Anyone using Beeper (based on Matrix) for multi-channel chat apps?

[RazielKanos]

yeah, i tried that, but it keeps telling me it can't find the server

[boomboom]

Hi @humptydumpty could you DM me a code please?

[humptydumpty]

@boomboom Did you sign up on the forum and followed me just to request a code?

[necrevistonnezr]

Interesting background info: https://daringfireball.net/2023/12/beeper_i_hardly_knew_her

Beeper is a company founded by Eric Migicovsky, who is best known as the founder of the now-defunct Pebble, which made groundbreaking smartwatches a decade ago. Migicovsky founded Beeper to create a meta-platform for disparate messaging apps — a single messaging client that could connect to dozens of different platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter DMs, and more. Until this week, Beeper was best known for an app it has now rebranded as Beeper Cloud. Beeper Cloud works as a single client for a slew of different messaging platforms — including iMessage — by way of relay servers. For each Beeper Cloud user, Beeper runs a virtual server in the cloud, and your local Beeper Cloud app communicates with that relay server. For each messaging service you connect to Beeper Cloud, the relay server needs to store your login credentials. You can also self-host your own server, which they describe as “possible, but not an easy task right now”, as it requires Linux system administration skills.

If you’re thinking that running a server instance for each user sounds like something that would be hard to scale, you’re right. Beeper Cloud launched in January 2021, but there remains a (seemingly long) waitlist to get access today, nearly three years later.

If you’re thinking that giving your iCloud account credentials to a third party so that they can sign you into iMessage on a virtual MacOS machine in the cloud sounds like a sketchy idea, you’re correct. It’s a terrible idea.

If you’re thinking that a scheme like this sounds familiar, you’re right — there are a few other “universal chat” services which have also been in the news recently. The best is Texts, a currently-desktop-only $12.50/month app created by Kishan Bagaria, and recently acquired by Automattic (the parent company of WordPress.com, Tumblr, and Day One, among numerous other apps and services). Texts directly communicates with the protocols for services like WhatsApp and Twitter DMs, but for iMessage — which of course has no open APIs for third-party clients — communicates via AppleScript and accessibility APIs with Apple’s Messages app running on your own Mac.

[yayimalive]

@humptydumpty Hi there, I'd love a dm code if still available please. Thanks for offering!

[girish]

Guys, please this is not a place to request Beeper codes I thought Apple blocked beeper in any case?

[necrevistonnezr]

Yes, they did. The author is merely suggesting that handing over your credentials is a non-smart idea, in any event.

[JLX89]

@necrevistonnezr It's actually interesting, I ran a few tests and they're using virtual macOS environments for anything Apple, and a few different variations for other services. Interestingly enough, when I ran the tests they were all located in Helsinki Finland.

[bmartin391]

Hi @humptydumpty , are you still available to give referral codes?

Thanks,

[humptydumpty]

@bmartin391 nope. I’m only giving codes to the regulars on this forum. Please stop joining the forum so you can request a code. You won’t be getting one.

[marcusquinn]

@JLX89 Looks like that's changed now. Enjoying following their story. As much as I am an Apple user, the hardware is unbeatable, any lock-in tech needs to be relentlessly challenged, if they don't pay with opening these things up, make them pay with publicity. Well worth a sub...

• https://substack.com/@beeper