Shape Services put a pre-release copy of IM+ with Push Notifications in my hands and I’m just putting it through its paces now, so this post will be updated with more details over time. Please check back in.
AIM and BeejiveIM beat Shape Services to the release of the first Push Notification instant messaging apps by a couple days, but Shape Services has a trick up their sleeve. Actually, the company has a couple:
Twitter Push Support
First, it pushes your Twitter account to your iPhone. I’ve successfully received multiple Push Notifications for @replies and direct messages to my personal Twitter account.
It’s not fast – Tweetdeck picks up the messages long before I get the Push Notification, but it works. We’re talking just a couple minutes of difference here. That can be a short time or a long time depending on your perspective.
Skype Push Support
I’ve also successfully received Skype voicemail with a link to an mp3 of the file that plays directly within IM+.
IM+ logs into all major chat protocols including Twitter and Skype. Those two services aren’t on BeejiveIM, which has been plagued by glitches since it released on Monday. We still have yet to see how IM+ handles stress testing as it has yet to be approved by Apple. However, with BeejiveIM’s initial release being buggy and these feature advantages, it should make the Push instant messaging app war much more interesting.
FIRST!!! now this is the killer IM app that I have been waiting for. Do you have a release date or do I have to hit refresh on the iTunes page every 5 seconds?
No release date. Apple is still backlogged, I believe. So it looks like the refresh button for you.
Though we’re watching it and will update our Twitter + appadvice.com the moment it is live.
I’m up to every 3 seconds. I love this app better than Beejive, but they’re both great. Now if Twitterific Premium would adopt this…
Sounds amazing!
Fingers crossed nothing goes drastically wrong with the whole push system. There’s been some hairy moments.
I’ve “refreshed” for days now… could there be some rights issues with Skype? I mean, you would think that else the IM+ staff should be pretty irritated by the fact that Beejive has been out for days – and collected revenue and kudos for being the first push im app on the appstore…
i haven’t been this anxious since street fighter 2 was released on the snes, come on apple, approve this app now!
the waiting is painfull
the fact there is no release date makes me ceck it every time i have my phone in my hand :-s