by Sean Devlin, Front Rush
Note: Before implementing the below, please first check with your department’s compliance officer.
In January, text messaging became permissible in Division III. And in June, the same will be permissible for Division II, and we have our suspicions for Division I (we think it’s only a matter of time before they open up texting to Division I coaches).
Well just a few days ago, Apple released something that is very interesting in an SMS acceptable world. It is known as Messages and while it is still in testing, it’s very exciting.
So what is it?
Imagine a control center, right on your laptop for sending and receiving sms messages. A control center that works similarly to what iPhone users are used to seeing on their device but now on your laptop so you can type much faster. A control center that resembles IM programs like your ichat, gchat, AIM, etc.
So how does it work?
Once you download messages, you will be able to send messages directly to your current contacts or any new numbers that you add. When the person replies, it will go directly back to your Messages application as well as your iPhone (if you have one). In addition, you can send messages in bulk by selecting multiple recipients. There replies however will go to all who were on your list so this is more applicable to sending messages to your roster.
So what else is new?
Well you can drag images directly from your laptop into your Messages account and send them on. You can tell if you are sending to iPhone users or individuals using a different device. You can keep a running history of your previous messages. You can sync it with your apple ID and pull in all of your existing contacts.
So whats the catch?
Well right now, it is in Beta testing. This means that it is still being tested by Apple and there are probably some bugs. Our internal testing shows that most features work pretty well. Also, you are going to have to have a MKac.
So how do you get Messages?
You get it here. http://www.apple.com/macosx/mountain-lion/messages-beta/.
And why do you need to ask your compliance officer?
Simple: Because the whole text-messaging being legal and instant-messaging not being legal is really sketchy, at best. Why? Well (and this is a bit technical) because if you send a message from your iPhone to another iPhone user, it is a text-message right? NO! It is actually an instant message. The technology that Apple uses to send a message from one iPhone user to another is the same technology Google uses when you send an instant message from your gChat to another gChat user.
I know, right? Yes. Its crazy.
Know what else is crazy? Coaches not using Front Rush. It’s the lowest cost full service recruiting database management system in the world, and it’s supported by technical pros like Sean Devlin and an amazing support team dedicated to making it easy for college coaches to recruit in a more organized way. Want more info on what they do, and why you’d be crazy not to have this tool working for you? Click here.