[mrgregory29]

I just saw this on the main page. Has anybody tried it? I see its $14.99 though for the app.

[lastelement0]

It's not worth the 15 bux for a feature that will be included in the next OS. on the comments and a post about this earlier, users have had some issues in getting it to work on their tour.

[momhasthree]

Just downloaded the trial version this morning and I'm trying to figure it out. Seems to work OK, but its confusing to get it set up. You can download the trial version for free to see if you like it.
Post back if you do! Maybe you can let me know how to set it up! LOL

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[b.asagba]

ill just wait for official OS 5.0 release. what is a little longer wait for true threaded sms. wait and its free or pay the 15 bucks.

[kaywhyarestee]

I downloaded the trial this morning, and its not worth it. The font color choices I picked wouldnt save, and the name for the person texting me wouldnt show up.
I would say just wait til OS 5.0 comes out for sure.

[bassistloaded]

worked perfect on my tour. I like it, not paying 15 bucks for it though. ive found out when people say something doesnt work on here, its best to try it yourself because usually it works, the person using it just doesnt know how to work it

[thepanttherlady]

I have it and have been using this for months. I LOVE it!!

The app is actually 50% off until July 23rd. I purchased the release version of SMSViewer, QuickSMS, and SMS Popup for $12.47 total over the weekend.

[ani]

Just came across this thread along with numerous others! So I will follow up and try to answer any queries here as well.

The app gives a UI and a Usability enhancement to your native SMS app. Some people are ok with the plain text format, no indicators for incoming and outgoing sms etc. And there are people who love to have a graphic background and other enhancements while reading, and things like Smiley and templates while composing. Its about personal preferences and choices. Attached are some screenshots of various screens to help make your choice

Pricing - is in line with the current market prices of some of the SMS apps out there. Considering that some popup apps at $6.95 and sms shortcuts at $6.95, i guess $15 for a rich sms viewer and composer with sms templates is fair price to ask. Also not many people are aware, since it was mentioned in the beta thread - but its on a flat 50% discount currently so you can have it at $7.5 using the code 50off.

Installing a trial is easy. Point your BlackBerry Browser to www.getempower.com/ota

Anything else, just drop a note and I will definitely try to follow up your queries.

Thanks,
Ani.

[M.J.H.]

When is 5.0 said to be released? Or at least leaked!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[magnetnerd]

I noticed on my bold that it doesn't accept different font colors for incoming/outgoing nor does the icon for incoming/outgoing ever show up.

[bign__17]

Just came across this thread along with numerous others! So I will follow up and try to answer any queries here as well.

The app gives a UI and a Usability enhancement to your native SMS app. Some people are ok with the plain text format, no indicators for incoming and outgoing sms etc. And there are people who love to have a graphic background and other enhancements while reading, and things like Smiley and templates while composing. Its about personal preferences and choices. Attached are some screenshots of various screens to help make your choice

Pricing - is in line with the current market prices of some of the SMS apps out there. Considering that some popup apps at $6.95 and sms shortcuts at $6.95, i guess $15 for a rich sms viewer and composer with sms templates is fair price to ask. Also not many people are aware, since it was mentioned in the beta thread - but its on a flat 50% discount currently so you can have it at $7.5 using the code 50off.

Installing a trial is easy. Point your BlackBerry Browser to Empower Apps

Anything else, just drop a note and I will definitely try to follow up your queries.

Thanks,
Ani.

OK, this is a nifty app., so I just purchased at the 50% off price of 7.49, I've been using it for a while, but was second guessing it once I saw there was going to be a charge for it, but with the discount it is worth it. Some of the features don't work for me as well, but I like seeing some type of theme to my SMS rather than the plain white background.

Question is how did you pick up the other backgrounds, right now I have the blue one, I would like to use others, if you can tell me how.

