Whats app...

Well, this is probably one of the best apps that one should have after buying iPhone 4. If you are using Android phone like the one YenLeng is using in her HTC Aria, then you could actually download it for free. However, on iPhone, it will cost $0.99...not too expensive for an app that has 4.5 stars...that's how good people are rating it...and there are 89 ratings given the last time I check.

Anyway, I realized that it was really good for communication, especially if you have friends who are using smartphone and they are on data plan as well...I'm lucky to have quite a number of friends using Whats App Messenger. I could chat with people like my sister, Chiew Lian, Addie, Alicia Yap, Evon and many others....and to be honest, you wouldn't even notice it to be using your data plan...it seems like just another sms that you are receiving from your friend.


Here are some of the snapshots that I have taken:

This is the favourite menu, and from here, you could look at the people in your contacts who are using Whats App....no need to bother about adding them like how you do on MSN or other Messenger...Whats App Messenger will automatic detect the people on your contacts who are using this application, whether it is an Android phone or iPhone or even Blackberry.



It is simple to use and for those of you are using it for the first time, you might be required to fill in some details for registration but it won't really take too much of your time.

Now, just like any other Messenger, you could set a status so that others could see. If you are using it for the first time, your status will probably be like mine, informing others that you are using Whats App Messenger by saying "Hey there! I am using Whats App." Of course, you could easily change the status into some of the common ones as shown on the image above...you have an option to edit your own status, just like when you are using MSN Messenger.

The interface is easy for usage and you could easily read the messages on Whats App. When you receive any message, there will be a notification informing you of the message, just like when you use sms. The push notification is very good and it helps to connect with my friends easily.

Here is the setting for you. You could tell a friend about this application either by sms or email. In the chat settings, you could change the display name, the chat wallpaper as well as to determine if you want to allow preview to be available. You could also download the Emoji Free Emoticons...so that you could send cute emoticons to your friends. If you want to block your friends, it is also possible from the settings on the application.

Of course, I also love the application because it is so user friendly and it even allows you to choose to either broadcast the message or even have group chat. This is amazing especially for those of you who have a lot of common friends in different place. Addie is in Ipoh, Liang Hin is in Singapore, Alicia is in KL and I'm in between Ipoh and KL so it really does help by having group chat.

For those of you who are using iPod, I am sorry to say but you probably could not purchase the app from the Apple Store at this moment but if you are interested and keen on jailbreaking your iPod, it is possible for you to have the application as well although I strongly believe that jailbreaking is not as cool as purchasing the app.

Given that the social network has become so important in our community today, I believe Whats App Messenger is definitely one of the most relevant app in our community today. If you are interested in using other application to chat, you could also consider Nimbuzz, PingChat and many others. My brother has shared about Nimbuzz in his previous post so you probably can look at it again. Nevertheless, Whats App would be my number one app for now...something that I must have if I own the iPhone, which I do now...