Picture messaging’s technical name is Multimedia Message Service, or MMS. This enhancement over text messaging (SMS) lets you create, develop, and send digital animations, images, sounds, and videos from your mobile phone to other mobile phones or computers.

Not all mobile phones and wireless carriers offer picture messaging, though it’s a fun way to use your mobile phone’s camera to share your creativity with your friends from anywhere you are to anywhere they are. As fun and enjoyable as picture messaging is, each recipient must have a picture-messaging mobile phone for it to work and usually needs to be on the same wireless carrier as you are. If in doubt, find out whether your friends and family have picture messaging–enabled phones and services before sending any shots to them.

Here are some ideas for what you can do with picture messaging services:

- Take full-color digital pictures with your mobile phone and store them on your phone or computer.

- Send and receive full-color digital pictures from your mobile phone and become a mobile newsroom reporter for your local TV station or Internet blog.

- Send and receive digital voice and sound recordings from your mobile phone.

- Create new digital pictures, images, and sound effects right on your mobile phone — great for new ringtones and other mobile phone fun. Sending picture messages from a mobile phone is very similar to sending text messages. Here’s how to do it:

1. Select the envelope icon on your mobile phone’s main screen or select Picture Messaging or MMS from the menu.

2. Select New Message.

A list of message options opens.

3. Select MMS to send a picture message.

4. Press the Select key to choose a recipient or group from your Contacts list, or enter the recipient’s mobile phone number or e-mail address.

Press the * key to add a semicolon (;), which separates recipient names. You can also copy and paste the number or address from the Clipboard.

5. Press the downward directional key to move to the message field.

6. Write a message using the mobile phone keypad.

7. (Optional) Press the Menu key and select Add Picture to find the picture you want to send from your mobile phone’s memory.

8. (Optional) Scroll through the pictures and images in your mobile phone’s memory files, highlight the picture you want to send, and select it to add it to the message.

9. To send the message, choose Options.Send or press the Send key.

A message appears on-screen confirming that the message was sent. You must subscribe to picture messaging at your wireless carrier, and additional network service fees can apply to every use of the service. Not all wireless carriers and mobile phones have picture messaging capabilities. Also, most built-in mobile phone cameras have poor-quality image resolution (less than two or three megapixels). These phone cameras are suitable for taking quick shots, but are no replacement for a good digital camera if picture quality is a concern.