A standard messaging service relies on either a mobile network or a wireless hotspot to transmit each message, but a movement that is becoming a sensation in the United States is getting round that. Jott has grown fast this year thanks to "mesh networking," passing messages from one iPod or iPhone to the next using Bluetooth. The messages can make several intermediate hops until they reach the recipient.
The catch is that the service can only work in a localized space - like a school, office or stadium where there are crowds of people using the Jott app. Over bigger distances, free-connection apps like iMessage or WhatsApp remain far more effective.
That makes Jott mainly of interest for children and teens, who often don't have their own data subscriptions yet and are frequently blocked from using their school's wi-fi system.
However since the programme can hook up a swarm of iPods and iPads, it can develop a large user base if kids urge one another to sign up. An
Jott is more than just an unusual way to network. Its privacy features enable it to sense when someone is making a screenshot of a message you've sent. Like Snapchat, it allows people to quickly delete sent messages if they don't want them shared.
Additionally, members of closed groups can easily tell when someone is trying to sneak in, so they can move to block an intruder such as the schoolteacher.