Notify through text messaging

Here is a cool idea,

http://www.vtext.com

I just chopped up this form, and rebuilt it for my own needs. I actually got it to send notfications to people's phones straight from my own application automatically specifying the message criteria, completly unnoticable by the end user. Now they get a text message whenever they have new info in the application. This only works for verizon customers but still kinda neat. I think other carriers have similar sites as well.

DISCLAIMER:

Note it does cost the recipient money to recieve a text message.

Basscyst

I know that you can send text messages through the AIM service to U.S. customers, but I'm wondering if there's a way to do this using the service/protocol without an AIM-compliant application...

There should be a service/site whereby you can send SMSs for free in exchange for a short ad being added at the end of the message. Myself and a friend have been searching for such a service for a web-app we're building (you know the one Skyzyx ;)), and haven't found diddly squat. :(
SMS from the web has potential, but it needs a better fee structure for it to take off.

Since it's open source, and you can run your own servers relatively easily, it might be worth seeing if anyone has written IM->SMS software for Jabber yet :thumbsup:

There should be a service/site whereby you can send SMSs for free in exchange for a short ad being added at the end of the message.
http://www.cbfsms.com/

some Instant Messenger service had one, i think it was a major free one like ICQ, not sure how it worked though.

scroots

There should be a service/site whereby you can send SMSs for free in exchange for a short ad being added at the end of the message. Myself and a friend have been searching for such a service for a web-app we're building (you know the one Skyzyx ;)), and haven't found diddly squat. :(
SMS from the web has potential, but it needs a better fee structure for it to take off.

Maybe my post was not clear, that was the point, is that you can do just that. Don't go adding ads in the mix though, you will be violating some FCC laws. Can't send unsolicited ads to a recipient who may be charged for recieving the ad.

If you can get it to work, I know AT&T\Cingular has a site similar to the verizon one, you can just have them select their carrier , then just submit your form to the carriers server.

This may be viewed as stealing bandwidth, but I'm thinking the wireless carriers would want people to send the messages however they can. They are after all making money off the recipient.

Basscyst

you can send text messages over AIM for free no ads or anything...you just need to know how to do it :)

Format is:

+15745889655

Lets break it down: The + is required always, the 1 is the country code (for USA), the 574 is the area code, and 588-9655 would be the phone #. This only works for cell phones with SMS...btw you put that number where you would put someone's screenname. Then you just type normally. After your first message there will be an automated response from AIM services that tells you that your message will be sent to the mobile phone bla bla bla...have fun!

Still the above method does not require the end user to have additional software installed, just a web browser and an internet connection. All major IM softwares YAHOO, MSN, AIM, ICQ? have SMS capabilities.

Basscyst

It's still annoying for the person recieving the message because it says "(using AOL IM)" before the message and "(you can reply to this message)" after it.