Free Alternative to SMS

[VvWolverinevV]

Hi,

I just picked up the Motorola Droid, and I'm loving it I'm trying to find the best free alternative to SMS (because it's ridiculous that after paying $30/mo for 3G access, I have to pay more to move 100-character messages around on the same network...). Ideal would be something like BlackBerry Messenger.

So far, I've been using gTalk with my status set to invisible, and that seems to be a pretty good alternative. When I initiate a gTalk conversation with an invisible status, the conversation usually remains short - like an SMS conversation. One downside is that people never initiate conversations on gTalk with me while I'm set to invisible.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a better alternative?

 

[JackTheMan18]

you may wish to try out two very good apps from Market:
chompsms
handycent
Keep in mind that a sms client is a battery buster depending on the frequency of checking.
For another totally different type of app, you may wish to try out Fring.

 

[mplevy]

Get Google voice, sends SMS over the data network. Downside is that it uses a different number.

 

[IOWA]

Dont most data plans include sms these days? i mean 30 a month and no sms? Your getting your pants tore off dude.

 

[VvWolverinevV]

Thanks for the suggestions! mplevy, I'm trying out Google Voice, and it seems like SMS and outgoing calls use distinct numbers, both different form the one listed as my Google Voice number! Have you experienced this? Anybody know what's going on? I would expect those three numbers to be the same.

IOWA, I totally agree, but Verizon is the only solid carrier, and as such, they get to charge stupid people for useless services

 

[mplevy]

GV gives you your own number there. In my limited use of it (so far), my outgoing calls and SMS all use my GV number. I'm assuming (I know, I know) that you're using the GV app from the market? The integration is SWEET, I can call a number and it will ask me if I want to use my GV or actual cell number. I text through the GV app and it uses data, not texts and arrives as though from my GV number.

 

[IOWA]

Thanks for the suggestions! mplevy, I'm trying out Google Voice, and it seems like SMS and outgoing calls use distinct numbers, both different form the one listed as my Google Voice number! Have you experienced this? Anybody know what's going on? I would expect those three numbers to be the same.

IOWA, I totally agree, but Verizon is the only solid carrier, and as such, they get to charge stupid people for useless services

Actually no, despite all the bad press, Sprint is the most reliable network according to third party independent studies. Hows that for ya? Link Below!

Testing Results in a Nutshell
In Novarum's tests for us, Verizon Wireless demonstrated a good mix of speed and reliability. Across more than 20 testing locations in each of the 13 cities we tested, Verizon had an average download speed of 951 kbps. Verizon demonstrated good reliability, too; the network was available at a reasonable and uninterrupted speed in 89.8 percent of our tests.

Sprint's 3G network delivered a solid connection in 90.5 percent of our 13-city tests. Sprint's average download speed of 808 kbps across 13 cities wasn't flashy (at that speed, a 1MB file downloads in 10 seconds), but dependability is an important asset. The Sprint network performed especially well, both in speed and in reliability, in our test cities in the western part of the United States.

The AT&T network's 13-city average download speed in our tests was 812 kbps. Its average upload speed was 660 kbps. Reliability was an issue in our experience of the AT&T system: Our testers were able to make a connection at a reasonable, uninterrupted speed in only 68 percent of their tests.

Somewhat surprisingly, our testers also found that the "bars of service" readings on their phones were rarely an accurate predictor of the quality of the ensuing connection. In most places and with most wireless providers, the "bars" did little more than indicate whether the phone had access to some service or to no service. (See "What Do Bars Say About Your Connection?")

A Day in the Life of 3G - PC World

 

[VvWolverinevV]

Actually no, despite all the bad press, Sprint is the most reliable network according to third party independent studies. Hows that for ya? Link Below!

Quote:
The Sprint network performed especially well, both in speed and in reliability, in our test cities in the western part of the United States.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/167391/a_day_in_the_life_of_3g.html

IOWA, I think you misread the article. It seems to claim good results for Sprint in West Coast cities. I take this to mean it did not perform as well in East Coast cities, as Verizon got an overall better result. Also, one of the reasons I say Verizon is the only solid network is because it's the only network that works outside of big cities... which this article did not address.

 

[VvWolverinevV]

GV gives you your own number there. In my limited use of it (so far), my outgoing calls and SMS all use my GV number. I'm assuming (I know, I know) that you're using the GV app from the market? The integration is SWEET, I can call a number and it will ask me if I want to use my GV or actual cell number. I text through the GV app and it uses data, not texts and arrives as though from my GV number.

It looks like I was freaking out for no reason, mplevy. The different numbers I was seeing were just access numbers. The call or SMS recipient sees my GV number just fine

So, yes, GV is the only correct response to my OP. I'm only scared that Google is the only software company that can do anything right Monopolies are dangerous.

 

[mplevy]

lol Yeah, Google may become dangerous however they seem reputable, reliable and honest so far. We can all hope it doesn't go to their head and they turn into M$.

This was my first venture into TRUE smartphone use and I've been VERY impressed, and the developer community is active, it seems I get an app update almost daily for one app or another..