SMS posts

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Google, VoIP

Voice Mac is a native Google Voice client for OS X

by Jay Hathaway Nov 5th 2009

We recently told you about an Adobe AIR-based Google Voice client with a pretty small featureset. It puts your SMS and voicemail messages close at hand on your desktop, but that's all it does.

If you're on a Mac, though, you can do a bit better. Voice Mac is a Google Voice client with a threaded SMS view, voicemail downloading, and the ability to make calls and send texts, and Address Book integration.

Voice Mac is certainly not gorgeous, but it has a ton of functionality.

There's an SMS and voicemail/call history browser, and it also has a built-in reverse phone lookup, so you can try to figure out who any mystery calls are from. If you don't use your Voice account frequently, the web interface might be fine for you, but if you're a Voice addict - especially one who uses SMS constantly - Voice Mac is worth a download.

[via Lifehacker]

Tags: google voice, GoogleVoice, sms, voicemail, voip

Filed under: Utilities, Productivity, Google

Google Voice desktop app keeps your SMS and Voicemail handy

by Jay Hathaway Oct 28th 2009

With Google Voice now able to take over the voicemail from your mobile number, there are more reasons than ever to keep your Google Voice messages close at hand. There's cross-platform Google Voice desktop app that does just that, giving you quick desktop access to your voicemail and SMS messages.

The desktop app's features are very basic: just your inbox and contacts, in a compact layout. It's good for making sure you don't miss incoming messages, but don't expect too much else from it. If you're on a Mac, you might prefer to use Fluid to create a standalone browser for Google Voice.

[via Lifehacker]

Tags: adobe air, AdobeAir, desktop, google voice, GoogleVoice, sms, voicemail

Filed under: E-mail, Web services, Google, VoIP

Google Voice now forwards SMS to email

by Jay Hathaway Sep 10th 2009

Being able to read and reply to incoming text messages makes Google Voice pretty convenient, but it just got even better. Now you can have SMS messages forwarded to your email account, and reply from your voice number via email, too. You can enable the feature in your Google Voice settings under Voicemail and SMS. Third-party services have been doing things like this for a while, but Google Voice does it at no charge, through a service you already use.

Getting SMS by email has plenty of advantages. The biggest of these is that you can turn off SMS to your phone, so you're not paying for it, and read messages by email instead. You don't have to keep separate Voice and Gmail windows open to read text messages and email in your browser anymore, either. Also, you can file your texts in the same inbox as your Google Voice voicemail, so all of your incoming phone-related messages have one unified location. Finally, if you're using a threaded email client (like Gmail, as Google helpfully points out), your sms conversations will be threaded, too.

[via Lifehacker]

Tags: email, forwarding, google voice, GoogleVoice, sms, text messaging, TextMessaging

Filed under: Security, Apple, iPhone

iPhone software update fixes SMS vulnerability

by Jay Hathaway Aug 1st 2009

If you've got an iPhone, take the time this weekend to update your software to the latest version, 3.0.1. It doesn't have any flashy new features - sorry, no MMS just yet - but it closes a major security loophole that was made public at the Black Hat conference on Thursday. The exploit allows remote code execution on any iPhone, just by sending an SMS message.

In theory, this vulnerability could have been used to take control of large numbers of iPhones and access a huge amount of personal info, but Apple says no iPhones have been compromised by the SMS vulnerability. There was apparently a similar exploit for Android phones, but Google issued a patch before the Black Hat presentation. The iPhone 3.0.1 update is free, and available through iTunes.

Tags: apple, iphone, iphone-3.0.1, iphone-os, security, SMS

Filed under: Productivity, Web services

Between to-dos and calendars, there's Superminder

by Jay Hathaway Jun 6th 2009

Somewhere between the vagueness of to-do lists and the complication of calendars, there's Superminder . It's a simple email and SMS reminder service that looks great and works will a minimum of fuss. Set a timezone, give it an email and a mobile number, and away you go. Reminders just get a name, a date, a time, and a delivery method, and you can forget the rest. It's like iCal without the "cal."

The strength of Superminder is in its simplicity. The most obsessive modern design gurus will love the look and intuitive feel of the UI. The only thing I can knock it for is that you have to pay for SMS reminders, but even that isn't the worst thing. SMS shortcodes are obscenely expensive, and designer geeks have to eat. Plans range from $4 for 15 SMS messages to $25 for 100, or you can always use Superminder via email for free.

