Text

Add your mobile number to iMessage

Mike Hudson Leave a comment

If you have ever used iMessage on your Mac to send a message to an iPhone the recipient will tell you just how frustrating it is flicking between two message streams.. When you send from your mac, by default it will send from your Apple ID (email address) and not your phone number. Which means the recipient may end up with two separate conversation threads.

Not anymore.. All you need to do is ensure your iPhone is running iOS 6, and your Mac is running OS X 10.8.2.

Launch iMessage on your Mac, navigate to iMessage preferences and then over to the Accounts tab. Now click to add an email address. In the box provided enter your mobile number minus the first 0, now press the tab key on your keyboard. You should see a message pop up suggesting iMessage is going to send an email to the number you have enter. Click to accept the message. Now on your iPhone goto Settings > Messages, and slide iMessage off. Now exit the settings menu. Return to Settings > Messages iPhone and slick iMessage back on. Exit the settings menu and now restart iMessage on your Mac. You should now be greeted with a message explaining your number will now be used to receive iMessages.

Now if you want, you can also set iMessage to also send from your email address, back in preferences under the accounts tab, select your number from the drop down at the bottom of the settings form.

Read More

Add novelty voices to Text-to-speech

Mike Hudson Leave a comment

There is somewhat of a ‘hidden’ feature in the OS X Lion Speech System preference window, the ability to add more ‘System Voices’ to use with the text-to-speech engine.

The built in voices can be a bit boring, and no fun at all.. However, if you click on the System Voice drop down, then choose customise you will find a list full of all the available voices. Now, scroll down all the way to the US voices, and the past the normal ones. You should reach a section which looks like the one to the right.

Selecting these voice files add’s a little bit more novelty and variation to the Speech engine.

In this list you can also download some more voice files for most languages which don’t ship by default with OS X.

Read More

Send SMS Messages from your Mac using your iPhone

Mike Hudson 8 Comments

You may be pleased to know there’s now a much better method – click here

SMS ClientIf you are a heavy user of your iPhone, and like to take advantage of your unlimited text message plan – then this app is for you.. Although I love my iPhone and quite frankly would be lost without it, sometimes it can be quite frustrating taking part in long winded text message conversations with several recipients.

Because of this, applications such as the SMS client exist.. Basically this works in a similar way to my own RAPId SMS application. In the way that an application needs to be running on the device, and one needs to be running on your Mac.
The applications use your Wi-Fi network to communicate, so this essentially gives you the ability to send text messages using your Mac’s keyboard, which makes for much easier and faster texting. If you don’t have a wireless network at your current location you should be able to create a point to point wireless lan.
There is one downside unfortunately, due to security in the iPhone SDK all messages sent must be confirmed on the device. So you will still need some interaction with the unit.
However, the simple/straightforward interface of the client/server software makes up for it. The application ties in nicely with your address book on your Mac, allowing quick and easy selection of your contacts. With a large text field for long winded text messages, and a character count for those of you who are not on unlimited plans.
To get started with the SMS client app, you will need to buy and download an app from the Apple AppStore:
Once you are up and running on your phone, grab a copy of the OS X app from the MacMedia website, now follow the instructions on screen.

Product Requirements:

  • iPhone version requires iOS 4 or later
  • Mac version requires OS X 10.6.4 or later
I have been using this app for a little over 2 days now, and have sent 50+ messages through it without any issues at all. Sure, it could do with the ability to be able to view received messages as well as send messages. However this is no doubt a restriction on the SDK.
The SMS client app has been developed by the people over at MacMediaNet who’s website pays homage to some other nifty applications such as:
If you know of any other free mac to iPhone SMS applications please let me know using the comments facility below

Read More

Alpha release of RAPId SMS Desktop

Mike Hudson Leave a comment

Hello All

Recently I have been developing a desktop based text message application, which sends messages via an ActiveSync connected device to a recipient for your choice.

Although the long term plans are to enable the application to sendreceive messages from the PC, I have produced a temporary solution which I thought I would share.

This is just one part of the application, which is a ‘quick send’ solution.

Download and install RAPId SMS Setup and install onto your PC.

RAPId SMS is no longer available to download – thank you for your interest.

 

Upon loading, RAPId SMS will sync it’s local address book with the one from Microsoft Outlook, if you have a large contacts collection please allow time for the sync to take place!

Once it’s loaded click on the file menu and click install on device. This will download the latest mobile client of RAPId SMS, transfer the CAB to your device and start the install procedure.

Currently you MUST select to install the app on your device and NOT your memory card!

Known Issues:
Currently there are some performance issues with the desktop and the mobile clients, these will be resolved in future releases.

Known OS’s
This application has been tested on Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Home and Windows Vista Business
This application has been tested on Windows Mobile 5 and Windows Mobile 6

Please remember this is an ALPHA release and may contain bugs, the idea behind this release is to aid me in the design and development. Please only post constructive comments. If you don’t like it – then don’t use it.. I am also fully aware there are alternatives available. I am not interested in namelinks to these alternatives.

I would appreciate any constructive comments you have, and details of the mobile device you have tested this on.

If you would like to see any additions in this application, or the main application please let me know.

Thanks
Mike

Read More

BETA testers wanted – Windows Mobile Users only

Mike Hudson Leave a comment

Hello

If you are a follower of mine on Facebook or Twitter you will have seen my posts about my RAPId SMS application. Well, stage one of development is nearing completetion, and I nowneed people willing to BETA test the application.

If you are interested you are going to need:
A Windows PC (XPVista)
A Windows Mobile Device
Windows Mobile Device CenterActiveSync

If you would like to be considered for the trial, please contact me using one of the methods on my ‘Contact Me‘ page, once done I will sign you up as a member on MikeSel.info and send you a download link to install the application.

Once installed you will be able to send text messages via your phone directly through ActiveSync from your PC!

Interested? Get in touch!

Read More