iMessage

We're getting a flood of reports from many of you that iMessage is down and you can't send or receive messages over Apple's network. Unlike iCloud, Apple doesn't provide an iMessage status page, so it's hard to tell how wide spread the issue is, how critical any failure might have been, or project how long it might last.

If you are have problems with iMessage, however, please let us know when it started, where you are, and when it starts working for you again.

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson recently spoke at the Milken Institute's Global Conference, where he voiced his regret for offering unlimited data when the iPhone first came out, and indicated that he worries how apps like iMessage bite into AT&T's traditional messaging revenue streams.

iMessage lets your new iPad send and receive SMS-like text messages, and MMS-style multimedia messages just like a phone. Instead of a phone number, however, it uses your email address, and it only works with other Apple devices, like other iPads, iPhones, iPod touches, and the recently released Messages for Mac beta.

Before you can start using messages, and sending texts, photos, videos, voice memos, locations, and contact cards, you need to set it up.

David is a technology enthusiast, iPhone user, and Texas-based police officer. This is how he uses iOS at work

Unlike most traditional jobs, I don't have an office where I can spend 8 hours a day sitting at a computer doing work. My office is a Ford Crown Victoria, and it is constantly moving from one location to the next. I need to have access to varying forms of information on the go to effectively get my job done. That's where my iPhone comes into play.

Avoid carrier SMS and MMS charges and keep all your IMs in one place with iOS iMessage right on your Mac

If you have been waiting for Apple to release a version of iMessage for Mac then that day has just become a lot closer. After the release of the beta of OS X Mountain Lion earlier today, Apple has followed it up with the release of a beta version of its new Mac Messages app. Messages, which will replace the current iChat app, brings all of the great features of iMessage to your Mac while keeping many that made iChat great as well.

Earlier this week, Gizmodo reported of an iMessage bug that intertwined messages from an Apple Genius employee and a customer who brought their iPhone in for repair. Apple has since reached out to clarify the situation, indicating this "bug" was actually just a slip-up on the Apple employee's part.

TechCrunch reports an iMessage bug causing problems for iOS users trying to send SMS messages to ex-iPhone users who have switched to another platform, such as Android.

What happens is, the iPhone attempts to send the SMS to the ex-iPhone user as an iMessage -- just like it always did before the recipient switched devices. But since Android doesn't support iMessage, the text ultimately fails.

Simple, if naive solution:

1. Don't let your friends switch away from iPhones.

Complicated, if realistic solution:

Curious how to set up a PIN code on your iPhone's SIM card to prevent things like the recent issue with iMessage not de-activating on stolen iPhones? If you're concerned about security, it's probably something you want to do sooner rather than later.

Multiple users who've had their iPhones stolen are reporting that iMessage is still linked to their stolen device even after they've conducted a remote wipe, deactivated their iPhone with the carrier, and even changed their Apple ID password. This means that whomever steals or buys a stolen iPhone may have the ability to iMessage from the original owners account, pretty much impersonating them.

Although Apple has yet to comment on the situation, Ars Technica was able to get iOS security expert Jonathan Zdziarski to chime in on his thoughts of why this may be occurring.