Techno Savvy Teens Turn Backs on Email

If snail mail is going the way of the dodo, then it looks like, among teenagers, email is going the way of, well, the snail: half of all teens prefer instant messaging to old-fashioned emails; and while overall use increased six percent last year, e-missives among the "Facebook generation" dropped by eight percent, Slate reports.

Online forums like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter are much more efficient than email for teen-centric activities like posting party invites and social updates, and chatting and text messaging get the point across much faster. So for those who remember sending their first email in the not-too-distant past, it's not inconceivable they'll live to see the day when they send their last. (More email stories.)