MightyText seeks to offer Android users a multi-device messaging experience, similar to that of Apple’s iMessage. It succeeds in several ways in creating a powerful tool for maintaining the same conversation across a browser, tablet and smartphone.
By signing up with your Google account, MightyText then syncs your conversations, enabling you to text from the MightyText web app, which is most accessible by installing the plugin for Chrome (it works in other browsers as well).
It will also work in a tablet browser, such as Chrome on the Nexus 7. MightyText says native tablet apps are in the works.
You will then need to download the app for Android and grant permission for it to access your messages. By doing so, MightyText then will send and receive anything from your phone to its web app.
The web interface is uncomplicated, but performs well. Your contact names and profile pictures are included, so it is easy to quickly peruse your contacts. Occasionally some of the contact pictures would disappear and resort back to the default image.
Picture messages also worked sufficiently. I found in a few cases the image took a little longer to load than in iMessage, though it wasn’t a deal killer. You can also initiative a phone call from the web app and complete the call on your phone.
The messages quickly appear on your phone and appear as read, which improves the seamlessness of the experience. However, they will still appear in your notification shade until they are cleared out.
The search bar the top of the screen is very convenient, allowing you to search the text of specific conversations. Picking up your phone to search for a message is no longer necessary.
While MightyText has drawn many comparisons to iMessage, it does not have exactly the same feature set. For example, your phone must be on for MightyText to work, as it is still sending the SMS through your device. On the other hand, iMessage is more akin to a chat service, which can send messages directly from your Mac, iPad or iPhone independent of one another.
Since MightyText works in a browser, it will appeal to those who have a cross-platform computing experience. If you use a Windows PC at work but then a Mac at home, you can log on to MightyText and get the same conversation experience.
MightyText is one of several companies interested in impacting how people message across phones, tablets, and computers. However, unlike iMessage, WhatsApp, or other popular solutions, it uses the ubiquitous and carrier-friendly SMS/MMS platform.
It might as well, as carriers have in nearly all cases forced customers to unlimited messaging packages by taking away any mid-tier options. And unless you have been able to secure a network of friends and family who only use iPhones, you are bound to encounter the need to message with SMS.
Until one company or messaging platform conquers all others, SMS will continue to be around. Android owners should give strong consideration to MightyText for its excellent method in keeping conversations going and synced without needing to always reach for the phone.
