iMessage provides more than just free texts. One from its best features is group messages, where all recipient gets the chain of messages on their iOS device. It's like iChat on your phone. iMessage does not automatically start working while you update to iOS 5. With the iPhone you need to go to Settings > Messages to turn iMessage on. You are asked for your Apple ID and then your number appears in the Receive At box. You can also add e-mail addresses as alternative Receive At locations. Note that adding an e-mail address here
does not mean the iMessage will be sent there. It means whenever somebody sends an iMessage to that address it will appear in Messages on any device identified with that address.
You can also indicate whether others can see when you've read their message. and instruct your phone to send a message as an SMS if the iMessage can't get through. On an iPad. set-up is similar, except a phone number option will not appear. You add your email addresses here as an identifier and any message sent from an iOS device to those addresses, or a phone number associated with it, will go to all your iMessage devices.
Another issue with communicating via iMessage is that there can be a considerable delay between sending and receiving a message - and a greater one if a recipient isn't available for iMessage and the message is sent as an SMS (it will default to text if it doesn't send as an iMessage within five minutes). We're used to instantaneous message delivery. so receiving the message live minutes after it was sent isn't satisfactory. In our example. the messages appear out of order because of the delay in receiving them.
Other issue with communication thru iMessage is that there could be a considerable delay between sending and receiving a message - and a bigger one if a receiver Is not accessible for iMessage and the message is sent as an SMS (it will default to text if it does not send as an iMessage within 5 mins). We're used to instantaneous message delivery. so receiving the message live minutes after it was sent Is not satisfactory.
does not mean the iMessage will be sent there. It means whenever somebody sends an iMessage to that address it will appear in Messages on any device identified with that address.
You can also indicate whether others can see when you've read their message. and instruct your phone to send a message as an SMS if the iMessage can't get through. On an iPad. set-up is similar, except a phone number option will not appear. You add your email addresses here as an identifier and any message sent from an iOS device to those addresses, or a phone number associated with it, will go to all your iMessage devices.
Another issue with communicating via iMessage is that there can be a considerable delay between sending and receiving a message - and a greater one if a recipient isn't available for iMessage and the message is sent as an SMS (it will default to text if it doesn't send as an iMessage within five minutes). We're used to instantaneous message delivery. so receiving the message live minutes after it was sent isn't satisfactory. In our example. the messages appear out of order because of the delay in receiving them.
Other issue with communication thru iMessage is that there could be a considerable delay between sending and receiving a message - and a bigger one if a receiver Is not accessible for iMessage and the message is sent as an SMS (it will default to text if it does not send as an iMessage within 5 mins). We're used to instantaneous message delivery. so receiving the message live minutes after it was sent Is not satisfactory.