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Rodimus Prime

macrumors G4
Oct 9, 2006
10,136
4
yes i agree. downloading iphone applications is a difficult and painful process.

not difficult but annoying. Just requires people going out and doing it. I do hope that your app takes off and maybe at some point it could bridge the gap between all the major smart phone OS out there and work. I still like how it is limited to phone only.
 

AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,000
Not to sound rude or anything, but can someone tell me the purpose of WhatsApp? What does it do that BeeJive does not? BeeJive has aim, msn, yahoo, icq, google talk and more. There is also skype, txting itself and email. I am just a tad confused.

There are all these forms of communication - and another comes along. I understand its for iphone people only, but what happens if I only know a few iphone people? Why not just keep in touch with BeeJive instead? :confused:
 

ViViDboarder

macrumors 68040
Jun 25, 2008
3,447
2
USA
Whatsapp doesn't look like an alternative to BBM to me... (More like a push twitter app :p)

I think a perfect solution would be something that used an IM-like backbone. Basically, BBM is just a chat client for Blackberry.

It's nice that it tells you when messages are read and otherwise. A developer could set up their own Jabber server for this app. Then they could have anyone who DL's the app get a login (maybe just their phone number so you don't have to worry about messy PINs and you can find address book people). You can then have work with Push notifications so it's Always On. Whenever you view a message the app calls the server to let it know you've "Read" the message. Then when the sender opens up their version it updates the delivery status to "Read."

BBM also sends files as well, I believe, but this isn't practical for the iPhone other than images. I'd be nice to have that at least.

Totally possible and only a very small change from most IM clients out there now.
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
Whatsapp doesn't look like an alternative to BBM to me... (More like a push twitter app :p)

it used to be "like twitter" when it did only status, but now with chat, it is hard to say that is is "like twitter"

don't by website, it is slightly outdated:)

It's nice that it tells you when messages are read and otherwise. A developer could set up their own Jabber server for this app. Then they could have anyone who DL's the app get a login (maybe just their phone number so you don't have to worry about messy PINs and you can find address book people). You can then have work with Push notifications so it's Always On. Whenever you view a message the app calls the server to let it know you've "Read" the message. Then when the sender opens up their version it updates the delivery status to "Read."

BBM also sends files as well, I believe, but this isn't practical for the iPhone other than images. I'd be nice to have that at least.

Totally possible and only a very small change from most IM clients out there now.

whatsapp will soon get other BBM features such as group chat, message delivery acknowledgment and file xfer.
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
Not to sound rude or anything, but can someone tell me the purpose of WhatsApp?

not rude at all, and i will try to explain the best i can.

What does it do that BeeJive does not? BeeJive has aim, msn, yahoo, icq, google talk and more. There is also skype, txting itself and email. I am just a tad confused.

imagine you have an entry in your address book for Alice and the only thing you have saved beside her name is her phone number. in fact, you don't even know what her aim, msn, yahoo, icq, google talk and more login id is. how would you talk to her using those services? you won't be able to.

or even if Alice does have one of those IM services, and you know her login name for one of those services, what if she is not logged in?

There are all these forms of communication - and another comes along. I understand its for iphone people only, but what happens if I only know a few iphone people? Why not just keep in touch with BeeJive instead? :confused:

get to know more iPhone people:) j/k.. chat will soon make it into the BlackBerry version and we are starting to look into Symbian (yuck) and Android for additional platforms.

oh and one more thing: if you are friends with Bob who has aim and Lice who has msn, you can't have group chat with them, while whatsapp will soon have groupchat support.
 

ki2594

macrumors 6502a
Apr 12, 2008
802
5
Carmel, IN.
Looks so promising just need a user base. And since it's not native- it's a low possibility unless it's in an apple ad or something (doubtful cuz of AT&T).

I'll be making this my app recommendation on my podcast recording tomorrow, we'll see if some listeners like it
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
Looks so promising just need a user base. And since it's not native- it's a low possibility unless it's in an apple ad or something (doubtful cuz of AT&T).

I'll be making this my app recommendation on my podcast recording tomorrow, we'll see if some listeners like it

thank you for the kind words. the cool thing about the app is that two people can start using it right away. but yes, large userbase will also be nice;)
 

sinsin07

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2009
3,606
2,662
http://itunes.com/app/whatsapp

we just added chat and app went live today. it is exactly like BBM but for iphone. in fact, it is even better since there is no PIN to exchange. will update itunes app store description and screen shots later.

note for special people: just like BBM requires the other party to have BBM, whatsapp requires the other party to also have whatsapp.

Does WhatsApp have read receipts and does it let you know when someone is typing?

Thanks
 

thelatinist

macrumors 603
Aug 15, 2009
5,937
51
Connecticut, USA
imagine you have an entry in your address book for Alice and the only thing you have saved beside her name is her phone number. in fact, you don't even know what her aim, msn, yahoo, icq, google talk and more login id is. how would you talk to her using those services? you won't be able to.

And how exactly are you going to know whether she has your app? What are the odds she will (pretty low right now, I should say)? I can be pretty sure if she has a mobile phone I can send her a text, but unless you somehow get this to be standard on phones, it will never be a useful alternative to anything.

It's just as I've said before: your only selling point is your exclusivity, and your exclusivity cripples your functionality.
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
Does WhatsApp have read receipts and does it let you know when someone is typing?

