YouMail Visual Voicemail
Posted by Jay Donovan on 06/19/08 in General, SMS, Voice Mail
I saw a link about this over at smartphonethoughts.com but there wasn’t much info about how it really worked, so I decided to run a few tests of my own.
YouMail is a visual voicemail service. What that means is that once you set up an account, you have web access to your voicemail and you get extra, advanced voice mail options, with their service.
I have to admit, messing with the voicemail system already set up on my phone made me a little nervous. The last thing I wanted to do was goof that up and start missing messages. Thankfully, so far, they seem to be coming in just fine.
YouMail claimed that the set up would only take 2 minutes, and I think they were right. It was an easy account set up, and then they give you the specific phone code to enter (for your phone model) and I think what it does is sets forwarding on your messages to go to their system and not your provider’s system. In the help file there is info about how to cancel your account and restore your old voice mail routing.
SMS-Chat Revisited
Posted by Tim Hillebrand on 03/24/08 in SMS, Software
When I first tried SMS-Chat I was enthusiastic about it because it was fun, flashy, and new. I also liked the finger scrollable screens. But, after having used it now for a while, I am beginning to develop a wish list for the next version.
While there is much to like about this creative chat program that automatically threads your messages by recipients for convenience, there is room for improvement to make it even better.
First of all, I would like to see this application have a robust settings menu that would include such choices as font type, font size, font color, background color, and themes.
Leaving color and style behind, there are much more important functional considerations. Perhaps my biggest wish would be for the ability to highlight/cut/copy/paste. It’s nothing less than maddening not to have these normal, expectable functions available. It should also have automatic first word of a sentence capitalization as an option. “I” and contraction words should automatically be capitalized as well. Why is there no predictive text engine for faster inputting? Why not just use the one that comes built-in?
Another serious shortcoming is the lack of hyperlinks. I often send a hyperlinked URL to associates, and that is not possible with the current version of SMS-Chat. It is perhaps because of this single factor, more than any other, that I have returned to my tried and true faithful Treo with its superb built-in SMS and MMS applications.
AT&T Launches ‘American Idol’ Framerz, Allowing Customers to Idolize Their Favorite Pictures
Posted by gasusan2005 on 03/11/08 in At&t, SMS
Wireless Application Allows AT&T Customers to Fashion Favorite Photos Within Idol-Themed Frames, Including Images of the Top 12 Contestants
Just in time for tonight’s first performance by the Top 12 contestants, AT&T Inc. announced today the launch of American Idol Framerz, an AT&T exclusive application designed to bring customers a snap closer to the Idol experience. With American Idol Framerz, AT&T customers can frame their favorite pictures within an “American Idol” setting and receive the finished product on their phone in a multimedia message (MMS).
American Idol Framerz by AT&T has a frame for each of the Top 12 contestants, as well as other Idol-branded images, allowing users to place their photo in their favorite Idol setting. And if their friend or family member is a bigger Idol fan than they are, they can just as easily frame and share photographs of others, too.
Keep reading after the break for more photos and information!
Family, Friends and Support Groups Add Picture Messaging to Inspire and Motivate - Anywhere, Anytime
Posted by gasusan2005 on 02/25/08 in SMS, The Internet
Cell phones have become integral to our ability to communicate effectively. Connecting is immediate and often location independent. Connecting can be intimate and sometimes even profound. And now connecting can be more visually engaging with new MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) technology used by family, friends and support networks to inspire, motivate or simply make someone smile.
