While overseas I have put my iphone on airplane mode. I can still text to other iphones via imessage. Is there an app that will let me text to an old not smart phone, or alternatively text to an ipad?
A Wi-Fi iPad also has access to iMessage, as I understand it, if it has iOS 5 or later. Otherwise, there are alternatives such as the Viber app.
For a non-smartphone, there’s no easy way. If you know the recipient’s cell-phone provider, you may be able to visit a Web page to send them an SMS message (example from Verizon).
An old phone won’t have WIFI, so that all that would remain is bluetooth,
yeah many airlines allow wifi and bluetooth to be used.
(some airlines even sell wifi internet … )
There used to be bluetooth messaging, but it was highly annoying as people on a train or ferry or something would receive a flood of spam and propositions, and outrages…
The phone manufacturers stopped putting bluetooth message features into phones, leaving bluetooth for headsets, handsfree and keyboards?
Pinger.
Does Pinger work to send texts to someone without the Pinger app, if you’re outside the US/Canada? The itunes description seems to imply that you cannot.
I have a locked iPhone, so I can’t install a new SIM during our UK vacation. I’m planning to use it for wi-fi only (by removing the SIM and leaving it at home) for maps, etc. My husband has an unlocked Nokia phone which he can just install a new sim into while we’re in the UK.
We’d like to be able to text each other when lost/separated.
Thank you. I have downloaded Pinger and it seems to be just what I was looking for. I now have to investigate what is the cheapest paid version that will allow me to get rid of the very annoying ads.
How ‘text-like’ does it have to be?
I’m not real familiar with either the I-phone or a Nokia, but I can configure email on my Blackberry to only download certain messages. If you can do that, then you can email each other and it should be nearly as quick as text notifications.
I would think that you should also be able to ‘text’ your husband via an email. I’m pretty sure all of the US carriers provide that service, so I’d be surprised if the UK provider didn’t.
Here are some (possibly outdated) formats for emailing a text to a US based phone:
Service Email extension Example Notes
-------- --------------- -------- ------
AT&T @txt.att.net 8885551212@txt.att.net Text messaging
AT&T @mms.att.net 8885551212@mms.att.net Multi-media messaging
AT&T (Cingular) @cingularME.com 8885551212@cingularME.com
AT&T (Cingular) @mobile.mycingular.com 8885551212@mobile.mycingular.com
Verizon @vtext.com 8885551212@vtext.com
Verizon @vzwpix.com 8885551212@vzwpix.com
Sprint/Nextel @messaging.sprintpcs.com 8885551212@messaging.sprintpcs.com
T-mobile @tmomail.net 8885551212@tmomail.net
Virgin @vmobl.net 8885551212@vmobl.net
Boost Mobile @myboostmobile.com 8885551212@myboostmobile.com
Alltel @message.alltel.com 8885551212@message.alltel.com
Amp'd Mobile @vzwpix.com 8885551212@vzwpix.com
I’m familiar with using US carriers’ SMS gateways to send an email to a cell phone as a text message. I use it at work to have my servers page me when they’re feeling neglected.
Here’s where I think the email idea doesn’t work for me: I’d rather not allow my phone to constantly check email, which is what it would take to get something approaching text message speeds. I don’t allow my phone to go get email on its own because it drains the battery. And I’d get an alert everytime I got an email in one of my other accounts. I could maybe create an account that I use just for receiving SMS, which might help.
I guess I’d really prefer a separate dedicated app for texting, so I can ignore everything else. 
ETA - these are my initial thoughts. I might change my mind later after I think about it more. Right now the email idea feels awkward tho.
Just as a side note, since you appear to have answers for your question. If you can send texts (via iMessage or any other mechanism) while in airplane mode, then your phone has an odd concept of airplane mode. In a proper airplane mode, all transmitters for all radios should be disabled.
I don’t have much experience with the iPhone, so I can’t speak to whether they are redefining the term airplane mode, or if you’ve taken an extra step outside of that.
I have an app called mighty text…that will do and does crosslink to SMS, I like it because it has a chrome plugin that allows me to SMS from PC and maintain multiple text conversations at PC keyboard speeds
Yeah, I thought Airplane mode disabled Wi-Fi as well.
OK: it turns out that it does, as standard, but you can turn Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth back on while in Airplane mode: see here.