TextNow: Unlimited Free Texting on Your iPhone or iTouch (Google Voice support too!)

[callisto9]

Well, I've been testing this app for several days now with about a 20% failure rate. 20% of my messages are not received by my intended recipient. I have done all the updates to this program, uninstalled/reinstalled, but still, the problem exists.

At this rate, there is no way I am going to subscribe after my three months are up. It'd be one thing if my recipients were missing an occasional message, but tonight, 4-5 messages from the 10 I sent were not received. That's just too high of a failure rate for me to continue to use this app.

Too bad...I really wanted to like this app. When it works, it's great, but I can't spend each day asking my boyfriend "Did you get this?"

 

[derek13]

Well, I've been testing this app for several days now with about a 20% failure rate. 20% of my messages are not received by my intended recipient. I have done all the updates to this program, uninstalled/reinstalled, but still, the problem exists.

At this rate, there is no way I am going to subscribe after my three months are up. It'd be one thing if my recipients were missing an occasional message, but tonight, 4-5 messages from the 10 I sent were not received. That's just too high of a failure rate for me to continue to use this app.

Too bad...I really wanted to like this app. When it works, it's great, but I can't spend each day asking my boyfriend "Did you get this?"

We had some issues with AT&T blocking our messages. However, we resolved that issue yesterday. If you try again now, you should see a 100% success rate.

 

[callisto9]

We had some issues with AT&T blocking our messages. However, we resolved that issue yesterday. If you try again now, you should see a 100% success rate.

Many of my dropped messages were tonight.

 

[derek13]

Many of my dropped messages were tonight.

Were they with AT&T or another carrier?

We definitely take issues like this seriously and if you have troubles with the app, sending a support request to us would let us help you better (rather than post a negative review on iTunes bashing our app, where we can't really help you 1 on 1).

 

[IronLogik]

Were they with AT&T or another carrier?

We definitely take issues like this seriously and if you have troubles with the app, sending a support request to us would let us help you better (rather than post a negative review on iTunes bashing our app, where we can't really help you 1 on 1).

Indeed. People seem to think that this forum and itunes reviews are "support" methods. If people have issues with an application they should contact the developer. Usually there's a way to do it in the application, or it has an email address you can email, website address that you can submit requests for help on. Why people insist on continuing to complain even after they haven't actually talked to the developers boggles my mind.

Developers need to know there are issues. With something like this application it may appear simple, but each and every phone carrier probably needs separate code written for it since they all handle SMS differently (let's not even get started with MMS). Which means there are a lot of possible code pathways. Which adds a lot of complexity to what may seem simple on the surface. It's difficult to test every single possible scenario and might be easier to just throw the application into the wild and let the testing for some of it happen there.

MacRumors is not a support forum. It's a discussion forum sponsored by MacRumors.com. While some developers might help you here, you shouldn't assume this is the location where you will always get help. I will say Derek and company haven't helped their cause any by continuing to offer support in this thread.

Negative iTunes reviews are stupid. If there is something fundamentally wrong with an application you should say so. But if it's clearly a bug that you feel should be fixed, you should report it to the developer first before flaming away on review site or iTunes. It's pretty bad form to throw out a negative review on something just because you're too lazy to help them fix the problem. Especially when you "wanted to like the application." If you really wanted to continue using the app you'd have contacted support and tried to solve the problem before complaining away saying you won't be renewing after 3 months.

If you send in a support request and you don't hear back from a developer and it doesnt' seem to get fixed. That's when a negative review might be worthwhile to post. But until then, reviews should be used after you've gone through a few methods of attempting to solve the problem.

Remember that an iTunes review cannot be replied to. It is simply a statement made by users. Developers cannot reply to those. So something negative is negative and it isn't going to go anywhere. You should give them a chance to solve the problem. One it's in your best interests. You purchased the application so get your money's worth out of it by helping them solve the problem. Two, it helps them as well. A negative review sits with an application and may prevent someone else from purchasing despite the fact that had someone taken the time the issues may have been fixed and the negative review never needed to be posted.