MMS is basically the multimedia equivalent of the hugely popular text messaging. A new online application offered by Cellyspace enables users to upload, edit, crop and compose their own image and audio files into meaningful messages. Up to 8 slides can be sent, including audio, video, text and images. For details visit http://www.cellyspace.com/help.
i-Lighter Unveils New Twitterlights Web-Based Text Highlighting Tool for Twitter Users
Posted by gasusan2005 on 02/21/08 in SMS, Software, The Internet
Innovative Feature, Part of New i-Lighter Version 2.1, Lets Users Automatically Highlight Snippets of Web Content and Send Them via Their Twitter Micro-Blogging Service
i-Lighter Inc, maker of the popular and critically acclaimed i-Lighter digital highlighter tool, today announced the release of i-Lighter Version 2.1 incorporating Twitterlights, a new feature. With Twitterlights, users of the trend-setting Twitter micro-blogging service can instantly send snippets of Web content to dozens, hundreds, even thousands Twitter users with a single click of their mouse.
i-Lighter, launched in late 2006, is a highlighter pen for the Digital Age. Easily integrated into Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, the free, downloadable technology lets users highlight and annotate any online content — text, tables, images and more — as effortlessly as stroking it with a highlighter pen. Once the content is highlighted, the information is automatically and securely stored to the user’s online account for later retrieval and use.
Cellit Unveils Updated Emergency Mobile Alerting Platform
Posted by gasusan2005 on 02/19/08 in SMS, The Internet
Cellit announced today the release of Cellit Alerts 2.0, a newly updated version of its emergency mobile alerts platform for universities, school districts and corporate campuses. This new version features RemoteAlert™, a system that allows security managers to send text message alerts to their entire user base, even while away from their computer.
Cellit’s platforms, impacting the lives of millions of users nationwide, enable the easy management, delivery, and reporting of mobile messaging. Cellit Alerts 2.0, designed specifically to transmit information and alerts in the time of emergency, makes it simple and cost effective for any organization to implement this potentially life-saving system.
Schools in 33 States Adopt ‘First Alert’ System to Protect Students
Posted by gasusan2005 on 02/18/08 in SMS, The Internet
With School Shootings on the Rise, Hundreds of Schools in 33 States Adopt ‘First Alert’ System to Protect Students
As another student from Northern Illinois University died last week as a result of yet another shooting rampage, schools in 33 states (and counting) have adopted a new emergency alert system called FAST to protect students and faculty from crazed gunmen, tornadoes and other disasters.
First Alert System Text (FAST), a text message system which alerts users about emergencies, has announced that all schools and municipalities
will receive this emergency notification system for free. As a result, hundreds of schools including leading universities like the University of
Alabama, University of Miami, and the University of Nebraska have adopted
the system.
Valentine’s Day Most Popular Texting Holiday of the Year
Posted by gasusan2005 on 02/12/08 in At&t, SMS
AT&T Saw Bigger Spike in Text Messaging Traffic on Valentine’s Day in 2007 Than on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Holiday
Candy hearts, watch out. The choice du jour for sending a short and sweet missive to your Valentine is a text message. AT&T Inc. has announced that, according to data released by AT&T, Valentine’s Day is the most popular holiday for text messages.
In 2007, AT&T recorded a 33 percent spike in text messaging traffic on
Valentine’s Day. That beat increases in text messaging traffic recorded on
Thanksgiving Day (21 percent), Christmas (30 percent) and the New Year’s
holiday (26 percent).
“Today’s etiquette allows for serious or meaningful messages, like those sent on holidays, to be sent via text messages,” said Mark Collins, vice president of Data Marketing for AT&T’s wireless unit. “These data points are additional evidence of how influential mobile phones have been, and continue to be, in shaping cultural norms.”
Texts to Woo - and SMS Turn-Offs for Valentines
Posted by gasusan2005 on 02/8/08 in 3 UK, SMS
Forget the traditional Valentine’s Day card – millions of lovelorn Brits will be texting their heartfelt emotions this Thursday, February 14.
A stunning 120 million Valentine’s text messages were sent last year, compared to just 12 million Valentine’s cards* – and mobile network 3 predicts the nation will be expressing its love and hidden desires via texting in equal numbers yet again this year.
So to help, 3 customers have identified the best AND worst Valentine text chat-up lines:
Top 5 Best Valentine’s Texts:
- I may not be Fred Flintstone, but I sure can make your bed rock
- If you were a burger at McDonald’s, you’d be a McGorgeous
- You’re like a parking ticket, you’ve got fine written all over you
- You might not be Miss Right, but how about being Miss Right Now?
