmail Blog says, "It combines the best parts of IM and texting: you chat from the comfort of your computer, and your friends can peck out replies on their little keyboards."

Gmail users can also  can turn on text messaging for chat. Currently the SMS feature is only for cell phones in the United States right now.

On the receiving end,  US cell phone users get a text message from Gmail on their phones, it will come from a number in the 406 area code. Each of the text friends' messages will come from a different 406 number so the text will get back to the right person. Messages from the same person will always come from the same number and can be bookmarked.

If a user gets a message from somebody they want to block, they must reply with the word BLOCK.  To stop getting text from Gmail, reply with the word STOP.