Messages is one of the best things about the iPad, and it's built right in!  Really. Send text messages, photos, videos or any combination directly from your iPad to someone else's device with iMessages installed, securely and encrypted, and usually very fast.  This other device can ideally be another iPad, though with the recent Mac upgrade to Mountain Lion and the new iPhones have Messages built right in too.  Brilliance.  

Set Up Messages on your Child's iPad

Setting up Messages on your child's iPad is easy.  Simply tap on the SETTINGS App, and on the left hand side tap MESSAGES.  Switch iMessage on and your iPad will attempt to activate.  

At this point you may be asked for your Apple ID which should be unique to the individual's device. You created your Apple ID when you set up your iPad or turned on FaceTime.  Enter your Apple ID eMail Address and password details, then choose whether you want to Send Read Receipts (NO) or show Subject Field (I'm a NO here too).  

That's it, you're ready to Message!

Who can I message from my iPad?

You can message anyone with Messages App installed on their device, and has it switched on in THEIR settings.  

Their device might be an iPhone, iPad, iPad mini or iPod Touch with iOS 5.1 or later, a Mac running the Mountain Lion OSX and I'm sure other devices to come... 

Because we had already Set Up Facetime on iPad, we already had eachother in our address book.  That meant we could text eachother, grandpa-ireland, mommom-america and great-grandparents in Philadelphia... right away. 

I have been amazed at the beautiful things that are arriving in my Messages daily now.  Amazing and brilliant work Apple!

Troubleshooting Messages not working with Telstra ISP

If you're trying to set up Messages and it's not working and you're with Telstra (though this may be the same issue with other ISPs in Australia), you'll find it won't work.  At least it doesn't from Western Australia.  

This is due to the setup of most Wireless Routers connected using Telstra's services.  The reason is that Telstra uses a DNS setting which seems to be incompatible with Messages.  We've tried it dozens of ways, but the only thing that has worked EVERY TIME is to change the DNS servers for your Internet Connection in you wireless router.  

Once we changed the DNS servers to come from Google's public DNS service, Messages works perfectly.  The address of the Google free DNS is 8.8.8.8 (eight dot eight dot eight dot eight). BEFORE YOU REPLACE YOUR DNS SETTING, write what's in there down in case you need to put it back.  

Then change it, see if Messages works, then tell us on Facebook that our solution helped you, we appreciate the feedback!