Just think before you whine and complain about an application. Do yourself and the developer a favor and attempt to reach out and try to solve the problem.

(This is just a general reply to everyone, it isn't specifically pointing out anyone here. It's the obvious that people seem to never think is obvious)

 

[callisto9]

Indeed. People seem to think that this forum and itunes reviews are "support" methods. If people have issues with an application they should contact the developer. Usually there's a way to do it in the application, or it has an email address you can email, website address that you can submit requests for help on. Why people insist on continuing to complain even after they haven't actually talked to the developers boggles my mind.

Developers need to know there are issues. With something like this application it may appear simple, but each and every phone carrier probably needs separate code written for it since they all handle SMS differently (let's not even get started with MMS). Which means there are a lot of possible code pathways. Which adds a lot of complexity to what may seem simple on the surface. It's difficult to test every single possible scenario and might be easier to just throw the application into the wild and let the testing for some of it happen there.

MacRumors is not a support forum. It's a discussion forum sponsored by MacRumors.com. While some developers might help you here, you shouldn't assume this is the location where you will always get help. I will say Derek and company haven't helped their cause any by continuing to offer support in this thread.

Negative iTunes reviews are stupid. If there is something fundamentally wrong with an application you should say so. But if it's clearly a bug that you feel should be fixed, you should report it to the developer first before flaming away on review site or iTunes. It's pretty bad form to throw out a negative review on something just because you're too lazy to help them fix the problem. Especially when you "wanted to like the application." If you really wanted to continue using the app you'd have contacted support and tried to solve the problem before complaining away saying you won't be renewing after 3 months.

If you send in a support request and you don't hear back from a developer and it doesnt' seem to get fixed. That's when a negative review might be worthwhile to post. But until then, reviews should be used after you've gone through a few methods of attempting to solve the problem.

Remember that an iTunes review cannot be replied to. It is simply a statement made by users. Developers cannot reply to those. So something negative is negative and it isn't going to go anywhere. You should give them a chance to solve the problem. One it's in your best interests. You purchased the application so get your money's worth out of it by helping them solve the problem. Two, it helps them as well. A negative review sits with an application and may prevent someone else from purchasing despite the fact that had someone taken the time the issues may have been fixed and the negative review never needed to be posted.

Just think before you whine and complain about an application. Do yourself and the developer a favor and attempt to reach out and try to solve the problem.

(This is just a general reply to everyone, it isn't specifically pointing out anyone here. It's the obvious that people seem to never think is obvious)

With all due respect (though I sense I'll get flamed again), a review is a user's experience and/or opinion of the software application. I use many apps and frankly don't have the time to be a tester for each application that doesn't perform as it should.

I work with software developers for my job; I just don't have the time to be a beta tester on my off hours. I felt my review on iTunes was fair and accurate (for MY experience). I do not feel I have whined and complained. Just stated I have issues. I have great respect for anyone that does development work, make no mistake about that. I wasn't calling anyone out personally, just wrote about my two-week long experience with the app. I am in no way upset with the developer, I just don't have time to wait for the app to be fixed. I paid my money and posted my experience. Hopefully the app gets better.

I think this app has great potential, I really do, but it has suffered reliability issues for ME. The fact that it works for everyone else is great. Good news for them, right?

I did not expect a reply for my iTunes review - I'm not stupid. I know it's a REVIEW, not a support forum. I didn't expect any support. I don't expect any support here, to be honest.

To answer the developer, the messages I was sending out were to a Virgin Mobile user (that missed the messages), a Sprint user (who got double the messages from me) and another Sprint user (who didn't get a message or two). Most of my missed messages were to a Virgin Mobile user. The issues were very intermittent; out of 10 messages sent in a 2-hour period, 4-5 would just never get received.

Good luck with the development of your app.

