group messaging

New Samsung Focus Flash Ad shows of Group Messaging

December 2, 2011 | By Surur

The Samsung Focus Flash seems to be getting a little bit more love recently. The above AT&T ad shows the handset and also demonstrates a Windows Phone 7 feature – Group Messaging.

The handset actually looks pretty attractive in the ad, and demonstrates why you might want a smaller phone – super tight pants, but the Groups feature could be showed off for a bit longer.

What do our readers think of the ad? Let us know below.

Thanks Brendan for the tip.

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No longer alone–PingMe group messaging app also coming to Windows Phone 7

September 17, 2011 | By Surur

PingMe has just added Windows Phone 7 to its Coming Soon platforms for its Group Messaging software.

The service offers:

Free
Cross platform
Real-time message receipts
Group chat
News feed (from friends)
Geo-location
Push notifications

There was a time when being on Windows Phone 7 meant being cut off from these popular Web 2.0 services, but with GroupMe, Kik, Facebook Chat and WhatsApp all supporting Windows Phone 7 the OS will soon be a first class group messaging citizen.

Via WPCentral.com

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WhatsApp for WP7 screen shots

September 14, 2011 | By Surur

Dont you just love the internet, where things can go from tease to confirmation to screen shots in less than 24 hours.

From being teased with Mangos yesterday, we have come to screen shots of the much in demand WhatsApp Group Messaging app for Windows Phone 7.

The app clearly sticks to the Metro interface, which is obviously a good thing. Our tipster has had the software for a few days, which suggests the release is pretty immenent, and will probably be announced shortly.

Thanks John for the tip.

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Confirmation that WhatsApp is coming to Windows Phone 7

September 14, 2011 | By Surur

So far we have only seen one enigmatic tweet from WhatsApp suggesting their extremely popular IM app was coming to Windows Phone 7.

Now Plaffo.com managed to find an image on their server named teaser.jpg clearly showing the Windows Phone 7 logo.

Despite WhatsApp wanting to tease up I think the cat is now clearly out of the bag.

See the picture on WhatsApp’s server here.

Via Plaffo.com

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WhatsApp teasing a Windows Phone 7.5 app?

September 13, 2011 | By Surur

The most popular group messaging app, especially in Europe, is WhatsApp, an app felt to be essential by many before they consider a platform.

Now the company has posted an enigmatic tweet about Mangoes, meaningless to everyone else but of course very significant to Windows Phone 7 users.

Do our readers think a WhatsApp app for Windows Phone will be released soon? Let us know below.

Thanks Vijay for the tip.

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Skype buys GroupMe

August 22, 2011 | By Surur

Skype, who is in the process of being purchased itself by Microsoft, has just finalized its own purchase of GroupMe, the cross-platform group messaging client.

The year-old company has been raising a rapid following as a challenger to WhatsApp, and similarly uses data to send group messages, and also allow free conference calls to be set up.

GroupMe will be managed as a standalone brand, with the services being integrated over time, Skype CEO Tony Bates said.

“The group messaging space in general is one of the most important markets for Skype,” he told Techcrunch via a Skype video call earlier today. He added: “GroupMe creates a very sticky instant feeling. Like Skype, it is an everyday interactive form of communication. Skype’s goal is to get to 1 billion users. Mobile is the place to do that.”

GroupMe has a Windows Phone 7 client, but this was coded by an intern and is not feature-complete. Hopefully with its impeding Microsoft ownership more priority will be given to a client which support all of the features of their service.

WP7.5 Group Messaging may cost you a pretty penny

August 13, 2011 | By Surur

WeLoveWP has raised a warning about Group Messaging in Windows Phone 7.5 Mango which may save our readers some pennies.

It appears group text messages are sent via MMS by default, which tends to cost a lot more and have much lower free allowances.

Disabling Group Text in settings will still allow group messaging to work, but via SMS messages.

Thanks Simon for the tip.

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Kik gets encryption–it is now safe to talk

August 7, 2011 | By Surur

Kik is a popular, cross platform SMS replacement which has recently come to Windows Phone 7.

The software unfortunately had one significant security hole – because it did not encrypt conversations any slightly competent hacker could eavesdrop on your conversation if they were on the same network. This was an issue Kik had already solved on their Android and iPhone app by encrypting conversations.

Unfortunately the Windows Phone 7 client shipped without this protection, but Kik has now released a version 1.1 update which addresses this issue, and adds some other bug fixes.

Kik provides group messaging, picture sharing, is free and can be downloaded from Marketplace here.

Via WPCentral.com

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Groupme 3.0 Preview now in Marketplace

August 3, 2011 | By Surur

Groupme, the group chat service, has announced version 3.0 of their software, and has also made their Windows Phone 7 app official.

The app, which was developed with the help of Microsoft, still only has limited functionality, allowing only Group Messaging and Conference Calling, missing out on new features like Questions and Direct Messaging, but apparently new features are in the works.

Groupme for Windows Phone 7 can be found in Marketplace here.

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GroupMe for Windows Phone 7 shown off

July 13, 2011 | By Surur

set-up-conference-calls-with-groups-of-friends

create-groups-of-friends-to-chat-with-all-at-once GroupMe is showing of preview screen shots of their new Windows Phone 7 app. The app makes their offering truly cross platform, making it now present on Windows Phone 7, iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

The software was in fact developed by an intern from HackNY’s Summer Fellows Program and with some help from Microsoft, as we reported earlier here.

At present the app has basic functionality, offering in-app chat, the ability to create conference calls, and manage groups. More features will be added in upcoming weeks.

Windows Phone 7 Mango will automatically create a family group

June 3, 2011 | By Surur

One of the new Windows Phone 7 Mango features is groups, a feature which allows the user to group anyone from their contacts together and send them either text messages or email, and also to monitor their facebook and twitter activity in one location.

In the latest 361 degrees podcast it appears Microsoft has hidden some “delighters” in that feature also. Apparently one of the groups that will be created automatically for the user will be a Family group, with the software automatically not just grouping together anyone with the same surname, but also checking your Facebook relationship status to see who your partner is.

Mango introduces more than 500 new features to Windows Phone 7, with Microsoft only detailing a few. The software update is set to be released in the second half of 2011, with most expecting it to arrive in September 2011.

The 361 degrees podcast can be downloaded here.

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