How to send and receive SMS texts from your computer browser

For Android users, there's a nifty download now in the Android Market called BrowserTexting (download).

The free app lets you sync your phone to your browser, so you can send and receive SMS messages right from your computer. It's perfect for when you're at work, at home, or when you just don't feel like tapping away texts on your Android phone's touch screen.

To start, BrowserTexting gives you unlimited incoming texts and up to 50 outgoing texts from your browser per day. It also lets you send group texts to up to five recipients at a time. For the seasoned SMS pros out there, BrowserTexting offers Premium accounts starting at $9.99 per year, which give you unlimited browser texting and unlimited group message recipients. You can try out a Premium account free for 30 days.

Here's how BrowserTexting works.

Step 1: Download and install the free BrowserTexting app from the Android Market.

Step 2: Using your computer browser, navigate to BrowserTexting.com, and click Start Texting From This Computer to generate a unique QR code.

Step 3: Fire up the BrowserTexting app on your Android phone and hit Connect to scan the QR code on your computer screen. If you don't have a QR code scanner installed on your device, the app will prompt you to download one.

Step 4: Once you've scanned the QR code, your phone will automatically sync with your browser, and your phone's contacts will immediately pop up on your computer screen. Just tap a contact name or type in a phone number to begin texting.

Since BrowserTexting stays synced between devices, all you have to do is navigate to BrowserTexting.com on your computer at any time and tap Start Texting From This Computer to use it.

BrowserTexting is available for free download in the Android Market, and is compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Opera.