Want a texting program that alerts me when I get a phone call.

October 2, 2019 9:57 AM

I used to use something called MightyText, and it worked like a dream. A few updates ago it stopped working and I'd like to find a solution.

I just need something to send me an alert on my desktop computer and iPad when I get a phone call or text message on my Android phone. MightyText use to do this a few months ago, but it stopped working. Their salespeople badger me constantly to upgrade but they don't seem to know how to fix the issue. What other apps for alerts might work for me? I tried building my own thing with IFTTT but it didn't work.

posted by cartoonella to Technology (5 answers total)

I use MightyText and I find that it still works, but irregularly. 90% of the time it'll show me the texts right away, but other times hours later. It also "logs me out" a lot and while I'm logged out it won't show me texts or calls.

Are you using it as a web browser plugin or some other way?

(I don't know of another program that does the same thing, fwiw, but there may be one)
posted by RustyBrooks at 11:09 AM on October 2, 2019

Two apps that may be worth investigating are Join and PushBullet. Both can be configured so that notifications that originate on one device can be received/acted upon on another device. I never really had your use case, so I can't say for certain that they'd work, but I'd suspect they could be configured to do so.

The developer of Join recently took over the development of Tasker, an even more powerful Android app, so if Join can't do it, Tasker certainly can. The app definitely emphasizes power over ease-of-use, so I wouldn't go there unless you can't find a purpose-built app that meets your needs, or you just like tinkering and/or complete customization.
posted by yuwtze at 11:27 AM on October 2, 2019 [1 favorite]

I missed the ipad reference--Tasker and Join are Android only, but PushBullet appears to be cross-platform.
posted by yuwtze at 11:29 AM on October 2, 2019

2nd-ing yuwtze for Pushbullet. I've been using it a while and it's been great. You have to change the settings on your phone so that it never stops being connected to the internet (no sleep period/keep it running in the background).
posted by FirstMateKate at 1:06 PM on October 2, 2019

Pushbullet is indeed great, but Join is almost as good and is free. Join can definitely do what you're asking.
posted by dobbs at 12:39 PM on October 9, 2019