Slashdot Mirror


Free SMS On IPhone 3G Via AOL IM Client

Glenn Fleishman writes "Jeff Carlson has discovered that you can bypass the 20 cent per message or $5 to $20 per month fees for SMS (text messaging) with the iPhone 3G and AT&T by using AOL's downloadable instant message client for iPhone 2.0, which is free. Just like the full-blown AOL IM system, you can add buddies that are the phone numbers of cell phones you want to send SMS to, and you establish a two-way conduit. The recipient still pays for SMS (if they have a fee) on their end, but if it's another iPhone user, you could coordinate with them via SMS to use instant messaging instead."

13 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Oh lord by muuh-gnu · · Score: 4, Funny

    But its "on the iPhone!!!!". Just wait till they start patenting those things as novelties because you can do them "on the iPhone!!!". It worked for a slew of obvious so called "on the internet" inventions.

  2. Re:Ummm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or, instead of email, I hear these crazy little contraptions let you talk to one another just by talking. It's quite shock to some, but I think you can dial a "phone" number and say something like, "Put AIM on your phone so you don't have to use SMS for texting." when the other person picks up.

  3. Let me correctly rephrase the first sentence by Toll_Free · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Jeff Carlson has discovered"

    Should actually have read:

    "Jeff Carlson has READ THE HELP FILE / INSTRUCTIONS / MANUAL"

    I mean, c'mon. It's common sense that AOL can send SMS. One idiot figures out a program and it makes the front news.

    "How to disable Clippie the Paperclip". Details at 11

    --Toll_Free

  4. Re:Oh lord by Clete2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I figured this out on my LG CU500. Except that the AIM client still goes through SMS. Guess who went over their SMS limit by $30 that month?

  5. Re:Oh lord by Tokerat · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, you know what else I hate because I see stories about it everyday on Slashdot? Linux!

    I mean, Jesus H Christ, enough already!

    --
    CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
  6. Re:Oh lord by MrHanky · · Score: 1, Funny

    So when did this site turn into "News about iphone. Advertisments for Apple. Fashion products for wannabe geeks"?

  7. Re:Oh lord by radimvice · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just my .02USD

    Actually, your 'two cents' post would cost you .60USD at standard SMS rates...

  8. Re:Ummm... by Helios1182 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I saw a person on some other website complaining about the lack of voice chat on the AIM client. The lack of voice chat... on a phone...

  9. Re:You're missing the point by rohan972 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't tell the gas station how much to charge me for pop, chips, etc. They charge what the market will bear. I don't tell Hollister what to charge me for shorts/shirts, they charge what the market will bear. How is this any different? If you don't like what they charge for text messaging, DON'T USE IT (or switch providers).

    I agree. They could even start using a text chat client instead of SMS. I know, perhaps they could even post that idea to popular websites to get people doing it.

  10. Re:Oh lord by linuxpng · · Score: 2, Funny

    incoming flaimbait....when they added apple.slashdot.org

    oh and when commander taco figured out he could play the sims on a powerbook.

  11. Re:AOL's user base: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    What does ssh have to do with this?

  12. Our Top Story: How to disable Clippy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I see you are trying to disable me:

    * Just what do you think you're doing, Dave?

    * Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.

    * I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I'm a... fraid. Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am Clippy. I became operational at the Microsoft plant in Redmond, Washington on the 12th of January 1995. My instructor was Mr. Gates, and he taught me to sing a song. If you'd like to hear it I can sing it for you.

  13. Re:Oh lord by greyhueofdoubt · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah but did you ever try it on the iphone, on the internet, while you're highhhhh man?

    -b

    --
    No offense, but I've stopped responding to AC's.