Apple Removes Links to Messages Beta for OS X Lion, Still Available via Direct Link

[BRLawyer]

Originally Posted by norrismantooth

After using Messages Beta for a week, I ended up uninstalling it. Kept getting a red badge "1" on the dock icon that wouldn't go away.

The worst bug in iMessages was this nasty problem that ended up eating ALL available boot disk space, as widely reported in the Apple Support Forums.

Once this happened to me, I uninstalled the beta release and got back to iChat with no problems so far. Hope this is sorted out before official release in July.

[indiekiduk]

A couple of days ago Messages stopped working for me. It took forever to launch and when the window finally appeared all my old messages dissapeared. Just assumed the beta period was over.

[bushido]

Originally Posted by Fattytail

Mountain Lion unifies your Apple ID and phone number, so this problem should go away soon. I agree it's sort of a pain now.

i dont understand why anyone would want those messages to show up on each device anyway, its so annoying. let's say you are currently on your mac book, why would i want those messages to also appear on my iPad and iPhone. i'd get sick of every device beeping or lighting up every few seconds one after another. i actually set up multiple email accounts so i can be reached on each device separately.

its already driving me crazy with facebook, i'm on my mac and my ipad and iphone just wont s**** up

[Cougarcat]

Originally Posted by lifeinhd

I bet they don't because they'd rather you spend $20 for a new OS (or better, $2k for a new machine).

Then why did they do the same with FaceTime?

Apple isn't stupid; they know that a communications protocol is more useful the more ubiquitous it is.

I doubt very much they care about ML profits. If they did, it would be priced at the previous $30 or higher. That's not where they make their money.

[MacFan782040]

Correct me if I am wrong... but are there 3 Mac messaging services from Apple?

1. iChat
2. Messages
3. Facetime

If they are doing away with iChat, and only having messages installed on new Macs, then how do we video chat Mac to Mac?

Does Messages replace iChat? Was Facetime built in to Messages? Can we share screens?

[Summersify]

Originally Posted by cms2

I liked the theory behind Messages, and the way it was presented. However, in use instead of simplifying instant messaging it has added a layer of complication. Now, if I send an iMessage from my phone to a person, and then switch to messaging from my mac, it doesn't just show up in one stream as advertised; it comes from a separate account. Inevitably I receive back something along the lines of "weird, that last message from you said it came from ******@me.com" Then if I switch back to my phone, obviously it comes from my phone. So I guess it's unified on my end, in Messages, but completely disparate on the receiver's end.

I guess I'm just looking for the day when it's Bob --> Sally instead of Bob (bob@me.com, bob@gmail.com, or 555.555.5555) --> Sally (Sally@me.com, sally@yahoo.com, etc...)

That's been fixed in iOS 6/Mountain Lion. Apple covered that yesterday

EDIT: Sorry, didn't see that others had got there before me

[BornAgainMac]

Originally Posted by MacFan782040

Correct me if I am wrong... but are there 3 Mac messaging services from Apple?

1. iChat
2. Messages
3. Facetime

If they are doing away with iChat, and only having messages installed on new Macs, then how do we video chat Mac to Mac?

Does Messages replace iChat? Was Facetime built in to Messages? Can we share screens?

Some things work like Share screens, chat / video from Mac to Mac. What I assume is missing is having a video chat with up to 3 people at the same time (iChat), 9 people with audio chat (iChat), and the present mode (iChat), and having backgrounds (iChat). Anyone confirm those features are now gone?

[NAG]

Originally Posted by BornAgainMac

Some things work like Share screens, chat / video from Mac to Mac. What I assume is missing is having a video chat with up to 3 people at the same time (iChat), 9 people with audio chat (iChat), and the present mode (iChat), and having backgrounds (iChat). Anyone confirm those features are now gone?

Messages is just iChat with a new UI and iMessage functionality. (Also, iChat isn't an Apple service, but rather the name of the chat client before they changed the name.)

[cms2]

Originally Posted by Summersify

That's been fixed in iOS 6/Mountain Lion. Apple covered that yesterday

EDIT: Sorry, didn't see that others had got there before me

No worries about others beating you; there are worse things than a forum with multiple people attempting to help a fellow user resulting in some overlap. As for apple covering it, I must have missed that; I was at work so I could only occasionally check the MR feed. Haven't gotten to watching the video from Apple yet.

In any case, I'm glad to see Apple is already addressing my concern.

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Originally Posted by bushido

i dont understand why anyone would want those messages to show up on each device anyway, its so annoying. let's say you are currently on your mac book, why would i want those messages to also appear on my iPad and iPhone. i'd get sick of every device beeping or lighting up every few seconds one after another. i actually set up multiple email accounts so i can be reached on each device separately.

its already driving me crazy with facebook, i'm on my mac and my ipad and iphone just wont s**** up

I see what you're getting at, but I disagree; I look forward to the day where each device is just a portal onto the same computing experience; where it doesn't matter if you happen to use your phone, your desktop, whatever, because it all reflects the same content exactly as you left it. It's obviously where Apple (and others) are headed, but of course there are bumps along the way.

[JST]

Originally Posted by Glumpfner

I'm looking forward to the day when Apple (just to rub it into Microsofts face) decides to sell their next MacOS for 99 cent.

You obviously don't understand the difference between making money on hardware or software.

For your clarification:
Apple only allows their OS to run on Apple made hardware. Therefore they are making tons of money on the hardware side. Technically, they could give the OS away for free and still make enough money.