[ntm]

I guess one of the things I am looking for in threaded SMS is for everything to be grouped by conversation, which this app doesn't do (unless I'm slow). If this app would organize the SMS's like BBM does, I would gladly buy it and use it. Right now all it seems to do is give me a background and different colors for the text. That's alright, but having my text blue while I'm composing SMS is not at the top of my list.

Unless I don't get it, I don't see how this is "threaded SMS" at all, or any more than the native BB client.

[ani]

OK, this is a nifty app., so I just purchased at the 50% off price of 7.49, I've been using it for a while, but was second guessing it once I saw there was going to be a charge for it, but with the discount it is worth it. Some of the features don't work for me as well, but I like seeing some type of theme to my SMS rather than the plain white background.

Question is how did you pick up the other backgrounds, right now I have the blue one, I would like to use others, if you can tell me how.

Browse to your SD Card using your Media Browser > Pictures. Open any pic in fullscreen mode and click 'Set SMS Background' in the menu. Similar to how you do it for your homescreen wallpaper.

Thanks,
Ani.

[merx9]

Can other people without this program see smileys that you are sending them?

[ani]

That depends on the recipient phone and software. If he is on BlackBerry then I am not aware of any other 3rd party app that shows Smileys. We all know that native viewer wont show graphic smileys. So if the person you are sending to is on BlackBerry without the app he will see the normal text representation of the smiley (as he has been seeing till now). His view wont be affected.

If the receiver is not on BB, then it really depends on the phone he is using - while some smartphones show smileys natively some do not. I am not sure what even iPhone does natively since i dont have one.

[mrgregory29]

I guess one of the things I am looking for in threaded SMS is for everything to be grouped by conversation, which this app doesn't do (unless I'm slow). If this app would organize the SMS's like BBM does, I would gladly buy it and use it. Right now all it seems to do is give me a background and different colors for the text. That's alright, but having my text blue while I'm composing SMS is not at the top of my list.

Unless I don't get it, I don't see how this is "threaded SMS" at all, or any more than the native BB client.

This right here is exactly what i'm looking for. So does this app not do this? I want it exactly like you're getting a IM on yahoo or msn messenger. The conversations are seperate. I loved this feature when I had my Treo. If I text Greg that conversation will continue in one folder then Chris texts me and that convo is grouped in another folder.

[prometheus]

I used the empower SMS app as a trial for only 2 days. So, I'm not an expert at it.

However, it appears to be just a fancy app to change the background image and fonts. It adds pics to the caller ID and has nice UI. But, it's absolutlely no different in the text displayed on the screen over the native SMS folders. There is nothing (except the caller ID) on the screen while sending or recieving SMS that isn't in the native view.

Don't get me wrong - sweet app - looks great. makes the messages much more "fun" and gives the user a much more pleasant SMS experience. It's just not for me.

Pros:
- custom wallpaper for background
- font color and size can be changed
- caller ID on SMS

Cons:
- I had a hard time selecting the right combination of background image and font color to easily read the messages. It turns out the easiest way to read them was having a very light colored background and very dark font (wait a minute, isn't the native reader a white background with black font?)
- the "preview" of the message is usually enough for me. What I mean is, when a new SMS comes in you have to open the SMS message thru the icon - there you see the sender's name, time recieved and the first line of the message (if you chose to display messages on 2 lines in message options and have a font size small enough to display enough characters). So, all of the fancy images and fonts are redundant. I already know who the message was from, what time it was sent and the general idea of what the message is.
- "threaded" means different things to diferent people. When I get a message from Bob and hit "reply" I still see his message under what I'm typing as a reply. When Bob then replies and I open that message, I see the last thing I typed and all I have to is scroll down to read what he said last time. Am I missing something? What more does "treaded do?
- MMS not supported. This is the killer for me. If I'm replying by SMS to a pic my wife sent and then want to send a pic of my own and then we switch back and forth from MMS and SMS - however with the native folder I can at least see the sender's name and the fact that it's a MMS and see the SMS intermeingled there.
- Memory use. I'm stingy
- Too expensive. even at half price.
- The smilies are kind of silly. This is a "S"imple "M"essage "S"ervice and the recipient recieves text only.
- The templates. Experienced and savvy BB users can set up endless templates via the "autotext" function. If you're not sure how to do this, do a forum search.
- By the way, it was discussed elsewhere, SMS can only be 160 characters. This app does NOT change that. MMS are unlimited characters and can include pics and video.

