Free SMS on the iPhone

Angry about AT&T's nickel and diming ways with their iPhone data and SMS plans? Then don't purchase an SMS plan at all (sorry, can't help you with the data part). Tidbits' Jeff Carlson notes that you can send SMS messages for free by using the iPhone's free AIM chat client. Here's how:

1. From the App Store, either in iTunes or on an iPhone, download and install the free AIM client for iPhone (link goes to the iTunes store).
2. In iChat (or whichever instant messaging software you use), create a new contact whose AIM address is a plus sign and the mobile number of a friend, such as "+12065551212".

The recipient still gets dinged for SMS fees,but with a little creativity two iPhone users can send unlimited SMS messages free of charge.

(Tip: Slashdot)