iOS: When you flip your iPhone over to the landscape view when you're typing a message, it automatically changes to the handwriting interface. Chances are, most of us don't hand write messages and would prefer the landscape keyboard here. Good news, though, How-To Geek points out that when you tap the keyboard button, iOS remembers your preference.

If you live for great new music, we've already highlighted Noon Pacific's great weekly playlists, filled with new tunes to enjoy. If that's not enough for you, the service just launched a daily music subscription, where each day you'll get a text with a great new track to listen to. Here's how it works.

iOS: Not everyone likes the new features in Messages. So, if you have an annoying friend sending you a million stickers, you'll be happy to hear that it's possible to at least remove those stickers, though you can't stop them from arriving in the first place.

Most of us have used Facebook as a simple way to log into accounts. Today, Facebook's making it even easier by allowing you to login to websites with just your phone number. You don't even need to have a Facebook account.

Android: Previously mentioned hands-free driving app Drivemode has a lot of great features, but it just added a great one -- the ability to respond to messages in almost any texting app with your voice. SMS is included, but so is Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Gmail.

WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, has rolled out encrypted messages for its entire service. The encryption now protects texts, voice calls video and chat rooms.

The iPhone has a built-in blocking feature, but have you ever wondered what exactly happens on the other end when you block someone? MacRumors decided to figure it out.

We love two-factor authentication, and we love services that make our text messages accessible from our computers. However, if you don't want anyone else -- a snooping spouse, child, parent, or most importantly, a laptop thief -- getting hold of your private information, you might want to alter how you use two-factor authentication.

Dear Lifehacker, I have a Nexus 5 and I have started using the Google Hangouts app for SMS my friends. But I'm wondering: are the SMS messages also backed up into Google?

The text message is far from dead, but smartphone apps that let you chat with others (whether via text, video or voice) without charging you for every single message are increasingly popular. We've rounded up five of the most popular choices.

We've featured messaging/VOIP app Viber in its iOS and Android incarnations before. Version 2.2 of Viber enhances the app on those platforms with the ability to make group calls and send photos in messages.

There'll be lots of texts flying around filled with Christmas greetings, but getting a message from Santa is much more impressive than getting one from someone you know. The Santa SMS service lets you schedule an SMS from Santa to surprise your loved ones.

iOS 5 came with a few hidden features that we've been discovering over time, and one is that it can read almost any text to you. This feature is disabled by default, but after enabling it you can have your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch speak pretty much any text aloud.

Texting is a fast and easy way to communicate, but it has its disadvantages too. A new study by the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia reveals that people may be more likely to lie over text message conversations than when they're speaking face to face.

Android/iOS/Blackberry: There are lots of apps that can send "free" text messages, but most require your recipient to also have the same app. JaxtrSMS is a free service from Sabeer Bhatia, founder of Hotmail, that can send free texts to any mobile number in the world, and display it to the recipient as coming from your own phone number.

Android/iPhone: The guys behind popular IM client eBuddy have just popped out a sister app that lets you send unlimited real-time SMS messages for "free", and Australia is one of the first countries to receive it.

Android only: SMS Popup gives you the best of both smartphone worlds—the immediacy of the iPhone's pop-up SMS notifications, along with the utility of being able to reply with preset messages, your voice, or text, all from a small window.

New SIM-only telephone provider Amaysim offers a no-flagfall, fixed rate mobile service after you purchase its $2 starter pack. How well do its prices measure up against the competition?

Spam is an apparently unavoidable fact of life in email, but it's still a shock to get an unsolicited marketing message to your mobile number. If you've experienced mobile spam, Australian communications regulator ACMA has set up a dedicated service to let you report it.