I hear AOL, Yahoo, Google and others are already about to copy apple with "instant messengers" of their own. Apple needs to sue them quickly before someone steals their idea again.
I see what you did there and I like it.
I got a kick out of this line from the article:
Quote:
Samsung and Google are also reportedly working on similar services that would allow Android users to communicate via free messages instead of pricier SMS texts.
Which Android has had since launch, in the form of Gtalk.
I hear AOL, Yahoo, Google and others are already about to copy apple with "instant messengers" of their own. Apple needs to sue them quickly before someone steals their idea again.
You mean the way they stole it from WhatsApp?
Christ, it's Xerox>Apple>Microsoft all over again.
In The Netherlands iChat is not mainstream at all. Most people use Skype for video calling. Again because its cross platform compatible. You don't have to think if the other person has Apple or not.
iChat is completely mainstream: my friends using AIM, Google Talk, etc. all message me on it and vice versa. They have no idea whether I?m using iChat or some other client, and I have no idea what client they?re using. It?s seamless, open, and not Apple-bound at all.
Similarly, iMessage isn?t an app at all?it?s an automatic capability of the iPhone?s built-in SMS app (?Messages.?) Like iChat, it's seamless: you don?t have to remember who has an iOS device?just send your texts! When you text with an iOS friend, the message is blue and free. When you text with a non-iOS friend, the message is green (for the money you lose) and you get gouged.
I refuse to pay for a texting plan. It?s archaic, and it?s greedy, when I?m already paying for data and the SMS service costs the carrier close to nothing!
So if it?s not some emergency, my non-iOS friends can learn to use their voices Or email/IM me (I like Meebo as an iChat substitute). Or they can even text to my AIM/iChat account (comes to me through Meebo) and I can reply for free! That has always worked, even if it?s awkward.
Why should I pay because Apple decided to build iMessenger only for Apple platforms???????
Our family has 5 lines on AT&T. We lowered the plan to 700 min. Between 5 lines, i know that sounds too little, but we also added $30 unlimited texting which covers all 5 lines ($6 per line for unlimited texting), but the kicker is that you get unlimited mobile minutes from ANY carriers.
Most people use mobile phones now days, so I thought this would be a good plan. What do you guys think?
I guess this is one way for carriers (in this case AT&T) to lure customer to texting plan.
I just did the same thing. We were at 2100 minutes, but with unlimited nights and weekends, the A List, free AT&T mobile to mobile (now All mobile to mobile) we were hardly putting a dent in that limit. I figure even if we do go over during the holidays, the surplus of 13,000 rollover minutes we've racked up should keep us out of overage territory. Heck, in the last billing cycle, the total talk time for all 5 lines was something like 350 minutes, which just a few years ago wouldn't have been enough for even my wife's line. Text usage, on the other hand... yeah I don't even look at that anymore. Even though it's unlimited, it still blows me away just how many texts we rack up in a 30 day period.
How is this different than using the Google Voice app to send and receive all texts over 4G or WiFi to anyone you want, even those with just regular sms, regardless of what phone or carrier you or they have?
I put ios5 GM onto my friends iPhone and his girlfriends Verizon iPhone so that they can quickly and easily message each other. He lives in Scotland and she is in the US. So far they are loving it and it saves her a fortune. They had been using other program's like whatsapp but think this is much better and easier to use. They share messages pictures and videos with ease.
I have been using it for party chats with the wife and kids.
You'll still be able to send SMS messages to non-iPhone users.
And given that over 250 million iOS devices have been sold (not shipped) I'm sure you'll find a person or two you know who have one.
Unless of course you don't have one...
But you do
And Whatsapp is probably a copy of Blackberry messaging so no innovation on Whatsapp's side there either.
The point is that you want to sent free text messages to non iOS devices and iMessage cannot do that.
Whatsapp is the best cross platform message app I have seen, it has an excellent user interface, its fast and provides excellent feedback. It is also seamless in use because it looks at the address book (if you allow that) and finds all phone numbers that already use whatsapp. So its perfectly integrated.
One thing it cannot do though: it cannot send messages to devices without a phone number, so the iPod touch (for example) cannot be reached. iMessage can do this and thats great but another very good message app pingchat is also able to do that.
Pingchat however isn't able to use one account on several devices (Whatsapp doesn't have this problem because its linked to a phone number) but newer versions of the app should be able to do that in the future.
