TiPb checks out the best, most must-have IM/Instant Messenger apps to load up on your iPhone
Interested in knowing which are the best, most must-have instant messenger (IM) apps for your iPhone? Eager to get you chat on via AIM/MobileMe, MSN/Windows Live, Yahoo!, GoogleTalk, Facebook, MySpace, and/or Jabber but need to know which client supports what and how well? Well read on for TiPb's top 5 most recommended IM/instant messenger clients for iPhone!
Beejive IM
- Jan 07, 2020 New apps are published every day, making it hard to find the best of the best — which is where we come in. We've gathered the best free apps for the Mac, all in one place so you don't have to go digging. My criteria for apps on this list. In researching the best free apps for the Mac, I started by using Apple's category list.
- IMessage service is great, but it'll only work if your friends have an iPhone or iPad. If you've got friends on Android, you'll want to use one of the iMessage alternatives.
Beejive is probably one of the most popular IM clients for iOS, and for good reason. It supports almost any messenger client you can think of and is completely customizable. Beejive has been making IM clients for a very long time, and it shows. I remember purchasing Beejive for my Blackberry several years ago. Even then, it was an extremely reliable choice.
Jun 13, 2019 Facebook's own foray into the mobile messaging field is Facebook Messenger (Android, iOS ), a dedicated messaging app that builds on Facebook's chat network and adds more mobile messaging features as well as extensions and add-ons. Users sign in via Facebook and can send other users the usual chat messages.
It comes packed with features such as support for multiple accounts, push notifications, picture sharing, custom backgrounds and chat bubbles, and much more. I have always found it to be extremely efficient and easy to use. Most hardcore users prefer Beejive due to the amount of clients it supports. It also has the longest session option I've ever seen, which is 7 days (eBuddy also offers 7 day support). This means less time outs and having to re-connect.
Beejive has support for the following IM clients -
- AIM/MobileMe
- Facebook IM
- Google Talk
- Jabber
- MSN/Windows Live
- Myspace IM
- Yahoo! Messenger
[$9.99 - iTunes Link]
eBuddy Pro
eBuddy is another IM client that has a pretty large user base. It boasts several great features such as themes, push notifications, picture sharing, and much more. eBuddy also offers a free version of the app that is ad supported and has fewer features. So you can always try before you buy.
When it comes to comparing eBuddy with other clients, it seems to offer about the same Beejive does. A lot of it is really going to come down to personal preference. I personally prefer the overall layout and setup of Beejive but if Beejive wasn't around, I'd have no issues using eBuddy as my full time messaging client.
eBuddy has support for the following IM clients -
- AIM
- MSN/WIndows Live
- Google Talk
- ICQ
- Hyve
- Yahoo! Messenger
- Facebook Chat
- Myspace IM
[$4.99 - iTunes Link]
IM+
While eBuddy and Beejive have rather large user bases, so does IM+. These are probably the three most used clients for iPhone users. IM+ offers just as much as the previous two. And again, it'll probably come down to personal preference. It boasts most of the same features of the previous two but also has some other features that make it unique such as viewing Twitter feeds and advanced chat histories. I like the fact that you can access chat history on your device or on the web. This can be extremely convenient for people who need to save chat histories for work reasons.
IM+ also offers a free 'lite' version if you'd like to try before you buy. It supports the following IM clients -
- AIM
- MSN/Windows Live
- Google Talk
- Facebook Chat
- Myspace IM
- ICQ
- Jabber
- Skype
[$9.99 - iTunes Link]
Verbs
A lot of people may be asking why I'm including a client that doesn't support half the features the big 3 support. The answer to that for me is simple; Verbs looks like a client Apple themselves wrote. The UI itself is simply gorgeous. As of now, Verbs doesn't support the feature set the others boast, but I think it's a client to keep our eye on.
If the developers of Verbs can add support for several more clients and integrate a lot of the same powerful features, they'll do very well. Currently Verbs only supports local notifications, meaning if you close out the app from multitasking, you won't receive notifications. This is what's keeping me from using it on a daily basis. If they can issue updates to better the app in a timely manner, I think they'll acquire a pretty good sized user base. It's also a bit cheaper than some of the other options.
Verbs currently supports the following IM clients -
- AIM/MobileMe
- Google Talk
Messenger App For Mac Computer
[$2.99 - iTunes Link]
Kik Messenger
Kik Messenger has an extremely easy to use interface and push is extremely quick. But there's a catch. Kik is proprietary. The other user must be using Kik messenger also. They provide cross-platform support for iOS, Android, and Blackberry. The downside is that you won't be able to link AIM and some other popular messaging clients. If your messaging needs are small and the few people you need to talk to have Kik (or you can get them to download it), this will work just fine. Apps like Whatsapp Messenger and Ping! also offer the same proprietary system as well. It'll really come down to which you prefer to use the most (and probably which one your friends use).
[Free - iTunes Link]
Bonus: Official IM apps
If you only use one IM/chat service and for some reason really want the 'official' iPhone app for that service, you're in luck -- there are several in the app store:
Iphone Messenger App For Pc
- AIM AOL Instant Messenger comes in 2 versions, free with adds and cheap without adds. [Free - iTunes link] and [$2.99 - iTunes link]
- Facebook has built-in chat as well as feed, messages, places, groups, events, photos, and more. [Free - iTunes link]
- Myspace gives you access to chat as well as updates, photos, comments, messages and more. [Free - iTunes link]
- Skype not only lets you use Skype chat but also make VoIP and even video calls. [Free - iTunes link]
- Twitter is technically less IM and more DM (Direct Message) but if you want to chat in 140 characters this is the app. [Free - iTunes link]
- Windows Live Messenger with support for Windows Live, Y!, and Facebook, as well as social feeds for Facebook, Flickr, and Myspace, and access to Hotmail. [Free - iTunes link]
Your top apps?
