Instant Messaging (AIM)

[iphone-newb]

I'm planning on buying an iPhone 3G, however, I find the $20 text plan to be a little ridiculous.

Is it possible to use instant messaging software to contact people instead? I often IM people's cell phones with AIM on my computer, and once my initial text is sent, they are able to respond. Would something like this be possible with the iPhone acting as the computer?

[kevlar08]

I'm planning on buying an iPhone 3G, however, I find the $20 text plan to be a little ridiculous.

Is it possible to use instant messaging software to contact people instead? I often IM people's cell phones with AIM on my computer, and once my initial text is sent, they are able to respond. Would something like this be possible with the iPhone acting as the computer?

i wonder? it sounds like a good loop whole, we'll have to see if the aim app will allow that, if there is in fact going to be an aim app for the iphone

[iphone-newb]

i wonder? it sounds like a good loop whole, we'll have to see if the aim app will allow that, if there is in fact going to be an aim app for the iphone

there already is an aim app for the current iphone.

http://blog.twenty08.com/mobilechat/

i just wonder if it even works?? i don't currently have an iphone, so i don't know.

[kevlar08]

there already is an aim app for the current iphone.

http://blog.twenty08.com/mobilechat/

i just wonder if it even works?? i don't currently have an iphone, so i don't know.

oh wow thank yo for correcting me, so based on that im gonna say that sense you don't pay for every message you send using aim then yo could send these instant messages to other phones for free like the opp said

[Toranz82]

Well actually supposedly AOL announced and previewed their AIM iPhone app. But I still haven't seen any videos of it but supposedly they're out there.

[|3are]

Or you can just use meebo like my buddy with a v1. It'll get a lot easier with the new AIM app and push notifications so that you can be on AIM at all times without actually running the application in the background, sucking up battery life.

[jarofclay73]

You know you can get $5/month for 200 texts right?

But, yeah I'm hoping that AIM and other instant messengers will be able to replace text/SMS/MMS messaging.

[Iphonehead]

Or you can just use meebo like my buddy with a v1. It'll get a lot easier with the new AIM app and push notifications so that you can be on AIM at all times without actually running the application in the background, sucking up battery life.


yeah but don't you pay 100 for that push notifications via mobileme?

[|3are]

yeah but don't you pay 100 for that push notifications via mobileme?
No. It's not like you get notified on your iPhone when you receive an IM on your desktop PC. They aren't releasing this until (they said) September, but the idea is that you load up the AIM application on your iPhone and it logs you into AOL's server. Then, even if you close your AIM application, you're still logged into AOL's server. If you get an IM, AOL's server sends a notification to Apple's push server, and Apple pushes the notification to your iPhone. Then, you can load up your AIM application, respond and chat for however long you like, close the application, etc. You'll never be logged out of AIM ever again (unless you want to be).

[bllzll]

No. It's not like you get notified on your iPhone when you receive an IM on your desktop PC. They aren't releasing this until (they said) September, but the idea is that you load up the AIM application on your iPhone and it logs you into AOL's server. Then, even if you close your AIM application, you're still logged into AOL's server. If you get an IM, AOL's server sends a notification to Apple's push server, and Apple pushes the notification to your iPhone. Then, you can load up your AIM application, respond and chat for however long you like, close the application, etc. You'll never be logged out of AIM ever again (unless you want to be).

i hope it works exactly like this.. because that would be sooo dope.. i figured the notifications app would work like this.. but its nice to know that AIM will work with the iphone also and allow you to stay logged into their server even without the AIM app currently running on your iphone

[dwp1975]

If they pull it off right, I will never log into AIM on my laptop ever again...lol. I wonder if the application will be free and if Yahoo! will follow suit, if they do developers of applications like JiveTalk and IM+ will lose out on the iPhone market.

[hoits2000]

course you can IM a cell phone via aim i do it all the time.

with mobile aim though you have to make sure that the cell number is under mobile friends sometimes.

[kisstine]

If your friends are mostly AT&T customers, your text plan should only cost you $10 a month. $5 for 200 messages, then $5 more for unlimited in-network.

[coinstar99]

We can only hope they do it right that it will retain its connection and such. I am connected all the time with my Curve. I never disconnect, ever, I love having IM all the time.

[jarofclay73]

We can only hope they do it right that it will retain its connection and such. I am connected all the time with my Curve. I never disconnect, ever, I love having IM all the time.

Just as long as it doesn't eat up your battery...

[blewis1984]

If your friends are mostly AT&T customers, your text plan should only cost you $10 a month. $5 for 200 messages, then $5 more for unlimited in-network.

So you can send txts to AT&T customers for free? Sorta like the unlimited M2M?

[iphone-newb]

So you can send txts to AT&T customers for free? Sorta like the unlimited M2M?

i hope so! that'd be nice. i don't mind $10 for unlimited in.