Windows Phone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

"If you're among the IM+ users who purchased the app back when it was released with a price tag of $9.99, you were kicking yourself at the price drop to $4.99 that came soon after. Now prepare to kick yourself on another part of your body as SHAPE Services has just brought in a free(ad-supported) version of IM+."

I have been using IM+ from SHAPE Services GmbH since first purchasing it for my Omnia II back in late 2009 and then as soon as they released the Windows Phone 7 version for my Samsung Focus, and more recently, HTC Mozart. Like many others, I was happy to spring the dollars for it, due in large part to the fact it covered all the IM services that friends, family & I use. Moreover, it performs very well I might add! Well now, a new version is here for Windows Phone 7, and Shape Services the developer, is busting out a free for all ad-supported version. Therefore, now there are no excuses, this should be part of your social communications arsenal.

"If you live [sic] active business and social life, contact partners, conduct negotiations, make business deals, you usually exchange business cards. Eventually you get tons of business cards and it becomes difficult to store, search and remember important contacts. Now you can scan them to your Windows Mobile Pocket PC, just take a look at one of the best Windows Mobile business card scanner apps!"

If you're unlucky enough not to have one of these useful apps pre-installed, SHAPE Services (the developers behind IM+) have one for you. Business Card Reader (very descriptive, I must say) allows you to transfer business card info straight into your contacts by just snapping a photo. You'll need an onboard camera obviously, but BCR supports WM6.0 through to WM6.5 and reads cards in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. You can try out the software or purchase it through our affiliate link for $9.95.

IM+ is a messaging client that lets you access AIM®/iChat, MSN®/Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo!®, ICQ®, Jabber®, Google Talk MySpace® and (new in 6.0) Facebook IM services - in one application. Phew! I can't even keep up on one service much less seven. Although the price is a little steep, I'm thinking there's a lot of value in having one app handle all your messaging needs, rather than multiple services (and clients) taking valuable processor and RAM cycles on your device. You can download a trial, or purchase IM+ for $39.95 through our affiliate link.