So there you have them, our top 5 best iPhone IM instant messenger apps to get you going. Be sure to check out our Picks of the Week and iPhone App and Games Forum for more recommendations, and if we missed any of your favorites leave them in the comments below!
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Last month we looked at apps that allow you to connect iOS devices to your Windows 10 PC. But if you're on Android and Windows 10, you don't need to feel left out. There are a number of ways to connect your Android devices to your PC. In fact, due to the open nature of Android, there are even more options.
While there are many Microsoft apps available for Android, this list is about apps that connect your phone and your PC, not just services that are available on both.
From mirroring your screen to connecting your devices through the web, these are the best apps to connect your Android phone to Windows 10.
AirDroid
AirDroid extends your Android phone experience to your PC. You can mirror the entire phone screen and control your phone through your PC or just sync specific aspects of the phone such as notifications. You can respond to messages from your PC through SMS, WhatsApp, Kik, and other messaging services and also have the option to send quick replies to someone who calls you on the phone.
You can also use it to transfer files between your phone and your PC and control your camera remotely.
Setting up AirDroid takes a little bit of work, you have to unlock developer options and turn on USB debugging, but the app and AirDroid's website walk you through this.
There's a basic free version of the app, or you can upgrade to pro for $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year. The pro version removes ads, allows you to transfer entire folders, and grants you access to more features broken down on their website.
I like the idea of AirDroid, and it worked fairly well in my testing, but screen mirroring did run into some glitches, as did notifications. This could be based on my hardware so it's worth trying it out on your setup to see how it performs.
Vysor
Vysor is another way to mirror your Android phone onto your PC. It also allows you to drag and drop files and take screenshots. You can also use Vysor to type into text boxes on your phone using your PCs keyboard.
One way it differs from AirDroid is that it allows you to use Vysor Share, though you need a Vysor Pro account, which lets you share your phone with people throughout your office. Download old version of evernote for mac.
There is a free version of Vysor but to unlock high quality mirroring, wireless connection, Vysor Share, and more features you'll need to upgrade to Vysor Pro which costs $2.50 per month, $10 per year or $40 for a lifetime.
Textto
Rather than mirroring your entire screen or all of your notifications, Textto specializes in allowing you to text from your PC. Setting it up is incredibly easy. You just need to sign up with a Gmail account on both the Android app and PC version of Textto. You can then text from your computer through Textto's PC program or the web. It works wirelessly so you can set it up and then just text from your phone or PC.
Textto doesn't replace your SMS app of choice on your phone, it just relays your text messages through your PC. I was incredibly impressed while using this and it's especially useful because Skype SMS relay still hasn't arrived on Android.
You can get the PC version from Textto's website and download the Android app through Google Play. Both of them are free.
Photos Companion
Photos Companion comes from the Microsoft Garage. It allows you to send your photos between your Android phone and your PC as long as you're on the same wireless network. The connection works almost instantaneously and only requires scanning a QR code to set up.
The Android version of the app is free, and the Windows 10 Photos app comes for free as part of Windows 10.
Cortana
There's no shortage of digital assistants on Android, but if you use a Windows 10 PC, it's worth checking out Cortana. The assistant can sync reminders, lists, notes on both your Android phone and PC. It can also sync notifications from your phone with your PC.
Cortana has become easier to access than ever on Android phones by its integration with Microsoft Launcher. Cortana is free on Android, as is Microsoft Launcher which can integrate with it, and is also built into Windows 10.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge provides a nice browser experience as its own app on Android, but it's especially useful if you want to continue your browsing experience from your phone to your PC. You can select to continue viewing any webpage on your PC immediately or select to view it later.
Microsoft Edge also syncs with other aspects of the PC version of Edge including favorites so you can have a close to seamless browsing experience.
Edge is part of Windows 10, and the Android version is free.
Honorable mentions
There are two other apps that help you connect your phone to your PC, but they are restricted to specific hardware.
Free Messenger App For Iphone
Dell Mobile Connect
Dell Mobile Connect allows you to make calls and texts through your PC and also lets you read and react to notifications. Our executive editor, Daniel Rubino, has called it amazing and it looks like a big draw to anyone considering new hardware. But the app is not only restricted to working with Dell PCs, it only works with specific Dell PCs. Hopefully, we'll see more hardware from Dell supporting this in the future and other OEMs making similar applications.
Dell Mobile Connect is amazing. Full mirroring of Android on Windows 10. Make/receive calls/sms. pic.twitter.com/70zY0ZcvtL
— Daniel Rubino (@Daniel_Rubino) March 1, 2018HP Orbit
HP also has an app of their own, HP Orbit, which allows you to send photos, text, and links between your phone and your PC. As you'd expect, it requires an HP PC. It isn't as powerful as Dell Mobile Connect but is very fast.
Over to you
These are some of the best ways to connect Android phones to Windows 10 PCs, but they aren't the only ways. What are your favourite apps and services to connect your devices across platforms? Let us know in the comments below.
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