How to send text messages from a desktop PC?

Hello,

So, being 70+, sending text messages from my phone is a pain. I’d much rather “text” from my desktop keyboard. I saw a web page (that appears to assume Windows is the OS) that explains how to do it. Basically, on the desktop be logged into your google account, use bluetooth to connect to your phone (also logged into your google account) and then send your message through the phone.

I have an ASUS bluetooth “thing” (dongle? whatever)that plugs into a USB port on the back of my desktop computer. Now, how do I carry out the rest of the steps so that I can configure the bluetooth and send texts from my desktop under linux? My desktop is KDE.

Many thanks,

Mark

Putin your Asus-Bluetooth, open an terminal, get root and post:

journalctl -k | grep -Ei 'blu|firm'

The Asus has maybe an broadcom-Chip inside and needs firmware.

Assuming you have a smartphone, you can install Signal on it and then Signal-desktop (https://software.opensuse.org/package/signal-desktop?search_term=signal-desktop) on your computer. You may even be able to install signal-desktop on your desktop without Signal being on your smartphone as all it needs is a ’phone number (this works in with Telegram messenger).

If you have an on-line account with your Telco take a look there, some have the facility to send an SMS. For example, here in the UK I’m with “O[SUB]2[/SUB]” and can send a text from the O[SUB]2[/SUB] website to a mobile phone …

Aside from using a text messaging gateway (A service that accepts your messages and converts them into text messages),
I personally don’t mind creating my message content in an email draft on my desktop,
Then without sending I open the same draft in my phone’s email client, “copy all” and paste into my phone’s text messaging app… Then send.
I can then delete the draft or keep it as an additional record of my message.

TSU

You mentioned that your environment is KDE. And KDE has its tool KDE Connect.
Is KDE Connect not convenient for you?

Open a web browser and go here - it is a pretend cell phone with SMS - enter phone number and message just like a cell phone

https://www.sendatext.co/free-sms

The same can be done with WhatsApp and WhatsApp web. I find it simple to use.

I was very hopeful, but the site doesn’t work for me. I tried using both Chrome and Firefox to no avail. They have a great idea, but for me it just doesn’t work.

Thanks,
Mark

“It does not work” is not a very good problem description. Thus when the above means that you give up on it, it is OK. But if you want others to help you, by e.g. looking at what their experience is and compaire that with what you get, you should be more specific.

Thank you,
Signal appears to work. So, I’m going with that.

This is not cost free in UK. UK needs sign up and charges per text.

KDE Connect.

  • Assuming that you have a WLAN and, your Android
    mobile telephone can also connect to that WLAN and, your WLAN is connected to your LAN via a private Router – the one which connects your home to your ISP – that’s all you need.

You’ll have to perform a couple of “allow” settings within your Android telephone to allow KDE Connect to access various telephony and telephone book entries in the phone …

  • Once you’re there, you can click the KDE Connect “Hamburger” and select “SMS messages” – you’ll see the list of SMS messages on your mobile telephone …

[HR][/HR]One of the KDE Connect developers has mentioned that, he leaves his mobile telephone either in his pocket or brief-case or backpack and, performs all telephony functions – answering and making calls, sending and receiving SMS – via his computer …

Further on KDE Connect:


 > LANG=C kdeconnect-cli --help
Usage: kdeconnect-cli [options]
KDE Connect CLI tool

Options:
  -l, --list-devices            List all devices
  -a, --list-available          List available (paired and reachable) devices
  --id-only                     Make --list-devices or --list-available print
                                only the devices id, to ease scripting
  --name-only                   Make --list-devices or --list-available print
                                only the devices name, to ease scripting
  --id-name-only                Make --list-devices or --list-available print
                                only the devices id and name, to ease scripting
  --refresh                     Search for devices in the network and
                                re-establish connections
  --pair                        Request pairing to a said device
  --ring                        Find the said device by ringing it.
  --unpair                      Stop pairing to a said device
  --ping                        Sends a ping to said device
  --ping-msg <message>          Same as ping but you can set the message to
                                display
  --share <path>                Share a file to a said device
  --share-text <text>           Share text to a said device
  --list-notifications          Display the notifications on a said device
  --lock                        Lock the specified device
**  --send-sms <message>          Sends an SMS. Requires destination
  --destination <phone number>  Phone number to send the message**
  --device, -d <dev>            Device ID
  --name, -n <name>             Device Name
  --encryption-info             Get encryption info about said device
  --list-commands               Lists remote commands and their ids
  --execute-command <id>        Executes a remote command by id
  -k, --send-keys <key>         Sends keys to a said device
  --my-id                       Display this device's id and exit
  --photo <path>                Open the connected device's camera and transfer
                                the photo
  -h, --help                    Displays this help.
  -v, --version                 Displays version information.
  --author                      Show author information.
  --license                     Show license information.
  --desktopfile <file name>     The base file name of the desktop entry for
                                this application.
 > 

Please don’t rub you eyes – yes, with KDE Connect you can send SMS messages via a Konsole CLI …

If you use KDE, you can send SMS thru KDEConnect. You have to associate your phone with KDE. I haven’t succeded to send sms yet.
But a little of googling should help …

Here are some link I found :

https://www.maketecheasier.com/send-receive-sms-linux-kde-connect/

https://doronbehar.com/articles/using-kdeconnect-to-comfortably-send-sms-messages-from-the-shell/

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/01/kde-connect-send-sms-ubuntu-desktop

https://www.reddit.com/r/kde/comments/6lufmq/possible_to_send_sms_from_kde_connect_without/

I haven’t succeded to send SMS yet. But if you find something, please post solution.

regards,
Bernard

Did you try from a CLI – a KDE Konsole window?

 > kdeconnect-cli --destination '«a telephone number»' --send-sms 'A message text to be sent as a Short Message via the Service known as SMS.'

My response was…

 Sorry, you currently cannot send free SMS to Sweden. SIGN UP to send cheap text messages. 

Same for the United Kingdom.