Link: http://belugapods.com/

Beluga helps groups of friends stay in touch on the go.

Beluga offers a mobile app and web service that enable simple, instant, and rich group messaging from your phone. Use Beluga to plan a night out or just share updates and photos with your close friends and family. Like SMS, it’s instant. Like email, everyone’s in on the conversation. Best of all, it’s private, so let the real conversations begin.

Its like a mini twitter right on your phone. You don’t even have to worry if all your friends and family have the app installed, if they don’t the messages fall back on SMS. You could definitely drop your unlimited texting plan if you switched to using Beluga for messaging.

The app creators (ex-google employees) have been super responsive to my feedback on Twitter and are making steady updates to the app (which is not tied to one platform). You can also use it on the web.

I’m loving Beluga and it has replaced my IM programs (no need to have the same app anymore or an all in one app!) and reduced the number of emails I send because I can’t share a photo in IM. Soooo I’m already madly in love with Beluga after only a week of using it. Download the app and come find me!