Text Messages on iPad?

Should be. There is a SMS app in the App Store. I assume it would work w/ the iPad. And there are also loads of web based SMS services.

Google Voice should work fine.

...but will AT&T allow you to use your existing cell phone number (if you have one) for iPad texting and apply to that account? Probably not (logistics could be a problem) but it would be a good idea if it could be implemented.

Julien said:

...but will AT&T allow you to use your existing cell phone number (if you have one) for iPad texting and apply to that account? Probably not (logistics could be a problem) but it would be a good idea if it could be implemented.

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I don't know if they even give you a phone number with an iPad plan

mackmgg said:

I don't know if they even give you a phone number with an iPad plan

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No they don't but that's not what I said. In more detail what I meant was if the text messages could be directed to your iPad and charges could be charged/credited on your "other" cell phone account. As I said there are probably several technical/practical/logistical problems preventing this but it would be a great idea.

Maybe someone with more specific cell tech knowledge can chime in: what is the unique identifier on a SIM? i.e. the thing that gives it the ability to send and receive a text message? Is it the phone number? IMEI?

I guess what I'm wondering is, if you ported the iPhone's "Messages" app to the 3G iPad, and sent a text...

a) Would it work?
b) Where would it be 'From'?

Would the 3g ipad have a sim tray? maybe?

Might there be a way to pop the sms app on there from the iPhone? If it is possible to mod a normal sim to be a micro sim, then I'll be a happy camper. I'll probably use the sms function quite heavily on the iPad if that's the case, as my current data sim includes sms as part of the tariff

Julien said:

No they don't but that's not what I said. In more detail what I meant was if the text messages could be directed to your iPad and charges could be charged/credited on your "other" cell phone account. As I said there are probably several technical/practical/logistical problems preventing this but it would be a great idea.

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actually at&t does give a phone number to a data cards.

NIPRING said:

Would the 3g ipad have a sim tray? maybe?

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It does - a microSIM tray. This is a known factoid.

j_maddison said:

Might there be a way to pop the sms app on there from the iPhone? If it is possible to mod a normal sim to be a micro sim, then I'll be a happy camper. I'll probably use the sms function quite heavily on the iPad if that's the case, as my current data sim includes sms as part of the tariff

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Yes - you can physically cut a SIM into a microSIM.

frunkis54 said:

actually at&t does give a phone number to a data cards.

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Interesting and good to know, thanks!

frunkis54 said:

actually at&t does give a phone number to a data cards.

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This still doesn't help because I want to text from my iPhone's number/existing threads and not have to send from an "unknown" number. Also AT&T hasn't announced any iPad phone number text data plan costs.

Julien said:

This still doesn't help because I want to text from my iPhone's number/existing threads and not have to send from an "unknown" number. Also AT&T hasn't announced any iPad phone number text data plan costs.

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it was only said to state a fact that i know. i would have to say no you will only be able to text from the iphone/ipad apps.

Well I can tell you that on an o2 data plan designed for a dongle they block incoming and outgoing calls but they do allow txts!

Gav2k said:

Well I can tell you that on an o2 data plan designed for a dongle they block incoming and outgoing calls but they do allow txts!

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I can vouch for that, as that is what I have with o2

Cool and interesting. So then the question becomes:

-does Apple natively install, or allow us to d/l from the appstore, the Messages app?

-if not, have to do so via jailbreak I assume

And I wonder what happens if you placed a phone call to that number? O2 guys can you comment?

i just get a call failed message on my cell when I call the o2 data number

I actually wanted to reaplace my iPhone with an iPad.

The thing is, there is no way to receive text messages on the iPad on a number that will also receive calls and vice versa (unless Google Voice does that).

And all data cards are given a "phone number". My Sprint mobile broadband card has a number.

Gav2k said:

Well I can tell you that on an o2 data plan designed for a dongle they block incoming and outgoing calls but they do allow txts!

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That's interesting, but I'm sure you can use VOIP still though.

Thanks guys. Well, it'll be interesting to see what does/does not come between now and shipping...

anthonymoody said:

Thanks guys. Well, it'll be interesting to see what does/does not come between now and shipping...

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Don't we already know?

The answer about text messages is no - you will not be able to send/receive text messages on the iPad.

Can you receive text message on an iPod Touch over WiFi? No. The type of 3G service the iPad receives is like mobile WiFi.

It's really not that hard people.

anthonymoody said:

Cool and interesting. So then the question becomes:

-does Apple natively install, or allow us to d/l from the appstore, the Messages app?

-if not, have to do so via jailbreak I assume

And I wonder what happens if you placed a phone call to that number? O2 guys can you comment?

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you can call the number it is dead. You can txt it and the txt is received on your computer through the 3g management tool.

EssentialParado said:

That's interesting, but I'm sure you can use VOIP still though.

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yes you can use voip on o2 without an issue.

Eso said:

Don't we already know?

The answer about text messages is no - you will not be able to send/receive text messages on the iPad.

Can you receive text message on an iPod Touch over WiFi? No. The type of 3G service the iPad receives is like mobile WiFi.

It's really not that hard people.

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I think what were going to find is that it'll be network dependant. As with o2 the system is already in place on the existing data plan setup for dongles to allow txts but not calls. The question will be will AT&T allow it? Hopefully for you guys over the pond they do as it's a feature that would allow alot of people to dump there iPhone package.

I forgot to add if you take the simcard out of the dongle and place it in a mobile the same applies. Calls are blocked txts and data is allowed.

Eso said:

Don't we already know?

The answer about text messages is no - you will not be able to send/receive text messages on the iPad.

Can you receive text message on an iPod Touch over WiFi? No. The type of 3G service the iPad receives is like mobile WiFi.

It's really not that hard people.

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???

Yours is not an unreasonable conclusion to draw based on what we do know, particularly as it relates to the experience of 3G dongle/card users on O2 and the like. However, it is far from certain that this is where we'll end up. Apple could easily - should they and ATT decide together - make available the very same Messages app that's on the iPhone (at least for 3G models).

I've done some poking around and there is no *technical* reason why a SIM (or microSIM) cannot send and receive texts simply because it's in a card, or a dongle, or an iPad, and not in a phone. It's a business decision. Nothing more.

I have no idea how this turns out, and fwiw I'm perfectly fine confining my texts to my iPhone. But to say that we know (and be insulting in the process by condescendingly telling us that it's 'really not that hard people') is plain wrong.