- What’s a nice girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?
Top 5 Valentine’s Text Turn Offs:
- Words alone aren’t enough to describe how amazing you are
- If I could rearrange the alphabet I’d put U and I together
- Did it hurt when you fell down from heaven?
- Is that a ladder in your tights or a stairway to heaven?
- Is your name Gillette because you’re the best a man can get?
John Penberthy-Smith, 3’s Marketing Director, said: ‘There’s a whole nation of romantics desperate to hit the right note when texting their loved ones – and it’s vital you get your Valentine’s text right, rather than sending a love turn-off. ‘Although for the TRUE romantics among us, nothing can compete with a simple I Love You.’
This year, anyone on the 3 network can also send a digital Valentine’s Card straight from their mobile using the FunText service: simply visit Planet 3 on your handset, then choose Services, Communicate and Messaging – and FunText provides the option to personalise a number of colourful images, from traditional Valentine’s messages to cheeky love images.
Source: 3UK press release
Valentine Cards Go Mobile With MMS
Posted by gasusan2005 on 02/5/08 in SMS, The Internet
Consumers Create & Send Mobile Messages with Personal Images, Audio, Video & Text Using an Online Service from Cellyspace.com
Cellyspace (http://www.cellyspace.com) has today announced an online, multimedia messaging service (MMS) for consumers to create and send special Valentine’s Day messages to the mobile phones of their loved ones. This service enables users to upload the most relevant content from their hard drives and then edit, crop and compose their images, text, audio or video online into a meaningful slideshow. Once satisfied with the online preview, they can then send it to their Valentine’s phone. According to Rich Eicher, co-founder of Cellyspace, “Creating thoughtful messages can have an immediate and emotional impact on that special person at that special time, especially when received on their mobile phone.”
MMS messaging is basically the multimedia equivalent of the hugely popular SMS (text) messaging. Although consumers can currently send text and pictures phone-to-phone, content is limited to the files stored on their phone. By using Cellyspace, however, they can select high quality media from their computers and use the editing and cropping tools on their computer and Cellyspace to optimize the presentation.
Creative uses include:
- Poetic Valentine (poetry with images or audio MMS)
- Our Song Valentine (meaningful ringtone)
- Video Valentine (webcam greeting MMS)
- Intimate Valentine (”I love you” MMS)
- My Secret Valentine (anonymous MMS)
- Humorous Valentine (cartoon or celebrity character MMS)
ChaCha Debuts Human-Powered Mobile Search
Posted by gasusan2005 on 01/3/08 in SMS, The Internet
ChaCha, a new text-based mobile service that promises the same kind of concierge-style help offered by most cellular service providers through dialing 411, has a real opportunity in what is still an open field in mobile search, according to analyst Greg Sterling. “ChaCha is different from most of what’s out there,” Sterling said.
Watch out Google, ChaCha is doing a mobile search dance uniquely its own. ChaCha on Thursday announced a new service that allows users to text questions of any kind to 242242, which spells ChaCha on most mobile phones, and receive answers back by text.
While the service might not look unique at first glance, it is actually a real human being that sends the answers back. The service is currently available as a free trial, although the company said it plans to offer subscriptions in the future.
Text Message and Support Military Families
Posted by gasusan2005 on 12/28/07 in At&t, SMS
AT&T and the USO Launch New Text Message Donation Program Supporting Military Families on New Year’s Day
AT&T has announced a new text messaging program that will support the USO — and U.S. military families — with free prepaid phone cards. The program launches at the AT&T Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Beginning Jan. 1, and running through March 31, 2008, customers can make a $2 donation in support of the USO by text messaging USO to short code 740 from their AT&T wireless devices. In addition to text messaging, anyone wishing to support the effort can donate online at www.uso.org/cottonbowl08.