One thing iMessage can do and non of the message apps I know of can, is resuming a conversation on another device. This is an excellent feature and thats why I'll use iMessage along with Whatsapp to be able to communicate with the rest of the world.
There is a fundamental flaw in iMessage compared to WhatsApp. Having tested it for several months it is clear that you can not always be certain another iOS user will either have it enabled or if they do then they may not be in a 'data zone' (WiFi or 3G). In these scenarios you end up paying for the message. It's a nice idea from Apple but relies on an always connected world which isn't reality.
There is a fundamental flaw in iMessage compared to WhatsApp. Having tested it for several months it is clear that you can not always be certain another iOS user will either have it enabled or if they do then they may not be in a 'data zone' (WiFi or 3G). In these scenarios you end up paying for the message. It's a nice idea from Apple but relies on an always connected world which isn't reality.
Note: When sending an iMessage to a compatible contact the send button is blue otherwise its green for SMS. Also, enable delivery receipts and you know that they have received the message pretty quickly after you sent it.
When sending an iMessage (blue send) if the other user is not in a data zone you get a message delivery failure. You can choose to send again (for 'free' with iMessage or choose to send as SMS. It doesn't fail then send it as an SMS without your consent.
All carriers around the world are probably griping at this, but actually it's about time they innovate and give consumers better services rather than continue to thrive from this out-dated technology. For me, more than three quarter of the people I know own an iDevice, and those who own a Blackberry prefer BBM because WhatsApp server is so annoying slow some time, so maybe this will be a good chance for me to stop using WhatsApp forever.
Most telcos in Australia offer plans with unlimited SMS already, and have done for a while. This is one way the telcos counter the free blackberry service and iMessage. Make SMS free. SMS is usually absorbed in the cost of the plan. Verizon have a sound strategy by the sound of the article, placing priority on just getting the user to subscribe to the network. You still pay the telco for network access, so losses in SMS revenue can be picked up elsewhere, or made up by just getting more subscribers.
Note: When sending an iMessage to a compatible contact the send button is blue otherwise its green for SMS. Also, enable delivery receipts and you know that they have received the message pretty quickly after you sent it.
When sending an iMessage (blue send) if the other user is not in a data zone you get a message delivery failure. You can choose to send again (for 'free' with iMessage or choose to send as SMS. It doesn't fail then send it as an SMS without your consent.
You won't pay unless you choose to.
This is actually better than WhatsApp b/c you'll get instant notification if your iMessage doesn't go through. That way you can decide to send it via SMS for important messages. As for WhatsApp, it could be minutes or hours later before you realize that your friend never received your message. Every time that happens in WhatsApp, I end up sending another SMS to make sure my message is received.
Comments
I hear AOL, Yahoo, Google and others are already about to copy apple with "instant messengers" of their own. Apple needs to sue them quickly before someone steals their idea again.
I see what you did there and I like it.
I got a kick out of this line from the article:
Samsung and Google are also reportedly working on similar services that would allow Android users to communicate via free messages instead of pricier SMS texts.
Which Android has had since launch, in the form of Gtalk.
Does Android already have Google Chat built-in?
Yes, it does.
I hear AOL, Yahoo, Google and others are already about to copy apple with "instant messengers" of their own. Apple needs to sue them quickly before someone steals their idea again.
You mean the way they stole it from WhatsApp?
Christ, it's Xerox>Apple>Microsoft all over again.
iChat is completely mainstream: my friends using AIM, Google Talk, etc. all message me on it and vice versa. They have no idea whether I?m using iChat or some other client, and I have no idea what client they?re using. It?s seamless, open, and not Apple-bound at all.
Similarly, iMessage isn?t an app at all?it?s an automatic capability of the iPhone?s built-in SMS app (?Messages.?) Like iChat, it's seamless: you don?t have to remember who has an iOS device?just send your texts! When you text with an iOS friend, the message is blue and free. When you text with a non-iOS friend, the message is green (for the money you lose) and you get gouged.
I refuse to pay for a texting plan. It?s archaic, and it?s greedy, when I?m already paying for data and the SMS service costs the carrier close to nothing!
So if it?s not some emergency, my non-iOS friends can learn to use their voices
Why should I pay because Apple decided to build iMessenger only for Apple platforms???????