 

[jnguyen4]

Indeed. People seem to think that this forum and itunes reviews are "support" methods. If people have issues with an application they should contact the developer. Usually there's a way to do it in the application, or it has an email address you can email, website address that you can submit requests for help on. Why people insist on continuing to complain even after they haven't actually talked to the developers boggles my mind.

Developers need to know there are issues. With something like this application it may appear simple, but each and every phone carrier probably needs separate code written for it since they all handle SMS differently (let's not even get started with MMS). Which means there are a lot of possible code pathways. Which adds a lot of complexity to what may seem simple on the surface. It's difficult to test every single possible scenario and might be easier to just throw the application into the wild and let the testing for some of it happen there.

MacRumors is not a support forum. It's a discussion forum sponsored by MacRumors.com. While some developers might help you here, you shouldn't assume this is the location where you will always get help. I will say Derek and company haven't helped their cause any by continuing to offer support in this thread.

Negative iTunes reviews are stupid. If there is something fundamentally wrong with an application you should say so. But if it's clearly a bug that you feel should be fixed, you should report it to the developer first before flaming away on review site or iTunes. It's pretty bad form to throw out a negative review on something just because you're too lazy to help them fix the problem. Especially when you "wanted to like the application." If you really wanted to continue using the app you'd have contacted support and tried to solve the problem before complaining away saying you won't be renewing after 3 months.

If you send in a support request and you don't hear back from a developer and it doesnt' seem to get fixed. That's when a negative review might be worthwhile to post. But until then, reviews should be used after you've gone through a few methods of attempting to solve the problem.

Remember that an iTunes review cannot be replied to. It is simply a statement made by users. Developers cannot reply to those. So something negative is negative and it isn't going to go anywhere. You should give them a chance to solve the problem. One it's in your best interests. You purchased the application so get your money's worth out of it by helping them solve the problem. Two, it helps them as well. A negative review sits with an application and may prevent someone else from purchasing despite the fact that had someone taken the time the issues may have been fixed and the negative review never needed to be posted.

Just think before you whine and complain about an application. Do yourself and the developer a favor and attempt to reach out and try to solve the problem.

(This is just a general reply to everyone, it isn't specifically pointing out anyone here. It's the obvious that people seem to never think is obvious)

Ummm ok thanks? You just had to state the obvious right? A review is a review, no matter what the circumstances are. People can be disappointed with the app and they state their frustration. Even if its a bug, it negatively affected the user's experience with the app. It is ok to let other people know what the problems with it is because I am pretty sure that other people have the same annoyances and pet peeves as you. It would be nice to get some feedback on the app before purchasing.

The developer does check this forum frequently and does try to help out individual users with their problems. Derek does look at this thread to find ideas on how to improve the app. The app has made serious upgrades to become one of the best text messaging apps for the iPhone. You coming on here complaining about what other people say on this thread is retarded. You should just mind your own business.

 

[tekboi]

I would like to know how this is any different from "Ping!"?

 

[gdlcjr]

I would like to know how this is any different from "Ping!"?

Ping is just another iphone to iphone messaging like yahoo, whatsapp beejive. Both phone needs to have the Ping app. Textnow is something different. You can actually send SMS to another phone just like the native SMS. The other person does not need a textnow in order for you to send SMS.

 

[gdlcjr]

Hi, can somebody check this for me. If you have the textnow, your app is closed and you got like 10 sms with notifications. If you open your app after you received the 10th message, does your messages come up in order the way you send it? I'm currently using google voice.

For me it does not show up in order and it comes up in random. Not sure if this is a bug within the app or on the server side when fetching the pending messages.

Thanks

 

[vettori]

With all due respect (though I sense I'll get flamed again), a review is a user's experience and/or opinion of the software application. I use many apps and frankly don't have the time to be a tester for each application that doesn't perform as it should.

Ummm ok thanks? You just had to state the obvious right? A review is a review, no matter what the circumstances are. People can be disappointed with the app and they state their frustration. Even if its a bug, it negatively affected the user's experience with the app. It is ok to let other people know what the problems with it is because I am pretty sure that other people have the same annoyances and pet peeves as you. It would be nice to get some feedback on the app before purchasing.