In summary: An expensive font and background changer, but doesn't do much beyond that.

[mrgregory29]

Ani, are you able to talk about the reviews and questions of the past few posters in this thread?

[Rlr82]

The contact's number keeps coming up instead of the name ( show contact name selected). Is that a bug or am I missing something?

[Vyxnn]

I installed it on my pearl flip - but its not showing up - all i see is Empower Central... and I look under applications under advanced options - and it says its installed... what am I doing wrong?? =/

[mvpBosh]

I think it's pointless to install this app... with 5.0 most likely rolling out very soon seeing as the recently announced curve 8520 demonstrated threaded SMS... paying money for a feature that might be here in 2 weeks would be kinda... ********.

Oh btw, i installed the trial.. and it is fuuuugly.

[ani]

The contact's number keeps coming up instead of the name ( show contact name selected). Is that a bug or am I missing something?

This issue has been fixed in the latest release posted on the thread -
http://forums.crackberry.com/f35/pub...7/index39.html

Here is it again for convenience

Dear All,
Glad to tell you that we have new upgrades for ALL 3 apps - Empower SMS Viewer, SMS Popups and QuickSMS. The latest version includes feature improvements and bug fixes. Some of them listed below:

Empower SMS Viewer v1.82 (upgrade from v1.8)

• Contact Images are now displayed on Tour.
• Fix for DateTime offset by 12 hours.
• URLs in SMS is clickable in RICH view also.
• Option to send SMS by pressing Enter key.
• Option to Enable/Disable the application.

SMS Popup & QuickSMS v1.1 (upgrade from v1.0)

• Call directly from SMS Popup.
• Contact Images are now displayed on Tour.
• URLs in SMS Popup is clickable (non-Storm devices).
• Minor bug fixes in Quick SMS on Tour.

Please upgrade your copies to the latest version from www.getempower.com or OTA from www.getempower.com/ota

Thanks,
Ani.

[AlwaysLostSometimes]

I have to say that this app is really I've been running the trial version for a few days. While I know most of you here say the price is a bit high, I can see where you are coming from. You're mostly looking at it from the point of view that it will be implemented into OS 5.0 and that it will be released soon (Probably not true though) I still remember running v4.2 for 2 years without an update till early this year. Anyway, I've paid lots of money for apps. Ranging from "Free" Calls Blocker to "$29.95" for IM+ and even "$79.95" for e-works Pro and believe me I've enjoyed my apps. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the app is definitely worth it. It get's the job done. It's really if you want the app or want to wait it out. If you want it, you won't be disappointed, if you choose to wait for OS 5.0 hope for you that it comes soon. I don't think we'll see it anytime this year.

Good job on the developer for making a great app. Keep up the good work.

[mrgregory29]

This right here is exactly what i'm looking for. So does this app not do this? I want it exactly like you're getting a IM on yahoo or msn messenger. The conversations are seperate. I loved this feature when I had my Treo. If I text Greg that conversation will continue in one folder then Chris texts me and that convo is grouped in another folder.

Hate to quote myself but still waiting for this question to be answered before I decide to check it out.

[AlwaysLostSometimes]

Hate to quote myself but still waiting for this question to be answered before I decide to check it out.

I think I know what you mean...

Example: Someone sends you a BBM and it shows up all in one field on your Inbox display.

If that's what you're saying, then no. It'll combine your SMS's into one field when clicked on, but to alter the Inbox screen only RIM can do that.