Beeper says it reverse-engineered iMessage into an Android app

The universal chat app Beeper just got a lot more, well, universal. The company just unveiled the Beeper Mini app, which makes the bold claim to bring true iMessage support to Android devices. Even bolder? It seems to actually work, according to users who have tried it. This isn’t done in a strange hacky way that could compromise privacy and security, like Nothing’s beleaguered attempt to play nice with iOS devices. Beeper co-founder Eric Migicovsky, formerly of Pebble fame, told Engadget that his latest project is about scaling up his service. You see, the original Beeper app relied on a farm of Mac mini servers to act as relays, which left a lot of potential users on a waitlist. Then comes Beeper Mini, which taps straight into the official iMessage protocol thanks to some cunning reverse engineering. The texts are even sent to Apple’s servers before moving on to their final destination, just like a real iMessage created by an iPhone. Even weirder? All of this high-tech wizardry was created by a 16-year-old high school student. Once you open the app, it goes through all of your text message conversations and flags the ones from iMessage users. The system then switches them over to blue bubble conversations via Apple’s official platform. From then on, every time you talk to that person, the bubbles will be bluer than a clear spring day — no more social stigma linked to green bubbles. You also don’t need an Apple ID to login, alleviating many of the security concerns that... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2023-12-05 17:22:50 UTC ]
News tagged with: #final destination #thin ice #copyright law

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Beeper says it reverse-engineered iMessage into an Android app'


Amazon bypasses Apple rules with Cloud Reader app

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 10/08/2011 - 15:45 Amazon has launched a Kindle Cloud Reader app, just two weeks after it, along with other ebooksellers, was forced to remove links to its Kindle store from its native app by Apple. The company said the new tool could be used... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle store #kindle books


The Real Apple iPad Killer App? Reading

Steve Jobs was wrong. People love to read on the iPad. Let’s hope newspaper publishers don’t ruin it for everyone. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #steve jobs #people love


AOL Launches Daily 'Magazine' App

The tablet has been the latest go-to source for trying to reach personalized content nirvana. And of course it's the magazine format that seems to make the most sense from both a metaphorical and presentation perspective. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


British Library launches 19th Century iPad app

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 14:05 The British Library has launched an iPad app allowing subscribers to browse 45,000 books from its 19th century historical collection. Subscription costs £1.99 per month and users can explore books from the likes of classic... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british library #classic novels #travel writing #scottish borders


Mankell releases Wallander app

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 02/08/2011 - 12:24 Vintage author Henning Mankell, in collaboration with Ystad Tourism, has released a free app that enables fans get to know more about the location of the crime series, following the movements of fictional detective Kurt... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free app #crime series


Amazon, B&N comply with Apple app rules

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Tue, 26/07/2011 - 09:14 Amazon has followed digital manufacturer Kobo and retailer Branes & Noble in complying with Apple's app purchasing rules. The retailer removed the "shop” button that sent consumers to its site to buy ebooks on Monday... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #buy ebooks #barnes noble


Amazon and Barnes & Noble Pull 'Buy' Links from Apps

In the latest development in Apple’s contentious relationship with booksellers, the country’s two biggest ebook retailers—Amazon and Barnes & Noble—have stopped selling their wares directly to customers through their Apple apps, reports the Wall Street Journal. Canadian bookseller Kobo did... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest development #past weekend #digital titles #nook ebooks


Google Books Bows to New Apple App Store Rules

The Google Books iOS app is now in line with Apple's newly enforced rules that ban links bypassing Apple's own in-app purchase mechanism, which means Apple can retain its 30 percent cut. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Apple imposes app purchasing rules

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Mon, 25/07/2011 - 09:45 Kobo has removed the direct e-bookselling links from its Apple apps, following new rules brought in by Apple earlier this year. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Zinio Announces Availability on All Android Devices with Free Mags for Users

After debuting on the Android 3.0 Honeycomb platform for tablets last month, the Zinio digital newsstand is now universally available on all Android devices. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #android devices


Hachette Filipacchi launches Elle iPhone app

Hachette Filipacchi is expanding its Elle brand onto the mobile platform with the launch of a magazine iPhone app. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hachette filipacchi #elle brand #mobile platform


Just The News That's Fit to Read: Summify Launches an iPhone App

Sometimes keeping up with the Internet can seem like an endless assignment. The tweets and Facebook posts scroll infinitely, the email piles up, and news sites and blogs publish around the clock. That's why Summify seems so different. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news sites #iphone app


E-booksellers silent on eve of new app rules

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Thu, 30/06/2011 - 09:30 CNN reports that Amazon and Barnes & Noble are remaining tight-lipped on the eve of new app rules being introduced by Apple. Today, 30th June, is the deadline for app makers to get in compliance with Apple's strict new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #remaining tight-lipped #30th june #app makers #kindle app #buy buttons #web browser #30% cut


Apple Changes Rules on In-App Subs

Apple has changed its rules for in-app subscriptions and content access in the App Store. Reports are indicating that the most significant change is access to content purchased outside of the app without a corresponding in-app subscription requirement, and a concomitant relaxation of pricing... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #app store #significant change


Financial Times Thumbs Nose at Apple with Web App

Just as mainstream publishers are hitching their digital futures to Apple with a deal to sell subscriptions through the company's new Newsstand, one major publisher is saying, in effect, who needs it? On Tuesday, the Financial Times launched FT Web App, a browser-based app for tablets, which is... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stronger position #follow suit #digital business


Publishers Starting to Name-Check iTunes "Top Grossing Apps"

From Yahoo's The Cutline: At a panel during the TechCrunch conference in New York last week, Greg Clayman, publisher of News Corp.'s Daily iPad publication, said the application had "almost a million downloads" since its launch in February. "This puts us in the large pantheon of large apps,"... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers starting


Zinio Digital Newsstand Now Available on Android Technology

Zinio, the digital newsstand that has previously been available for Apple iOS users, is now entering the Android market. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital newsstand #android market


The Secret World of Apps

Last week, Apple went to Washington, D.C., to answer questions from U.S. lawmakers about consumer privacy in the mobile marketplace. The visit was triggered by the discovery that Apple’s iPads and iPhones tracked and kept users’ locations for up to a year, creating a step-by-step picture of... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #blog posts


Report: 40 Percent of App Users Opt To Share Data With Publishers

Apple's attempts at limiting publisher requests for consumer data and the conversion of first-time downloads into regular users have been two of the larger stumbling blocks for magazine publishers building a business around apps. A new report from digital publishing vendor Yudu Media suggests... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #share data #consumer data #regular users