I agree, but frequently, I receive bad reviews on my apps because user's don't read iTunes descriptions or don't know how to use their computers or assume it's an app fault while it's theirs.

For this reason I ask iPhone users: when something is not working for you, contact the developer first, then if the issue is an app fault, leave your bad review for other's eyes.

Reviews can drive an app success, if they are not realistic it's not fair for the developer.

 

[IronLogik]

I agree, but frequently, I receive bad reviews on my apps because user's don't read iTunes descriptions or don't know how to use their computers or assume it's an app fault while it's theirs.

For this reason I ask iPhone users: when something is not working for you, contact the developer first, then if the issue is an app fault, leave your bad review for other's eyes.

Reviews can drive an app success, if they are not realistic it's not fair for the developer.

That makes a nice addition to what I was saying. Sadly I figured people would think that was the obvious part. But I guess I was wrong.

I never expected people to think they should be beta testing or anything. The simple fact of the matter is that if it's a bug it can be fixed. Talking to the developer before bad mouthing an app can typically resolve the issue. I've yet to meet any developers who weren't willing to take a bug report and fix it. Most developers hate bugs. But in some cases finding them all is very difficult and sadly they need others to help them find them. And just for the record, SMS/MMS is a messy messy business as most cell phone providers do things differently than another. So you basically have to write some code to send messages to AT&T users, another bit to send to Vodafone, another to Sprint, etc. It inherently means you will possibly end up with bugs. It's going to happen.

By just tossing a review out there that says it doesn't work you're basically making things harder for them. The problem with reviews is that the developers are not able to respond to those bad reviews. So if it is a bug that has been fixed, that bad review hangs there and people can think that those bugs still exist despite the fact they might have been fixed for months.

I just ask people who knee jerk review to think first.

Can this possibly be a bug that can be fixed? Yes? Email the developer.

Is this seriously just a bad application? Yes? Maybe a bad review is worth it.

People seem so hell bent on ruining an application if it doesn't work for them as opposed to trying to help the developer fix the problems. They already have a hard time breaking out on this platform with 60,000 other applications in the store. Don't make it harder for them to succeed than it already is.

 

[jnguyen4]

Hi, can somebody check this for me. If you have the textnow, your app is closed and you got like 10 sms with notifications. If you open your app after you received the 10th message, does your messages come up in order the way you send it? I'm currently using google voice.

For me it does not show up in order and it comes up in random. Not sure if this is a bug within the app or on the server side when fetching the pending messages.

Thanks

No, it is not in order. Sometimes you have to guess to see which one goes after the next, but usually they are in reverse order.

 

[gdlcjr]

No, it is not in order. Sometimes you have to guess to see which one goes after the next, but usually they are in reverse order.

I tested it sending sms message number 1 thru 10 but when you open the app you won't see the bubbles in the order of 1 thru 10 and not even in reverse order. It was in random order.

In reality I think this is seldom to happen because once you get the first notification you automatically open the app. But there could be cases where you could not open the app, then when you have a chance, you will see it in out of order.

 

[jnguyen4]

I tested it sending sms message number 1 thru 10 but when you open the app you won't see the bubbles in the order of 1 thru 10 and not even in reverse order. It was in random order.

In reality I think this is seldom to happen because once you get the first notification you automatically open the app. But there could be cases where you could not open the app, then when you have a chance, you will see it in out of order.

Yes I know that if they're all individual messages then it is random, but when its one very long message that takes more than one bubble, it is in reverse order. Hope the developer can fix this.

 

[ponyochan]

Shoutout to my fellow Canadians: Google Voice is currently available in the US only. TextNow's supported carriers: Bell, Virgin Mobile, Koodo Mobile, Sasktel Mobility, MTS Mobility) - where's Rogers, Fido, Telus? I recommend using SMSenger which I've had for quite some time. A reply function was added in one of the upgrades so it does everything I need it to do.