Whatsapp is free for every platform !!!!
Our family has 5 lines on AT&T. We lowered the plan to 700 min. Between 5 lines, i know that sounds too little, but we also added $30 unlimited texting which covers all 5 lines ($6 per line for unlimited texting), but the kicker is that you get unlimited mobile minutes from ANY carriers.
Most people use mobile phones now days, so I thought this would be a good plan. What do you guys think?
I guess this is one way for carriers (in this case AT&T) to lure customer to texting plan.
I just did the same thing. We were at 2100 minutes, but with unlimited nights and weekends, the A List, free AT&T mobile to mobile (now All mobile to mobile) we were hardly putting a dent in that limit. I figure even if we do go over during the holidays, the surplus of 13,000 rollover minutes we've racked up should keep us out of overage territory. Heck, in the last billing cycle, the total talk time for all 5 lines was something like 350 minutes, which just a few years ago wouldn't have been enough for even my wife's line. Text usage, on the other hand... yeah I don't even look at that anymore. Even though it's unlimited, it still blows me away just how many texts we rack up in a 30 day period.
Oh, sorry, guess I answered my own question.
I have been using it for party chats with the wife and kids.
Why should I pay because Apple decided to build iMessenger only for Apple platforms???????
Whatsapp is free for every platform !!!!
Except the iPad and iPod touch.
You'll still be able to send SMS messages to non-iPhone users.
And given that over 250 million iOS devices have been sold (not shipped) I'm sure you'll find a person or two you know who have one.
Unless of course you don't have one...
But you do
And Whatsapp is probably a copy of Blackberry messaging so no innovation on Whatsapp's side there either.
The point is that you want to sent free text messages to non iOS devices and iMessage cannot do that.
Whatsapp is the best cross platform message app I have seen, it has an excellent user interface, its fast and provides excellent feedback. It is also seamless in use because it looks at the address book (if you allow that) and finds all phone numbers that already use whatsapp. So its perfectly integrated.
One thing it cannot do though: it cannot send messages to devices without a phone number, so the iPod touch (for example) cannot be reached. iMessage can do this and thats great but another very good message app pingchat is also able to do that.
Pingchat however isn't able to use one account on several devices (Whatsapp doesn't have this problem because its linked to a phone number) but newer versions of the app should be able to do that in the future.
One thing iMessage can do and non of the message apps I know of can, is resuming a conversation on another device. This is an excellent feature and thats why I'll use iMessage along with Whatsapp to be able to communicate with the rest of the world.
J.
Does anybody know the maximum size file/video/photo that you can send via iMessages? It must be capped to something, I guess.
Cheers.
God bless Steve
There's another new one called Pingme. UI is quite neat and it's FREE on iOS. It's also cross platform and requires a telephone number to register.
There is a fundamental flaw in iMessage compared to WhatsApp. Having tested it for several months it is clear that you can not always be certain another iOS user will either have it enabled or if they do then they may not be in a 'data zone' (WiFi or 3G). In these scenarios you end up paying for the message. It's a nice idea from Apple but relies on an always connected world which isn't reality.
Note: When sending an iMessage to a compatible contact the send button is blue otherwise its green for SMS. Also, enable delivery receipts and you know that they have received the message pretty quickly after you sent it.
When sending an iMessage (blue send) if the other user is not in a data zone you get a message delivery failure. You can choose to send again (for 'free' with iMessage or choose to send as SMS. It doesn't fail then send it as an SMS without your consent.
You won't pay unless you choose to.
Possibly 'message' coming to Lion? Or just something I've missed? Someone may know something..
Note: When sending an iMessage to a compatible contact the send button is blue otherwise its green for SMS. Also, enable delivery receipts and you know that they have received the message pretty quickly after you sent it.
When sending an iMessage (blue send) if the other user is not in a data zone you get a message delivery failure. You can choose to send again (for 'free' with iMessage or choose to send as SMS. It doesn't fail then send it as an SMS without your consent.
You won't pay unless you choose to.
This is actually better than WhatsApp b/c you'll get instant notification if your iMessage doesn't go through. That way you can decide to send it via SMS for important messages. As for WhatsApp, it could be minutes or hours later before you realize that your friend never received your message. Every time that happens in WhatsApp, I end up sending another SMS to make sure my message is received.