• MobileChat
Finally, the killer iPhone app. MobileChat is available in the App Store for $2.99, and assuming it works, should be worth every penny. The overwhelming pent-up demand for a real multi-protocol IM application is taking its toll on twenty08’s servers right now, but things are expected to normalize in the next couple of days.
Why would twenty08’s servers be impacted, you ask? MobileChat offers pseudo-persistence by logging in on your behalf, then doing live updates to the client while it’s open. When MobileChat is closed, the service continues to collect messages for you until you log in again. Assuming you trust them with your IM passwords, this is really the best you could hope for, and the only way you’re ever going to get around mobile problems like connection-hopping and driving under tunnels.
As soon as Apple releases the push services, MobileChat will utilize the push API to send message notifications to your iPhone.
Oh, and it supports XMPP.
[Update] - Saverio at twenty08 has sent me a copy of their privacy policy, which should be on the twenty08 site and iTunes soon.
“I understand your concerns; however, we are not evil :)”
They do cache all information, but much of this seems to be legal ass-covering rather than a statement that they’re reading your chat logs.
[Update 2] - Since it isn’t immediately obvious, I’ll point out that storage of personal conversations is absolutely necessary for this service to work. And yes, this is a service as much as it is an application; twenty08 is holding your messages for you while you’re disconnected.
The full policy is copied below, so you can draw your own conclusions.
“twenty08” owns and operates a number of websites, including (but not limited to): twenty08.com, tumblr.twenty08.com, mobilech.at, quickshareit.com. These will be known as the “Websites”. Each website has its own privacy policy, as each website and/or brand offers different products and/or services. The purpose of this document is to alert you (the prospective user) of the privacy concerns associated with the use of MobileChat. This document may change without notice and an updated version can always be found by clicking the link found at the bottom of mobilech.at.
General Website Access
Access to the mobilech.at website will not yeild any requirements for personally identifiable information. You may visit mobilech.at without the need to identify yourself. We do not collect any information aside from the standard information supplied to us by your computer’s browser. This information includes: Cookies, IP Addresses and Session information. While you may not be forced to provide personal information for general website access, certain information may be needed in order to access special features and or use the products or services.
Usernames and Passwords
The nature of MobileChat forces us to store your usernames and/or passwords for the various IM services on our servers. We have taken many precautions to ensure that your data is kept out of harm’s way; however, “twenty08” nor it’s founders , will not be held liable in any way should a security breach occur. On that note, we will ensure that we make every effort to contact our users if such an event should occur.
Collection of Usage Data
“twenty08” reserves the right to collect and harvest any data that occurs as a result of usage of our products. This information will be kept for internal usage to develop solutions on how to better our products. Information such as usernames, passwords, buddy lists, conversations, IP addresses, away messages, profile contents and more is retained and “cached” on the server as a matter of operation. Once this information is stored, we retain the right to use it as we need to. We will NEVER sell or distribute your information with or without your consent. We are dedicated to providing a safe platform for our users and will ensure that our user’s data remains within our control and out of harms way.
QuickShareIt Integration
MobileChat benefits from another one of our products, called QuickShareIt. If you, the user, engages in usage of this feature, you are implying that you have read and agreed to the QuickShareIt terms of service and privacy policy listed at the quickshareit.com website.
Storage and Disclosure of Your Communications
By using MobileChat you understand that your information and conversations are logged as a matter of operation. (We use servers to sit between our users and the IM services in order to keep users connected.) As a result of this, we need to keep track of all data going to and from our servers. We take great care in ensuring that our user’s data remains safe and out of harms way, but as a MobileChat user you must understand that your data is retained within our datacenters.
“twenty08” may disclose chat logs if required by law. This is a legal obligation and this standard is upheld with the IM services that we work with as well.
Cookies
“twenty08” may use cookies on the Websites. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer’s hard drive by our servers to identify your computer to our servers. You can disable cookies through your web browser; however, some features of the Websites listed above may not work as intended nor function at all.
IP Addresses
“twenty08” logs IP addresses of the visitors to the Websites as well as via the MobileChat application. We use this information for various operation; however, these may be used for investigative scenarios should we suspect abuse of our services or products in accordance with our terms of service. We may turn this information over to the authorities should a situation of this nature arise. We will NEVER share information regarding your personal identity unless required by law.
Changes
Changes to the privacy policy will be posted to the website at mobilech.at. We may or may not notify users of changes.
Legal
“twenty08” is operated and hosts all of it’s products and services in the United States or Canada. We use a variety of vendors and as a user, you must uphold to the governing law of these jurisdictions. Regardless of whether or not you are connecting from the United States, as a user of our service, you are required to follow the laws regardless of the statutes set in your own jurisdiction.
Acceptance
As a result of your usage of any of the Websites or MobileChat, you accept in full, the privacy policy and terms of use. The terms of use incorporates this privacy policy and is available via the website at mobilech.at
Comments and Questions
If you have any questions or comments in regards to this document or anything else in relation to MobileChat, feel free to contact us at support@mobilech.at. Or mail us at twenty08 – 173 N. Main St. #114, Sayville, NY 11782