I had never heard of WhatsApp until this morning, when its purchase by Facebook was announced. In reading a thread about it here, I was curious, so I downloaded, since it appeared to be a free texting program.
I already use a free program, TextNow, since I’m cheap and don’t want to pay for texting. Paying for it seems ridiculous to me. It should be offered as part of the phone plan period, not an extra. So anyway, I have disabled it at the AT&T level, and only receive messages to my phone number via iMessage, which is free. Everyone else is issued my TextNow number, which is different from my phone number. It’s a pain, and I’m sure people text me now and again who aren’t on an iPhone and I never get the message.
Anyway, What’s App wanted to access my contacts; I said fine. It asked for my phone number; I gave it. Then it said it has sent me a message with an activation code, which I was to enter. I didn’t get it, since I have texting disabled, I assume. So, I deleted the app with a c’est la vie.
Now I’m wondering if there’s some way around it and I can actually use this app and let people text me to my regular number.
I just got an email from someone saying they’ve just downloaded WhatsApp. It says:
WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, Android, Nokia, BlackBerry and Windows Phone. There’s no PIN or username to remember - it works just like SMS but uses your Internet data plan.
To be honest, even though WhatsApp is getting noticed in the US now that Facebook bought it, I don’t think it’s going to take off here. It only works when a large percent of people in an area use it - in countries like Spain and Switzerland, it’s the messaging app of choice and it works great. Facebook bought it just to gain a new customer base abroad and stamp out competition, not to bring it across the pond. Let’s face it, whatever need the US had for texting apps is now more than filled.
I’m in the US and almost everyone I know uses WhatsApp. However, the cellular plan/iMessage is still the primary method of texting. But WhatsApp is great for group texting.
But $19B??? I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect that another horrible economic bubble is about to burst.
WhatsApp works just fine, all that’s necessary is for you and your receipient(s) to also use it. Texts go over the voice network so don’t count against your fixed # of monthly texts, if you’re not on an unlimited plan. If you allow it access to your Contacts, it will let you know which of them also use the app (much of this might also be how the other 3rd party texting apps work; I don’t know b/c I’ve never used any of the others).
One thing about it I really like is it tells me when the recipient has received my message and is typing a response, something my regular texting app doesn’t do. I don’t have an iPhone so don’t use iMessage, or Messages, or whatever Apple’s calling it these days.
The thing is, I don’t have texting. I refuse to pay for it. I have no idea why people do. So I’d hoped this would suffice.
But with Facebook itself, Gmail and others having IM capbilities, I shuttle them all to IM+ so it’s rare I’m unavailable. I just think I’m missing random texts from people who have my phone number and are unaware of my militant anti-text policy.
Who is your carrier and what is your plan? I have Verizon Share Everything, which means that I pay for monthly access for each phone plus a data plan shared by a family of four. Unlimited voice, LD, and texting is included. So my question is why would anyone need a texting app?