 

[gdlcjr]

Shoutout to my fellow Canadians: Google Voice is currently available in the US only. TextNow's supported carriers: Bell, Virgin Mobile, Koodo Mobile, Sasktel Mobility, MTS Mobility) - where's Rogers, Fido, Telus? I recommend using SMSenger which I've had for quite some time. A reply function was added in one of the upgrades so it does everything I need it to do.

I checked the SMSenger. Did you see the implementation? I was not good. Also the reviews, most of them don't like the app.

Why not email textnow support and ask when they are going to support Rogers, Fido and Telus.

I will tell you textnow is currently the one I can see that can be said matched the native sms app. This is maybe because I integrated the GV and so far so good.

 

[ponyochan]

I checked the SMSenger. Did you see the implementation? I was not good. Also the reviews, most of them don't like the app.

Why not email textnow support and ask when they are going to support Rogers, Fido and Telus.

I will tell you textnow is currently the one I can see that can be said matched the native sms app. This is maybe because I integrated the GV and so far so good.

Glad to hear it works for you but I'm just saying as a Canadian resident who travels to US fairly frequently, SMSenger serves my needs b/c it supports all the carriers. Google Voice is not currently available in Canada. As for the reviews, they were initially negative b/c it didn't have a reply function (which bothered me also) but it's been added since the update so it does everything I need it to do.

 

[gdlcjr]

Glad to hear it works for you but I'm just saying as a Canadian resident who travels to US fairly frequently, SMSenger serves my needs b/c it supports all the carriers. Google Voice is not currently available in Canada. As for the reviews, they were initially negative b/c it didn't have a reply function (which bothered me also) but it's been added since the update so it does everything I need it to do.

How can somebody reply if it is a url type? It means the people who can reply to you are those with smartphones only? That is how I saw the sample print screen on the app store.

 

[dhartung02]

Hey, i just wanted to say i love TextNow and use it daily with the Google Voice integration.

One recommendation i have that i believe would make this app killer is an option to allow you to initiate a text through TextNow having it routed through Google Voice. This would eliminate the annoying step required where i go to the Google Voice website, start the text, and then when the person replies, continue the conversation through TextNow. It would be nice if we could eliminate the outside step and keep it all in the TextNow app.

Any chance at making this happen?

 

[mella92]

ehh help ?

i live in The Netherlands and want to use 06 numbers
whenever i use for example my own number like 0629405829 (not my number) it doesnt works it says please enter a valid 10 digit number.
help me out on this plz?

 

[gdlcjr]

i live in The Netherlands and want to use 06 numbers
whenever i use for example my own number like 0629405829 (not my number) it doesnt works it says please enter a valid 10 digit number.
help me out on this plz?

Mella if you give me your true number I could try it (just kidding). Textnow has a checking that you can only enter a US number.

How are you using TEXTNOW in Netherlands? If you are using it to text US number you will be okay. But you cannot text somebody from Netherlands.

If you are using Google Voice, try texting them first using the GV and once they reply and you get it from TEXTNOW, you can use it to reply back.

 

[pg1]

Hi, I recieved a text from TextNow, I am a Bell Canda user. I have an unlimited texting plan, but no data plan. If i receive texts from TextNow with no data plan, will I get charged extra/outside my unlimited texting plan?

 

[IronLogik]

Hi, I recieved a text from TextNow, I am a Bell Canda user. I have an unlimited texting plan, but no data plan. If i receive texts from TextNow with no data plan, will I get charged extra/outside my unlimited texting plan?

On the receiving end of things it should come across as a normal text, sent from TextNow. You will only be charged for texts. If you have an unlimited texting plan you won't be charged.

you can just reply to those as normal texts. Since that's basically what they are.

 

[pg1]

On the receiving end of things it should come across as a normal text, sent from TextNow. You will only be charged for texts. If you have an unlimited texting plan you won't be charged.

you can just reply to those as normal texts. Since that's basically what they are.

Alright, Thanks a ton !