SMS
Often referred to as the ‘biggest brand on the planet’, SMS — or texting — is still the biggest success story in the industry. In this section we cover innovation, best practice and discussion around the next steps for the medium.
Ewan posted a while ago about Yammer and that team have been playing with it. Initially we used a fair bit now interest dwindled, until a few days ago that is. Yammer have now have the ability to send updates by SMS via a UK number and also the option to receive all [...]
Continue ReadingI just updated the post I wrote the other day about AQL’s 007 numbers flying off the virtual shelves.
The smart dudes at AQL have updated their system so you can get it to automatically display numbers that end in 007…
Genius.
So you can have a nice 0203 137 2007 for 6 quid a quarter, for example. [...]
I’ve been waiting for one of these. For a long time I’ve met lots of different people who have been working on the concept of designing a system that will help sports team managers organise games and player availability.
I’ve never been a sports manager — in fact I haven’t actually ever played in a [...]
Continue ReadingI had a note in over the weekend from Dr Adam Beaumont — top chap at mobile messaging specialists, AQL.
The good Doctor was telling me that, this being Bond week (with the launch of Quantum of Solace), numbers ending in 007 are flying off the virtual AQL shelves.
I’ve been hunting through their number ranges [...]
I love it when I see mobile phones being put to good use, and I also love it when say for important issues, mobile phones are being utilised to capture a target audience in the best sense and way possible.
I was browsing around my daily choice of news reads, when I came across an article [...]
I need some help from you the lovely readers!
You may or may not be aware that I am part of my university’s student station Shock Radio and we are looking for a short or long code. We would would then need the SMS to be delivered to an email address.
We are a non profit organisation [...]
I had a note in from Jaun Mouton of Touchwork — the people who boosted feedback at Cape Town airport by 3000% with text messaging.
I’m pleased to report that they’re doing similar at Manchester Airport. The key reason for doing so is to measure customer experience at international arrivals.
And let’s be clear, this stuff [...]
So, you’re walking along the beach right, chucking-another-shrimp-on-the-barbie, as you do, and you see a nice chap admiring your form.
You smile, wink a bit perhaps and walk on.
The admiring chap whips out his mobile and dials your digits into his address book. Or better still, texts you direct.
How?
He saw your number. Etched by [...]
A note arrived in from reader David Bleja, to tell us about the new service he’s working on. If you’re in Australia (and we do have a big Australian contingent reading) do talk to David.
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I am the web designer for www.readytosms.com.au. We have launched our website recently, and thought you [...]
Continue ReadingCredit crunch? What credit crunch?
SMSGupShup, India’s equivalent of Twitter, has just taken $11m from Helion Ventures and Charles River Ventures, to help grow and develop the business (reports Silicon India).
This good news for the SMSGupShup team and for the mobile industry as a whole. The growth of mobile in the emerging markets is [...]
I got this in from Paul Cockerton of AQA. It’s out first non-press release, news item, ever. I think it works quite well. Instead of sending me a press release, Paul’s knocked me over this letter. Good man!
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Hi Ewan,
Just to let you know we passed 15 million [...]
SMSbutler, eh?
I was thinking of some kind of Texperts/AQA style service that does your drycleaning or the like.
But no!
SMSbutler is all about promoting a healthy lifestyle. Within you. Yes, you. Put down that donut.
Or doughnut, if you’re British.
SMSbutler is a new SMS text message service within diet, health and
lifestyle. You can receive [...]
Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World is a new book available for £6.60 on Amazon.
Here’s the background:
In a unique collaboration between the social change organisation We Are What We Do and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), thousands of children were invited to come up with simple, [...]
I came across this absolutely fantastic overview from Webmonkey that shows you how to create an SMS notification application in no time. I reckon it would take me about 20 minutes, using their code samples, to knock it together.
If you’ve got a working knowledge of PHP, I challenge you to take 20 minutes and [...]
I just got a text from my mother. She’s got my brothers together and is taking them — and potentially, me (hence the text) — to a restaurant in Billericay tonight.
Why is this relevant to you, dear reader?
Well, because I received notification of this by text.
By *text message*. From my [...]
You’ve heard of these stupid text competitions, right? American radio stations absolutely love them.
They dangle some sort of celebrity visit to whatever school manages to text in the most votes.
There’s no skill involved. You just have to be celebrity obsessed enough to get your fellow students to text your school [...]
Mobile services company Esendex are a healthy bunch.
EIGHT Esendex team members, along with company co-founders, Adam Bird and Julian Hucker are indulging their passion for Triathlon this Sunday.
September 21st to be exact.
They’re all competing in The Last Minute Triathlon at Southwell, Nottinghamshire.
Now I’m not that into running myself. I enjoy an occasional swim, especially [...]
Voice and messaging provider, AQL, are staging a developer competition to both celebrate their 10th anniversary and to stimulate development across the industry. Always good news.
Dr Adam Beaumont, top chap at AQL, comments:
We’re seeing a host of applications crop up start to use our interfaces, from twitter-like applications and facebook plug-ins through to integration [...]
UPI reports that the Italian Supreme Court isn’t having any of Telecom Italia’s attempts to fire one of it’s employees.
Apparently the employee knocked up 12,000 private text messages from his work phone. He didn’t have an unlimited messaging package on the handset, obviously — as Telecom Italia were billed more than $2,000 for this.
It [...]
Steve Yzerman is a name that will mean next to nothing to international readers of Mobile Industry Review. A quick Google reveals that he was a rather good Ice Hockey player playing with a team by the name of the Detroit Red Wings.
Steve has been retired since 2006 and is now President of the team.
All [...]
At last someone’s taken a look at the US operators. Whether it’ll get anywhere… I don’t know:
As reported by the Associated Press:
A key member of the Senate Judiciary Committee is asking the nation’s top four wireless carriers to justify the “sharply rising rates” they charge people to send and receive text messages.
In letters [...]
This is a somewhat unusual story from today’s Independent newspaper.
It’s not quite ready for use in routine cases, but according to the Independent, it’s been successful in helping prosecute one chap:
The approach was used in the case against David Hodgson who was convicted in February of murdering his former lover Jenny Nicholl, 19. Ms Nicholl’s [...]
The Eurovision Dance Contest is a pan-European television show featuring couples doing some kind of dancing. Ballroom, I suspect.
You can find out more here: http://www.eurovisiondance.tv/.
They key point of this post, however, is to congratulate MindMatics upon winning the text voting business for the contest. Their systems are going to be pummeled by the [...]
I’m rather impressed with Poll Everywhere. Text polls, anywhere. Love it.
Fancy trying it out?
If you use the text option, here’s what it looks like:
You can vote online — with that little plugin there — or via text.
Continue ReadingThis is rather interesting — reader ‘John’ posted the link to this in a comment earlier. It’s posted as an announcement on the Vodafone eForum:
Hello everyone,
Following previous discussions about Premium Rate Short Message Services, I’m delighted to announce that the bar we promised is now available. I’ve written this message to inform you all [...]
Ewan on 