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I've been a long-time Nokia fan, but finally succumbed to the iPhone 4's unholy screen resolution.

One feature I use a lot (about a hundred times a day...) is Nokia PC Suite's ability to send SMS via the phone. It:

  • Uses my phone's contact list.
  • Notifies me when I get an sms.
  • Allows me to send SMS using my PC's keyboard.

Essentially turning SMS into just another IM medium I use on the PC.

How will I do this with the iPhone 4 + Windows 7?

2
  • As there's still no good solution for this; I've resolved to start an "email movement", where all my friends and family who have iPhones (most of them do) sync their emails with push. If I'm at my laptop I just email them and it comes up just the same. Dec 9, 2010 at 4:05
  • The fact that my phone and gmail have the contact list sync'd makes this very simple to use. Dec 9, 2010 at 4:06

8 Answers 8

7

It is possible if it is jailbroken. I don't know if it works on the 3G or 4G networks, but it works on Wi-Fi.

  1. Go into Cydia and install a app called "Veency" (this app will allways be active)

  2. Install TightVNC on the computer you want to use for this

  3. Run the program on your computer. It should be called "TightVNC Viewer" (not the server)

  4. On your iPhone go to Settings/Wi-Fi/Current Connection and note your IP address

  5. Type it the TightVNC viewer along with your chosen password.

  6. Enjoy typing from your PC!

1
  • I tried several other solutions and even payed for some of the apps, but I ended up jailbreaking my phone and now I do this. It's still not as smooth as the Nokia app though -- but it seems like the best option for now. Mar 28, 2012 at 2:07
3

I'm unaware of any way to do that with the iPhone specifically. You may want to look into using Google Voice though - it doesn't have superb integrated on the iPhone (Google tried; Apple rejected their app), but it's easy to send/receive SMS on your computer using your google contacts, and the SMSs get forwarded to your iPhone, and replies on your iPhone get sent back through Google Voice so it's all still in the online interface. I believe you can also sync your iPhone's contacts list with your google account's, so it won't be as smooth as with Nokia, but should work.

1
  • There is an excellent app in the App Store nowadays for Google Voice. I highly recommend it, although I still use Messages for my contacts who have iPhones (for iMessage's sake).
    – 2rs2ts
    Jun 11, 2013 at 22:09
3

I'm afraid but at the moment it is not possible to directly (i.e. without user interaction on the iPhone) send SMS with the iPhone (at least not that I know of any).

You could try out myPhoneDesktop ( http://www.myphonedesktop.com/ , I'm not affiliated with them, just a user) or something similar, but you still have to click on "Send" on your Phone...

Getting notifications about incoming SMS on your PC: There's nothing for the iPhone I know of, sorry.

About reading the contacts list from your iPhone, I would advise you to sync it (e.g via Google, Yahoo or directly with iTunes and your local list).

1
  • This works, but it's not very good. :( It cost $6 It doesn't use my phone's contact list I don't get a notification on the PC when I receive a message I can't read messages on the PC After writing the message on my PC and clicking 'send', I have to wait 2 seconds, unlock my iPhone, wait 2 seconds, click 'send' on the iphone. All in all, yes it does the fundamental feature I wanted (send sms using PC keyboard) but it's very annoying :( I'll keep using it till something better comes along... Sep 2, 2010 at 6:41
2

HappyFingers iPhone app will do what you want. Sync your iphone contacts to your windows pc, search and select contacts on your pc, dial and send sms messages from your pc.

2
  • Does it require user interaction on the iPhone the way MPD does, or can you send SMS completely from the PC? Mar 16, 2012 at 10:46
  • 2
    You have to press send on the iPhone due to Apple imposed development restrictions Mar 16, 2012 at 11:35
2

Well, I have not the best solution, but it works and is for free. You need to do some thing on the phone though. There is this pair of apps - DiskAid on PC and FileApp on iPhone, lets you transfer some files and so on, see sms and contacts. Anyway, write all you need in text file on PC, save as unicode, drop that file to iPhone, open, select text you need, copy it, paste it in sms and send it.. saves some typing at least..

2

I use Pinger on both my computer and iPad. Its a free service that only requires wifi or an internet data plan. There is also an app for iOS

The only downside is it uses a generated number rather than your regular number. However, this is offset by having your messages synced between the iDevice and computer.

1

I would second Oro's suggestion for myPhoneDesktop. The way I am using most is scheduling Calls and SMS using myPhoneDesktop schedule functionality. Now, regardless where I am my phone either sends SMS or starts ringing at specific pre-scheduled time (with my confirmation of course! :) ). I do not have assistant or secretary and this feature is a life saver for me. Also in the recently released v1.6 developer added support for Google Voice.

2
  • Google Voice doesn't support Australia, and you still need to click click 'confirm' on the phone for every message you want to send... Dec 9, 2010 at 4:04
  • And the contact list doesn't sync so I need to create a duplicate list of people who I want to SMS frequently on the MPD software... Dec 9, 2010 at 4:05
1

Try 91 PC suite for iphone http://91.pandaapp.com/pcsuite/. It's a Chinese software but has language pack for English.

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