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Texts, Tweets Have Roots on Typewriter

German chose character length by writing random messages

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted May 11, 2009 9:37 AM CDT

(Newser) – The man who chose text-messaging’s magic number—160 characters—did so in a decidedly low-tech way, the Los Angeles Times reports. In 1985, German Friedhelm Hillebrand typed message after random message into his typewriter, and found that 160 was “perfectly sufficient,” he... Read full story »

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Texts, Tweets Have Roots on Typewriter

German chose character length by writing random messages

cell phones • text message • texting • Twitter • Friedhelm Hillebrand • Jay-ZTV

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More Newser Stories

How Your Discarded Phone Can Improve Global Health

It can send texts, and one advocate says the Third World can benefit

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We use them for texting, not calling

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States send updates, but prohibit drivers from reading them

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Families boot up computers, phones on waking

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