As mentioned previously, ApolloIM has been updated from version -1 to -0.9 and now includes partial “suspend mode.” I have installed and tested it and it seems to work ok. However, the author clearly notes on his development site that there are some limitations to how well this works. If, for example, your iPhone enters a low-power mode (e.g., if you haven’t been using it for a while), EDGE and WiFi are shut down to conserve power. This will obviously disconnect you from the AIM network and while the app shows that you are logged in, you might not be. I recommend that you re-log on to ensure your connection.
There is a potential work-around to this but it will cause you to draw power more rapidly. Basically you need to be listening to iTunes and this will supposedly keep your EDGE/WiFi connections active. This is probably not ideal for most folks, but will work.
Currently I view this application as a great solution for quick IM sessions where you log in, have a chat for a while (actively) and then log out. If you don’t want to lose messages, probably a better way is to have your AIM logged in at a different location as well (e.g., a computer) so that you can ensure that you haven’t missed anything important.
Also included in this update is an improvement to the Conversation window. According to the author:
You no longer can type in the main window, and I may release another update very soon to use “text bubbles” like iChat uses. I have removed the keyboard button in favor of just being able to tap the main view to bring up the keyboard (or you can tap the sendfield at the bottom which,like MobileSMS, will bring up the keyboard).
Of note on the developer site, “this will be the last update for a while” as the author continues to build up the ApolloIM team from more than just 1 person (actually 2 now). They need some help with working with “LibPurple” in order to enable Yahoo, MSN, Jabber and Gtalk, as well as fixing the aliased buddies who are not showing.
If there are any developers out there who want to participate, I encourage you to contact the author at “arminius2 AT gmail DOT com” (protecting his email from spam). Also, they are now accepting PayPal donations!
HTD says: ApolloIM is making good progress. Be sure to support them!