Thanks

it does let you know when somebody is typing. take a look at the screenshot under the contact name in the nav bar:

IMG_0534.PNG


BBM-like message status acknowledgements and many other BBM-like features (group chat, file xfer) are coming soon.
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
And how exactly are you going to know whether she has your app?

you start the app and see if her name is among the contacts with whom you can chat. if not, you use a 'tell a friend' email or SMS with a link to the appstore from which she can download the app. the whole process takes maybe 60 seconds tops, after which off you go chatting.
 

sinsin07

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2009
3,606
2,662
And how exactly are you going to know whether she has your app? What are the odds she will (pretty low right now, I should say)? I can be pretty sure if she has a mobile phone I can send her a text, but unless you somehow get this to be standard on phones, it will never be a useful alternative to anything.

It's just as I've said before: your only selling point is your exclusivity, and your exclusivity cripples your functionality.

You can say the same thing about facebook and twitter, you have to be in it to win it. Because you can send an invite, that is how you will get others to add it to their iphone.

I respect why others may not see a need for this, however these are the things I am looking for that the built in SMS does not have and may not ever have.

1:Read receipt
2:Online status
3:To know if the person is typing a response.
4:Ability to indicate online status.
5:Buddy list.

This is how IBM's Sametime works in an office environment, except for the read receipts. I don't know what other companies use for IM, however in a business environment when you send an IM, you want to know someone is on the other end. With the current iphone SMS, you send your message and the only way you know that someone is there is if they send you a response. This is app is like the chat's companies are using for the help desk feature. When you use ATT's chat feature for instance, when the tech on the other end is typing, it tell you that. This may not be important for some, but it is mighty handy in business, and I see its usefullness in social settings as well. In this day and age, knowing is everything and more inforamtion is better. When you send an SMS using the iphone app, you have know idea if the other person even received it. If the developer gets the read receipts added, this app will have everything I want.

Some people may say why buddy lists? With the built in SMS app I can use anyone in my phone book. Well that's good if you have a under a hundred names (just an example), but some people have way more than that and certain contacts you may not communicate ever through SMS. With this app, you can just have a list of the poeple you know you will communciate with via chat/sms. And you can also use the phone book if needed.

Again, everyone may not see the need or have a need for this. However why be negative if others want this? Obviously some don't have a use for this, however I already sent out 5 invites and me and those people are already using it over the built in SMS.

Please note, I may have overstated what this app can do, but from what I am seeing this is what I believe is possible. I guess the developer can correct me where I overstated something.

Once again I am not criticizing anyone who does not see a need for this. I am just explaining my point of view.
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
1:Read receipt
2:Online status
3:To know if the person is typing a response.
4:Ability to indicate online status.
5:Buddy list.

Please note, I may have overstated what this app can do, but from what I am seeing this is what I believe is possible. I guess the developer can correct me where I overstated something.

2,3 and 5 is already there (Favorites are your buddy list)
1 is coming in two versions from now (next version will have group chat)
 

sinsin07

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2009
3,606
2,662
2,3 and 5 is already there (Favorites are your buddy list)
1 is coming in two versions from now (next version will have group chat)

Isn't No 4 there also? There is an availability option on the Status icon. What is that for?
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
Isn't No 4 there also? There is an availability option on the Status icon. What is that for?

well, that status is not your "online" status. that status is your general iphone status and it is "sticky" -- in other words, even if you turn off your phone, your status will stay there. so for example, you can set your status to say "flying to europe" or "camping for the weekend" and people will know that phone calls and SMS won't reach you until you land or come back home.

you can also get push notifications when your friends change their status. it is Off by default but can be configured under Settings for which friends you want push notifications for.
 

AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,000
Seems like a cool app so far. Only issue I see is the name. I get it, but a lot of people won't. What about calling it IPM, iPhone Messenger? I dunno, just throwing it out there :)
 

jkb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2009
173
0
California
Seems like a cool app so far. Only issue I see is the name. I get it, but a lot of people won't. What about calling it IPM, iPhone Messenger? I dunno, just throwing it out there :)

pretty sure that you can't have "iPhone" in the application name. apple might reject the app. but will try and change the name to 'WhatsApp iPhone Messenger' during next software update (which is when you can change app name in the system)
 

sinsin07

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2009
3,606
2,662
Seems like a cool app so far. Only issue I see is the name. I get it, but a lot of people won't. What about calling it IPM, iPhone Messenger? I dunno, just throwing it out there :)

Names, Names, what's in a name?

It's to bad it's not called What"sUp, or something descriptive but who knows what will catch on. When I person says I will look at it on my iPhone or send it to my Blackberry, everyone (in civilization at least) knows what your talking about. When someone says Google it, we know they mean go look it up. But what is a Blackberry, Google, why did those names catchon? Why twitter (twittering life away, maybe :))
 

AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,000
pretty sure that you can't have "iPhone" in the application name. apple might reject the app. but will try and change the name to 'WhatsApp iPhone Messenger' during next software update (which is when you can change app name in the system)

I dunno. It just needs a better name in my opinion. No offense to you or anything. The name just seems too generic. It's not "catchy". It's all about the name. Then the function. :)

WhatsApp iPhone Messenger is too long. Think of something snappy. Or a play on words. You have that somewhat but again, not catchy.
 
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