Nintendo's user-interface has never been very advanced.

Iphone:

1. Click Message icon
2. Wait 2-6 seconds
3. Choose conversation to continue, or type in a new phone number to begin a new conversation
4. Type something (maybe hit photo button and choose a picture too)
5. Hit send.
6. Wait in Message app, or hit home button and go play angry birds, either way, the message will start sending and send in 2-10 seconds.
7. "Message received" jingle happens, small window with person's name and reply appears, with "OK" and "REPLY" buttons.
8. Conversation is listed like a chat room. You can talk back and forth with someone inside of one minute.

3DS:

1. Click Swap Note icon
2. Wait like, 15-45 seconds for the thing to load, and close all your other programs, and exit the main OS. This is the problem.
3. Hit "Write a note"
4. Draw your message. No typing allowed.
5. Hit save
6. Wait about 3 seconds in front of loading screen.
7. "Send this note?" window pops up, with "Send via SpotPass" and "Send via StreetPass" options available. Whatever those mean.
8. Select Recipients window shows up. Choose your person or persons.
9. Hit "Send"
10. Wait about 4 seconds; "Message Sent!"
11. Exit, go play Mario.
12. Eventually, a dot will appear on SwapNote.
13. "You have a new message"
14. Click on SwapNote
15. Wait however long for SwapNote to load
16. "You have a new note from Nikki!"
17. Watch nikki's message unfold.

See, the main problem is that I have to wait. With the iPhone (or any cellular device) I can type my message and then leave. The machine will come to me with the reply. With the 3DS, I have to go fetch it. Machines are supposed to make things easy. It's the same reason no one uses the music program. You can't listen to your music unless you load up the program and are inside of it, whereas the iPhone lets me listen to music while I'm messaging someone.

The original DS had a chatroom thing, I don't remember what it was called. But it was far superior to SwapNote. If they just had that old chatroom thing, running with the main home OS, it would be great. Instead, it sucks, and no one uses it.

Nintendo is kind of very stupid when it comes to certain things. This is a perfect example.