Ping! is a instant messaging client for the iPhone that looks and feels like the built in iPhone SMS client. It aims to provide free iPhone to iPhone (and iPod touch on wifi) messaging with push notifications!

Stop dealing with IM system that log you in and out. Forget about paying your carrier for text messaging.

Once you’ve download the (currently free) app and selected a username, you can invite/find friends and family you know own an iPhone or iPod touch, and you’re ready to go.

Note: Currently you cannot change your username after that so choose carefully!

Ping! is the simplest way to message your friends with an iPhone/iPod Touch. It uses a unique Ping! ID and sends messages for FREE! But wait, what about your friends who have an iPhone but live in another country? No problem, Ping! messages will reach ALL iPhones and iPod Touches AROUND THE WORLD (ANY country!), for FREE!

Pros:

• NO MONTHLY COST. Why pay for data and SMS bundles from your carrier?
• NO ROAMING CHARGES. Some apps offer free SMS but are exclusive to the U.S. or support few other carriers. Ping! is always free, even when messaging overseas and works in ANY COUNTRY in the world.
• FASTER DELIVERY. Messages are not limited by your carrier’s traffic. Notification are delivered in an instant.
• WORKS WITH IPOD TOUCH. SMS only works with phones. Ping! works with iPhone, the iPod Touch, and other devices that Apple may offer in the future.
• NO NEED TO LOG IN/OUT. Why deal with the confusion of getting bumped off wen you log in on another device? Your messages arrive in one place. Ping! keeps you connected at all times.
• NO NEED TO ADD FRIENDS and deal with the tedious process of accepting invitations. All you need is your friend’s Ping! ID to start messaging IMMEDIATELY.
• OFFLINE MESSAGES GUARANTEED. Some IM apps do not support offline messages or only support it with specific software (e.g. MSN). All Ping! messages are stored offline until received.

Cons:

• Unable to change usernames means once you had settled with a username there are no option to switch usernames or add another account, there can be only one.
• Landscape mode got a small bug that removes the text input box but not a serious flaw which developer will fix it up in the next updates
• No way to block spams from unknown spammers, this mean possibility of mass advertising companies acquiring millions of user ID and automatic spam people with advertisements daily (Seriously a possibility that must not be ignored so developer think of a fix if possible maybe a small Captcha before a conversation or something)

Wish List

• Ability to ban or unban by checking the user ID “Edit” option
• Bounced Ping! for messages that contains words set by users such as “<ADS>, You had Won!” and place them in the “Spam” group for user to ban them or remove them from the spam group.
• Send images like MMS.
• Send GPS Map location

Developed by Gary Fung

UPDATE! Now you can submit your Ping! User ID to a International Directory HERE!