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> Review :: IM+, Rating 3 out of 5
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post May 27 2005, 12:51 PM
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Recently SHAPE Services Ltd offered to let me review their new instant messaging client IM+. Here is what SHAPE Services says about IM+:

QUOTE
IM+ is a complete Instant Messaging solution for your PC or Mobile device.

IM+ supports MSN , ICQ, AOL, Yahoo! and Jabber messaging systems.

With IM+ you can communicate using encrypted messages, directly from your PC as well as from your mobile device, in real-time, cost-saving, within a group conference and many other features.
You can find a short summary of all IM+ functions in our IM+ Data Sheet.
To read the detailed information about IM+ version for your device click on the corresponding link below.


One note before I get started: SHAPE Services offers this client to connect to common IM services like AOL, MSN, Yahoo and ICQ. However, their flagship product is IM+ Enterprise, a corporate instant communications system which is not covered by this review.

The screenshots for this review are from an Audiovox SMT5600 but I have used both the SmartPhone and Pocket PC versions of IM+ and the information in this review relates to both platforms. Both platforms installed without issue. So lets take a look at the application!

When you start the SmartPhone version you see a screen like this. There isn't really much to see until you configure IM+ to log into IM services and connect.



Here are the MAIN menu options. You will have to go here to set up your IM accounts.



You can select an option to show either the groups you set up or only those people who are currently online.



One thing about the groups is that it does not read AOL IM groups set up from a desktop client. So if you already broke up your IM buddies into groups, sorry.

Setting up an IM client is pretty simple. Just select the IM client you want from those offered and select CONFIGURE. The SmartPhone version supports AOL, MSN, ICQ and Yahoo. The Pocket PC version adds support for Jabber.



Finally the last main menu option is the ABOUT screen.



Once you are logged in you can use the ACTION menu to open a dialog and add, rename or delete a user:



But you didn't come here to read an instruction manual, you came to find out how the application works. Lets take a look. Here is my IM+ client while logged in to AOL, ICQ and MSN. Notice the 4 icons at the bottom? Green indicates I am signed into that messenger. I do not have a Yahoo! messenger account so that icon (the smiley face) is gray.



Picking a name from the list and pressing the ACTION key, or using the ACTION menu and selecting OPEN DIALOGS will allow you to start up a conversation with that person. When you have a conversation that you are actively chatting in, your screen will look like this one.



You can stop a conversation and switch to another, allowing you to have multiple IM sessions open at once. When you close a particular dialog you will notice the double arrows at the end of the name box, allowing you to scroll left and right to select another ongoing dialog.



You all know what an instant messenger program is. So there is no point in explaining it here. What I will do is tell you how I like it and how it compares to other applications out there. Instant messaging on a phone is a little cumbersome regardless of the client. IM+ is no different. Unlike a desktop IM client you can not manage multiple conversations on the same screen. You must swap them in and out to see only one conversation at a time. But the actual IM functions work as expected. You can IM your friends until your fingers fall off.

However, you have heard me say before that if you are a developer, look before you develop. If there is already a product out there that does what you are about to develop, make yours better. Especially when you intend to charge money for your product and there are already competing products available for no cost. What other products are there that do this same function? Most notably is Agile Messenger, which is a FREEBIE.

So how does IM+ compare to Agile Messenger? Honestly the two are pretty far apart. Both do provide instant messaging functionality. But Agile Messenger wraps instant messaging up in a very appealing skin. This is not meant to be a review of Agile Messenger, but compare the online names from IM+ on the left, and Agile Messenger on the right:



IM+ sells for $29.95 for the SmartPhone version and $29.95 for the Pocket PC version. Agile Messenger is free for both platforms. So if you are after a solid IM client for the SmartPhone and/or Pocket PC platform, go with Agile Messenger. The rating of 3 is in part to the high price and the fact that you can get a similar product that offers the same functionality and a better looking interface at no cost.

Buy IM+ from SHAPE Services Ltd

Get Agile Messenger free from Agile Mobile


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