Donations will support the USO Operation Phone Home program, which provides free prepaid phone cards to military members serving active duty away from home so that they may stay in touch with loved ones. After callers send the message USO to short code 740, they will receive a response asking them to confirm their $2 donation by replying YES. After text messaging YES back to the 740 number, callers will receive a message letting them know that the donation is complete.
Keep up with Mobilitysite News Via SMS
Posted by Chris Leckness on 12/28/07 in SMS, Site Items
Thanks to Boy Genius Report, I discovered a service that allows you to get text messages with all your favorite site’s posts. You can pick the website and keyword filters.
Head over to get your free alerts!
kwiry Turns Cell Phone Into Tool to Help People Remember Things Online
Posted by gasusan2005 on 12/13/07 in SMS, The Internet
kwiry, a San Francisco-based startup, today announced the launch of their mobile/web service at kwiry.com. With kwiry, people use their cell phone to text personal reminders to their online account and email. People often watch TV, read a magazine, talk to friends or see a billboard and think, ‘I should check that out’ or ‘I should e-mail that to a friend.’ kwiry gives them a way to remember those things easily, with just a cell phone.
Anyone can use the service simply by sending a text message to 59479 (K-W-I-R-Y). Additionally, registered users have their kwirys (text messages) stored for them at kwiry.com. The service quickly integrates with other sites like Facebook, iGoogle and myYahoo.
“We built kwiry to help people remember things,” says Ron Feldman, CEO of kwiry, “but it does more than just store lists. People can easily view search results for their kwirys from many different websites and share their favorite results with friends.”
Once people are online, one click turns kwirys into search results from sites like Yahoo, Google, Wikipedia, Amazon and more. kwiry also lets users mark their ‘favorite’ search results so the best sites stay linked to each kwiry. People can create their own community at kwiry.com with photos, profiles, and comments or integrate kwiry into their existing socialnetworks.
‘Text it before you forget it’ by simply sending a text message to 59479 (K-W-I-R-Y) with something you want to remember. There’s no need to install new software, learn new technologies, or pay any additional fees.
With billions of text messages being sent every month text messaging is obviously a feature people are comfortable using but very few companies have harnessed it. kwiry partners with advertisers and media companies to provide a unique viral platform to drive offline audiences online.
For more information visit kwiry
Source: kwiry press release
Mobile Greeting Card Creator Launched by Cellyspace for Holidays
Posted by gasusan2005 on 12/11/07 in SMS, The Internet
Do-It-Yourself MMS Greeting Cards with Images and Audio Sent as a Cell Phone Slideshow
Cellyspace (http://www.cellyspace.com) has launched a do-it-yourself, web-based Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) for users to create multimedia greeting cards and send them to their family and friend’s phones. Dubbed the “MMS Composer,” this service allows users to
upload pictures and audio files from their computer, edit them into a
slideshow and then send them for immediate or scheduled delivery. MMS
messages are optimized to fit mobile phone formats and can include audio,
video, text and images. The service is well suited for making an immediate
and emotional impact on that special person at that special time.
Cellyspace doesn’t charge to create or store MMS messages but there is
a $0.20 charge to send them. There is no need for recipients to download
software on their phones. The service is compatible with the major US
wireless carriers and with most MMS-enabled (”picture messaging”) phones on those networks.
Mobile greeting cards can have a unique impact on the recipient and cost less than the postage alone for printed cards. According to Richard Eicher, CEO of Skycore, “Sending thoughtfully composed, intimate, humorous
or inspirational messages can be especially meaningful when received on
someone’s mobile phone since it is often their most personal of
communications devices.”
SMS (text) messaging is a hugely popular method of communications. MMS
messaging is the next level of technology but it has been slow to take off
due to the complexity of creating and then converting content across
thousands of handsets. Cellyspace’s MMS technology has largely solved this problem, enabling new mobile applications for both consumers and
enterprises.
For details on this service: http://www.cellyspace.com/tutorial/135/71/0
Source: Skycore press release
