IM Plus Review: Push for Twitter, Skype, Facebook, MSN

IM+ [rating: 4/5]

IM+ for iPhone/iPod touch is a complete solution for all your instant messaging needs!

What’s new

– New Inbox view, now with message preview
– New bubbles in chat dialogs
– Sending video on iPhone 3G S
– Twitter: On/Off Push for Friends Timeline
– Twitter: link shrinking
– Twitter: Retweet
– Yahoo Japan support

With iPhone OS 3.0 now you can install up-to 180 apps on your iPhone and iPod touch but that still doesn’t weaken the need for apps which offer unified experience. The iPhone OS still lacks an efficient way of app management , while spotlight is great, the inability to run applications in the background highlights the importance of apps offering all-in-one features.

Push notification has brought a whole new meaning to apps and games on iPhone and has transformed ‘instant’ messaging into real time messaging.

IM+ offers all major instant messaging clients which include Google Talk, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, ICQ, MySpace,Facebook, Skype Chat, Jabber and basic functionality of a Twitter app. Setting up one or multiple accounts for the same service can be done by simply providing your login details. The app allows you to set your status as Online, Away, Invisible, Offline, Custom Message or can use your location as your status. However, strangely it does not allow you to set individual status for different services. Contacts appear under various categories; Ungrouped, Twitter, Friends, General etc. Favorites tab offers an easy way to add people who you chat with frequently and eliminates the need to scroll or search.

The overall chat interface is very neat and chat dialogs appear in bubble interface. You can show/hide the keyboard and tap the upload icon on the left side to send a photo, location or voice message. Sharing photos while chatting is a great feature and you can change active chats with a simple swipe and continue with the discussion from where you left it. IM+ supports a built-in browser to easily access web links or browse internet avoiding the need to close app and use Safari. You can also customize your chat background by selecting available wallpapers or choose any picture from your photo albums and select your preferred screen orientation to Autorotate or lock Portrait or Landscape.

SHAPE Services has tried to bundle a Twitter app in it’s effort to offer all-in-one app but in-spite of a great user interface I don’t think it can replace Tweetie, a Twitter app requires an interface which is different than that of instant messaging app, the retweet and reply options are too small and close which highly limits it’s use as a twitter app. Push notification works great on IM+ and sends updates in near real time.

IM+ is a fantastic instant messaging app which is truly All-in-one!

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Price $9.99

The Good

  • All major IM services
  • Push support
  • Twitter integration
  • Customizable

The Not So Good

  • Slow loading screens
  • Not the best in performance

IM+ Screenshots

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