services.js

angular.module('starter.services', [])
  .factory('Chats', function($http) {
    var self = this;
    var data = {
      chats: {}
    };

    self.sync = function() {
      $http.get('http://localhost:3000/api/chats.json')
        .success(function(data) {
          data.chats = data;
          return data;
          console.log(data);
        }).error(function(data) {
          console.log('server side error occurred. !!!!!!! ');
        });
    };

    self.all = function() {
      return data;
    };

    self.remove = function(chat) {
      data.chats.splice(chat.indexOf(chat), 1);
    };

    self.get = function(chatId) {
      for (var i = 0; i < data.chats.length; i++) {
        if (data.chats[i].id === parseInt(chatId)) {
          return data.chats[i];
        }
      } else {
        return null;
      }
    };

    return self;
  })
  .controller('ChatCtrl', function ($scope, Chats) {
     Chats.sync();
     $scope.chats = Chats.all();
  })