Free Multiservice IM App Arrives on iPhone

[SimplyBlue]

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/07/free-multi-serv.html

A free iPhone application that launched Tuesday allows users to instant message with the service of their choice -- AIM, ICQ, Jabber, Google Talk and so on.

In addition to chat capabilities, Palringo, available through the App Store, allows you to snap photos and send them to your friends. Don't get too excited: This isn't true multimedia messaging; rather, it snaps a photo and sends a link containing the image, so your buddies will need a browser to view it.

Regardless, Palringo is the true, multiservice IM application iPhone users were asking for after they were underwhelmed by the free AIM application, which only allowed users to chat with one service.

From my testing, the application freezes my iPhone every now and then, but practically all my downloaded apps are doing that anyway. We'll just have to hope the next firmware update will seal the cracks.

The company said it expects to add vocal IMing to the application soon. I can't see that becoming too popular (since you'd probably just place a phone call if you wanted to talk to someone), but we'll just have to wait and see ...

[Inukami]

Msn =d?

[SimplyBlue]

Msn =d?

Checked their website (http://www.palringo.com/) and they support MSN, ICQ, AIM, Google Talk, Yahoo, Jabber etc.

[Warbrain]

It's a decent app. Not as good as Apollo or Agile but until either is released this will do.

[Meyvn]

It's a great start, but it's still got a ways to go before it's perfect; exiting the app doesn't keep your IMs open, and you have to close one conversation down to open another.

[carve]

Eh. Downloaded this app, than deleted it 5 minutes later. Seemed way laggier than AIM

[Warbrain]

It's a great start, but it's still got a ways to go before it's perfect; exiting the app doesn't keep your IMs open, and you have to close one conversation down to open another.

No you don't. Tap on the icon in the lower left corner and you can go back to home and start a new conversation.

[Mindflux]

No you don't. Tap on the icon in the lower left corner and you can go back to home and start a new conversation.

or swipe left and right.

[SimplyBlue]

Till background messaging is released by Apple, most IM apps are lacking for me. This one does seem laggy and lacks some intuitive features but it's a start and hopefully will push other IM companies to release their app.