Odd... installing had a hiccough and said it was recovering to previous build, erm but changed it's mind and installed 14926 anyway.
Change the region & language to one that doesn't support Cortana eg Vatican City, logoff and back on again and change the region back. White should be gone.
With Skype Desktop, you could send SMS for a long time already!! I use it a lot for that and it just cost me the half then use the SmartPhone!
You'll need to have an account by an Service Provider like Skype. Have that, you could send SMS Messages to a receivers Mobile Phone or so. Service Charges may applies and that will force you to have some funds on your (Skype-)Account. In Skype, under Tools -->Options -->IM & SMS, you could set any Phone No. as sender's No., real or fake, it doesn't matter! I use my real No. because so I could get answers to my phone! Just check out the details in Skype in the Tools section and configure as you need/like! Easy peace of cake!!
I was talking about sending a SMS from PC to a Mobile/Smart Phone and here, it cost money! Except for sure, you have Free SMS Services in your Area! Using TextNow, you could not just send a SMS to any Handy which didn't is used in a TextNow Account! I'd tested that already and could not send any messages to any Handy which didn't is used on TextNow!
What are you talking about. I use TEXT NOW all the time, I send text or SMS messages all over the world and receive SMS messages from Mobile phones with TEXT NOW app from world wide, all for free. Even phone calls for free.
It simply didn't work for me in Thailand! I do have a TextNow Account and also a TextNow Phone number, just even I couldn't receive Messages and/or calls on that either! The Phone No. I got from TextNow, come also in conflict with an existing TOT Phone No. in Bangkok! As I wrote already, in different Areas/Countries, it may differ, just for me, it's useless in Thailand! Edit: Forget to mention that I talk about the FREE use only, NOT the paid service, TextNow try to sell!
Google Voice work in your country? I use it lots and it is free. I don't think it supports MMS yet though. As mentioned above, TextNow works great for me with people who don't even have an account.