Product Reviews Net » iMessage http://www.product-reviews.net Information on the latest gadgets, technology, news and product reviews Sat, 26 May 2012 11:39:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 iOS 5 features, iMessage is the MVP http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/14/ios-5-features-imessage-is-the-mvp/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ios-5-features-imessage-is-the-mvp http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/14/ios-5-features-imessage-is-the-mvp/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:27:16 +0000 Jamie Pert http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=142952 Now that people have had the time to install iOS 5 they are probably trying out the many new features it brings to iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, however the feedback we are getting suggests that one particular addition to Apple’s mobile operating system is more popular than anything else – this is iMessage.

If you are reading this despite never using iMessage you should check out our idiots guide, to summarize iMessage is a new messaging service which is a lot like BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). Perhaps the most popular thing about this is the fact that it is a free messaging service which works over both WiFi and 3G – so that means iPod Touch users can get in on the action, also people who opted for the WiFi only iPad or iPad 2 can join in. The WiFi functionality means that you can message a friend whilst abroad without incurring any fees for accessing 3G overseas!

Apple has once again implemented a simple feature into iOS, even friends of mine who have no real technical knowledge are raving about, the Twitter reaction is pretty astonish to. In fact, so far we don’t think we have heard anything negative about iMessage – except a minority of people who are having trouble getting it activated. One tweet from a user called LeFtO sums things up by saying:

Official iOS5 > best thing iMessage

With a new notification system, better photo / camera functionality, better web browsing, Twitter integration and much more there’s a lot to love about iOS 5 – let’s just hope it didn’t brick your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch!

Do you agree that iMessage is the best new feature in iOS 5? If not, let us know which feature(s) you prefer in the comments section below.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/14/ios-5-features-imessage-is-the-mvp/feed/ 1 How to use iMessage on iOS 5, save blushes with fool-proof guide http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/13/how-to-use-imessage-on-ios-5-save-blushes-with-fool-proof-guide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-use-imessage-on-ios-5-save-blushes-with-fool-proof-guide http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/13/how-to-use-imessage-on-ios-5-save-blushes-with-fool-proof-guide/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:51:04 +0000 Alan Ng http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=142849 Don’t worry if you are feeling slightly silly after updating to Apple’s brand new iOS 5 software update, but are wondering where on earth the new ‘iMessage’ app is located on the device. What a lot of consumers don’t realise, is that iMessage is actually built into the existing Messages app on your device!

We’re here to help you out of course, and to make sure that you are not alone in your personal embarrassment of not being able to get iMessage working after installing iOS 5. Apple hasn’t really made it fool-proof like the other new apps on iOS 5 which give you a little introduction message before using – instead you’ll have to go to your iPhone settings menu to get everything working yourself.

Simply head to the Messages tab under your settings and make sure iMessage is enabled first of all. Once you have done that, you have the option of turning Read Receipt on too, which will allow you to see when a user reads your message, similar to the ‘double tick’ on WhatsApp for those that use that app regularly.

Another option that you may like to turn on is the Send as SMS feature, which will send your iMessage as a standard SMS to the recipient (normal text charge applies) whenever you do not have a 3G or WiFi connection available.

Once you have sorted your settings out, you can now go ahead and try sending a iMessage to your friend. As you input the number or contact to send to, Apple will automatically identify if he or she is using iOS 5 and you’ll then see that the message you are sending, changes to an iMessage which will make your message free of charge! Then of course you are free to send as many messages and pictures as you possibly want, providing you maintain your 3G or WiFi connection.

Hopefully these little steps will help you, as although you may have thought it was common sense, the fact that iMessages is built into Messages may throw some consumers off course at first. If this guide helped you, let us know how you’re getting along with iMessage so far – does it work as smoothly as Apple had advertized?

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/13/how-to-use-imessage-on-ios-5-save-blushes-with-fool-proof-guide/feed/ 9 Carriers to lose profit, iOS 5′s iMessage blamed http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/11/carriers-to-lose-profit-ios-5s-imessage-blamed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carriers-to-lose-profit-ios-5s-imessage-blamed http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/11/carriers-to-lose-profit-ios-5s-imessage-blamed/#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:41:39 +0000 Peter Chubb http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=142623 With the release of iOS 5 just two days’ away, carriers around the world are all ready to lose a profit because of one small feature, iMessage. The reason why this is pretty obvious really, as iPhone users will be able to message each other for free without the need to use the more expensive SMS. This is not a new idea, as it is one been in use by BlackBerry phones for sometime with BBM.

SMS has been a very lucrative business for cell phone carriers, and this will be a huge blow because of the install base of the iPhone. AppleInsider says that this is a multi-billion dollar business in the states – so just imagine how much carriers will lose in Europe and other parts of the world? Let’s not feel too sorry for them though, as they have milked enough money from us over the years, so is nice to see that we will be getting more for free.

RIM were happy to know that they were the only phone maker to offer a free message service, but will now feel threatened that Apple is about to tread on their turf. However, the market will soon be flooded with free messages, as Android and Windows Phone users could be getting in on the action as well.

Some experts believe that carrier markup for an SMS is 4,090 percent, which to anyone is inexcusable. How have the FCC and other bodies around the world allowed for such a thing, there would be an outcry if a bank tried to charge us that kind of markup on a loan?

What we like best about iMessage is the fact that you will no longer be limited to 160 characters, cell phone carriers have been served their notice when it comes to SMS – that’s what you get for taking advantage of customers.

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]]> http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/11/carriers-to-lose-profit-ios-5s-imessage-blamed/feed/ 6 BBM Vs Apple iMessage: Features and speed http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/10/bbm-vs-apple-imessage-features-and-speed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bbm-vs-apple-imessage-features-and-speed http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/10/bbm-vs-apple-imessage-features-and-speed/#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:30:55 +0000 Peter Chubb http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=134089 Apple shocked many people with their iOS 5 features, but none more so than BlackBerry users. The reason for this is due to the fact that BBM is very similar to iMessage, so we have embedded a video for you below to show just how the two compare with their features and speed. Although we still do not expect Apple’s version to have as many features.

One of the reasons why iMessage is so much like BlackBerry Messenger is because it will have send and read indicators. However, only those with an iOS device will be able to get a seamless experience; those receiving a message from an iPhone on a non-iOS device will not receive an iMessage just a standard SMS.

Watching the video was pretty funny, with the guy holding the BlackBerry unsure how he feels, and the other holding the iPhone shouting out “we stole it.” He then said, “we ripped off your messaging, we wanted it, we took it.” Like everything it has its good points and bad points, but being right into the messages app instead of being separate on BBM is a plus for iOS 5.

They ran a series of tests to determine which of the two were faster and sending and receiving SMS and MMS, and they seem to be pretty equal. Not to spoil anything the overall verdict is that they both tie. Having said that, iOS 5 is only in beta at the moment, so expect vast improvements to be made. That is not the only feature that Apple has borrowed, there is a host of others that have been assimilated on iOS 5.

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