Video:The Joy of Text

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Call it 'Thumb Wars' for the next generation. The big difference: these battles of speed and accuracy also require an  LG phone with a full QWERTY keyboard.

Oh, and the winnings are a little sweeter, too.

That is why texters (and their thumbs) from across the country gathered at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan last week, all vying for a piece of history, an oversized trophy and the $50,000 grand prize.

At the end of the somewhat epic battle Nathan Schwartz, 20, was the sole texter remaining. The Cleveland State College student said he plans put his windfall towards tuition and gifts for his family.

This is only the second year of the National Texting Championships, and clearly not the last. LG is hosting a Canadian tournament later this year, and is hoping to expand into Europe and South America in 2009. Interested in competing next time? Click here for more information.