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What non-SMS non-Apple app can I use to "text" my younger kid on their iPad (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

53 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hi! My less-than-10-year-old has their own iPad (registered under my apple id) and wants to be able to "text" with the rest of the family. Most of us are not Apple people though: Android phones, using some combo of SMS, Discord, and Signal. The little one doesn't have a phone, so I think that prevents us from signing them up for Signal. I could probably install Discord on the iPad, though it doesn't feel ideal. They use iMessage (or whatever it's called) to text a couple other friends/grandma/etc who also have Apple stuff, but what should we use for our mostly-non-Apple family that wouldn't require a phone number?

An internet search pointed me to WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber.... stuff I've never used but it seems popular. Facebook Messenger also, but screw that. Google Chat/Hangouts (or whatever it's called now) is another option, which would require creating a google account.

If nothing else appeals to me we'll probably go the Discord route, and I'll just have to be clear, don't join random servers :) But, anybody out there use WhatsApp with your kid, and does it not require a phone number? I'm open to other ideas! Thank you...

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Jami

It is peer to peer, no need to register any number nor email and username isn't mandatory.

Just install, configure and share QR codes to add your contacts.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

oh this looks really interesting. Thanks! I'm seeing a lot of negative reviews, people saying the messages are sporadic and unreliable.. Is this just a few squeaky wheels that leave reviews?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Compared to more traditional messaging protocols it could seem that way depending on various factors like time zone differences and how often devices can be online.

It seems like in general, 1:1 conversations will require both participants to be online simultaneously to communicate. Group conversations can have any online participant act as a relay for new messages to offline participants, more or less.

Check out their documentation, particularly the article on how the distributed network works. Also the FAQ is massive! I wish I had the time to read about this in more detail right now

https://docs.jami.net/en_US/user/index.html

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

interesting. thanks for the extra info! I'll definitely check it out. I might go with Discord for the short term just because the rest of us are already on it, but if I want something more "texty" this is a high contender.