I spell everything out too - my best friend informed me that if she ever got a text from me saying "lts go 2 the bar" she would never speak to me again.
One of my good friends doesn't have a home puter, so if I emailed her, I would have to wait for her to get to the Starbucks or wherever they have access to check her messages. We text all the time.
Plus it can be really funny to look back at them the next day.
But as far as guys you date - they should be calling. I would never go out with a guy who asked me out via text.