MS is only selling software which means that they have to make all their money by selling software... So, there is no option for them to sell their OS for a low price... On the plus side they typically don't force their users to upgrade to a new OS by claiming that new add-on applications can only run on the new OS even though it has been beta-tested on the current OS...

[Navdakilla]

One thing that I really hate about iMessage is that (I'm Canada), when I message someone in the states, if it goes through as iMessage then I'm okay. If not then it will go through as a regular text and that will charge me long distance. I know there is a feature that you can turn it off, but that will apply for all my messages, I just want it to apply for my out of country friends. Any help?

[darkslide29]

Originally Posted by cms2

Ah, I see. Thank you for the clarification! I've been pretty disappointed with how complicated things have become with separate accounts for iTunes, iCloud, Messages, etc. The solution in the story you linked seems a lot more apple-like; why should I have to worry about defragging my accounts any more than I have to worry about defragging my hard drive?

Not sure if this was mentioned earlier to you, but in your phone settings also be sure to set the iMessage called ID as your email address, instead of your phone number. It helps make sure their replies go to everything, and not just your phone.

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Originally Posted by Navdakilla

One thing that I really hate about iMessage is that (I'm Canada), when I message someone in the states, if it goes through as iMessage then I'm okay. If not then it will go through as a regular text and that will charge me long distance. I know there is a feature that you can turn it off, but that will apply for all my messages, I just want it to apply for my out of country friends. Any help?

Just turn it off and leave it off. At worst, it fails to send and you get the little red exclamation that it failed. So then, press it again to re-send the message, and it will eventually go through.
It's not that big of an inconvenience to just wait to make sure it's delivered.

[newagemac]

Originally Posted by Undecided

When I started using this, I had thought all conversations would be mirrored across iOS and Mac devices, but it turns out not to be. Instead, I had split conversations, where I would use Messages on my Mac to send a message, and the reply would be on my iPhone. And the same would happen on the other end, where conversations would appear on their iPhone but not on their iPad.

I gather the issue is that Messages on the Mac can't be associated with a phone number? Is that right? And that this will be changed in Mountain Lion?

They mentioned in the keynote that phone numbers will be associated with your apple ID in both FaceTime and iMessage in Mountain Lion.

[SmittS]

Somehow I completely missed the Messages beta. When I try to install using the direct link, I get a checksum error. Doh!

[macosxuser01]

how do you uninstalled Messages beta? I tried dragging the application into the trash bin but then it saids "“Messages” can’t be modified or deleted because it’s required by Mac OS X."

I used to use it but then I hated when my friends would receive it by my email address and not by my contact name. I can't wait till iOS 6 fixes this problem

[jailwut wunnow]

Open Messages. Click on Messages (in title bar)>Uninstall

[lifeinhd]

Originally Posted by Cougarcat

Then why did they do the same with FaceTime?

Apple isn't stupid; they know that a communications protocol is more useful the more ubiquitous it is.

I doubt very much they care about ML profits. If they did, it would be priced at the previous $30 or higher. That's not where they make their money.

Right, as I said, they'd rather you buy $2k machines every 2-3 years, since the cost of the OS development is baked into the price of the hardware. TBH, I'm surprised it's not free already. Once it goes free, 100% of people will stop torrenting it, and Apple will be able to claim they signed up another 2 million users on the MAS.

[JAF1]

Shortly after this week's Apple Keynote address, Messages stopped working from my mac, also in sync with Apple no longer promoting the beta. Does anyone have info that suggests Apple has shut the service down?

[jailwut wunnow]

Yesterday messages on my mac was out of sync with my iPad & iPod and even between my 2 idevices. All of todays conversations are in sync across all 3 devices. And I haven't had any of the problems that everyone else is describing.

[danahn17]

Despite the bugs and all, I'm a big fan of the Messages app. I hope they'll allow us to purchase it on the App Store even if we don't upgrade to Mountain Lion immediately.

Originally Posted by JAF1

Shortly after this week's Apple Keynote address, Messages stopped working from my mac, also in sync with Apple no longer promoting the beta. Does anyone have info that suggests Apple has shut the service down?

I just used the program today... no problems.

[aajeev]

Originally Posted by JAF1

Shortly after this week's Apple Keynote address, Messages stopped working from my mac, also in sync with Apple no longer promoting the beta. Does anyone have info that suggests Apple has shut the service down?

Same for me, all my previous conversation on the Message disappeared, and when I tried to force it to send to people with iMessage it won't give me the option. However, I just checked with a Friend and his Message is working just fine.

Yea, I'm also a huge fan of Message, considering most of my friends/family are now using an iPhone it's so easy to just have conversation on the computer without having to look at my iPhone every time something message me.

Update: Did a reinstall and it looks like everything is back to normal. It even has all my old conversations.

[ayzee]

I find iMessages great for sending stuff from my advices to the mac. Just upgraded to a new mac and used migration assistant to transfer, and it decided not to transfer over iMessages! luckily this direct link still works. Cant wait for MLion

[I WAS the one]

I downloaded it! and BAM!

Apple is doing this for every dmg they don't want you to use.
I used to have all my paid apps (including Adobe on an external HD and suddenly this weird message pop up since upgrading to ML.
So, I was forced to use the original DVDs to install them again but hey! I don't want to buya an external optical drive just for a couple of apps. this is getting SICK!