iRealSMS Review

I downloaded iRealSMS from Cydia on my Jailbroken iPhone 3G about two weeks ago and used it instead of the SMS on the iPhone. I instantly feel in love with it. It has everything you could want and or need for SMS'ing, and this is really how Apple should have done it from the get go. For starters, a big plus with this app is the ability to text in full landscape mode, which is the main reason why i even downloaded it, and as an extra, the 5-row qwerty keyboard hack from Cydia works with this too, without a hiccup.

Other key features include

• Being able to reply to a message from ANY app without having to close it!
• Has ZERO load time since it runs in the background, even without the backgrounder app!
• SMS's get organized into folders (sent, received, drafts, etc)
• Has conversation mode as well as stand alone texts
• forwarding
• Delete all messages at once
• reply and forward via mail
• PASSWORD LOCK SMS APP
• sent to multiple people at the same time
• exit app while sending
• insert contact information
• mark all as read
• recieve read confirmations via notification code

The list just goes on and on, it really is my favorite app, since i text a ton

Keyboard
Using the app is also flawless, i have mine set so that it always opens in landscape, but it can be set to open in either automatically depending on orientation, and that is 360˚ of rotation, you can flip the phone upside down and it will orientate correctly. The keyboard in portrait or landscape flows like butter, no hanging or lag.

Replying from Any App
This is really cool, there are many times i am reading RSS feeds, or on Cydia or just doing something on my iPhone where i would be upset if i had to exit it to reply and then wait for it to open, etc. Well over at SpiritOfLogic© they made it so that you did not have to do that. When using any app on the phone, if you receive a SMS, it automatically pauses what you are doing, and a box pops up with the text and a entry box for a quick reply, then you just hit send and your done, you also have the option to just close it, or open the full SMS app.

You can also set a password upon hitting the icon prior to opening it. It can be any combination you wish since it uses the actual keyboard for password input instead of a 4-digit numerical code.

Now every app has it problems, and while i would like to say this one is perfect, it does have a few annoyances, although i can say no problems that inhibit it from doing its job.

1. opening the app takes you the last screen when closed instead of main screen, this includes SMS you already read
2. if password is set, when you open the app, problem #1 causes the password entry box to appear over the last screen seen, this could be a SMS you might not want anyone to see, diminishing the passwords protective ability, having the password entry on a black screen would be nice
3. No way to add templates in the template folder, you must write a SMS and then hit "cancel" and choose the option to save as a template

Other then those few things, i truly believe this app is worth the $12 for full activation, i do believe updates should be free though. Anyone on the look for a SMS replacement look no further than iRealSMS! You get a free full 10 day trial to see if it is for you.

BONUS!
My Experience With Their Customer Support
Here was the issue, i had the iPhone 2G, downloaded this app, purchased it, then 2 days later bought 3G (brand new $90), jailbroke, installed this app, and went to use my activation number, sadly it did not work. I emailed customer support explaining my ordeal and within 2 hours i got a response asking for the new phones serial number since the activation code works only for one serial number. After replying with the info, i got a prompt reply with a new activation code! Some developers would just have you purchase another copy, but they worked with me and kept me rollin!

Here are a few screenies via www.irealsms.com