Just not sure some technology is more efficient - IM and texting

As I was IMing with a colleague yesterday this thought that is the title of this blog post came to me.  Before IM, you would walk to the office next to you, or pick up the phone and talk live.  Those conversations might not have been efficient but I suspect they were more efficient that some of the IM "conversations" I have seen or been a part of.  Additionally, IM lets you remain a bit detached from the person, where you cannot read innuendos or body language.  There is so much room for misunderstanding.  Having said all of this, IM and chat have become such a big part of our communication.  Why?  You don't have to get up and leave the task you were in the middle of is part of the answer.  It is quick and can bring remote workers closer is another part of the answer.  It allows multi-tasking is another reason.

Walking around the office and hearing the clicking of the typing and the bell sound notifying someone of another IM causes me to ask, is this really more efficient?  I bet some of those conversations should be live ones or at least phone conversations. 

I often am in the middle of typing an IM thread and stop myself and pick up the phone or suggest a live conversation when we are both free to avoid bad communication or misunderstanding.

I know that IM does provide some convenience which is why we do it.  You can quickly get information when you are in the middle of another meeting and that person can reply even if they are in the middle of another meeting.  For this, it is valuable and efficient, albeit distracting.

Texting has also entered our culture as a method of communication.  I "get" texting.  You can send a message, and the person does not have to be there, and can answer at their convenience.  A quick message or question that can be read on your own time is not as disruptive.  It is like voice mail, if you really don't want to talk to someone, you can text them.  There is still abuse with texts, when in fact conversations should be live.

So I wonder what the next technology will be?  What will replace IM and texting?  What other multi-tasking activity will be banned while you are driving?