Tags: email, reminders, sms, superminder, todo

Filed under: Windows Mobile, VoIP, Beta, Mobile

Skype 3.0 beta for Windows Mobile adds file transfer, SMS

by Brad Linder Mar 24th 2009

Skype has launched a beta of Skype 3.0 for Windows Mobile. As expected, the new client has two major new features: SMS and file transfer.

The file transfer feature lets you swap files with any other Skype member, whether they're using a mobile or desktop client. With the SMS function, you can send domestic or international text messages at Skype rates, which in many cases are lower than the rates you'd pay to send international SMS over a wireless carrier. You can send or receive files or text messages over a 3G or WiFi connection.

Tags: file-transfer, skype, skype-3.0-beta-for-windows-mobile, sms, windows-mobile

Filed under: Internet, Text, VoIP

Skype and SpinVox offer voicemail to text conversion

by Brad Linder Mar 3rd 2009

Skype is launching a new feature that will let users convert voicemail messages to text which you can have sent to your phone via SMS. The company is working with SpinVox to offer the service.

The service will cost you. Prices run 25 cents per conversion in the US, which is about .20 Euros or £0.17 in the UK. And that doesn't include the cost of sending the SMS.

Long messages won't be fully converted. Instead you'll receive a text message with the first part of the voicemail transcribed, and a note suggesting you login to Skype to listen to the full message. SpinVox can handle translations in English, French, German and Spanish.

Honestly, I'm not convinced I would pay for this service, but I'm also not often away from my computer for extended periods of time. So I can usually just login and check my voicemail if I miss a call. What do you think? Would you pay $0.25 per message to have your Skype voicemail transcribed and sent to your mobile phone?

Tags: skype, sms, spinvox, voicemail

Filed under: Web services, Social Software, Mobile, Web

Get Twitter tracking and free international SMS with Twe2

by Jay Hathaway Feb 20th 2009

Remember when Twitter let you track your @replies and search terms, and when SMS alerts were free around the world? Well, I do, and I miss it.

Fortunately, Twe2 has come along to fill the void. The service lets you customize which Twitter alerts you want to get on your phone, when you want to get them, and how many you want per hour.

So far Twe2 has worked as promised for me, although it can be slow at times due to the volume of signups. This isn't a serious drawback, since Twitter alerts could also be slow, back when you could still get them. Twe2 is ad-supported so it can stay free, but a short text ad isn't that distracting and it doesn't keep you from getting complete messages.

The service could improve by switching to oauth instead of requiring a Twitter password, but for right now, I'm just happy to get @replies to my phone again.

Tags: free-sms, international, oauth, sms, text, tracking, Twe2, twitter

Filed under: Productivity, Web services

A few days later, a better notifier: Ding, It's Up

by Jay Hathaway Dec 2nd 2008

It seems like only yesterday that I was writing about Notify Me When It's Up, a site that lets you know by email when a website comes back online. Actually, it was a few days ago, but someone has already built a fancier version of Notify Me. It's called Ding, It's Up, and it adds SMS and Twitter notification options, and tells you when a site goes either up or down. Despite my praise of Notify Me's minimal approach, I am forced to concede that Ding outdoes it.

I previously commented that it was nice that Notify Me keeps things simple, even though it could have added more features, or incorporated the functionality of Down For Everyone Just Me. I guess the creators of Ding, It's Up are basically sticking their tongues out at me, because they've done just that, and it's actually pretty neat. Just don't use it to sign up to receive updates by Twitter about when Twitter is down. You might want to use Is Twitter Down? for that.

UPDATE: No more Notify Me When It's Up! Now the URL just redirects to Ding. Thanks, Sanjay.

Tags: alerts, ding-its-up, email, email notifier, EmailNotifier, notify, notify-me-when-its-up, sms

Filed under: Productivity, Web services, Social Software, Web

Notifu: group messaging to help you make plans

by Jay Hathaway Nov 3rd 2008

If you've ever been in the situation of trying to make plans with a group of people who are all communicating via different methods (SMS, IM, email), then you know how much of a pain it is to keep track of what everyone is doing. Notifu tries to make it easier, with a web app that can send messages to your friends via email, IM or text message, and let you know when they've received them.

On Notifu, you can set up a contact list, complete with groups. You can also set up polls, so your friends can text back a single number to indicate what they prefer to do, and Notifu will count them up for you. Notifu's developers are also very savvy about web platforms, with an iPhone web app available and an OpenSocial app in the works.

Tags: im, meeting, message, messaging, Notifu, sms

Filed under: Internet, E-mail, Web services

Alerts sends you email and SMS alerts for practically anything

by Brad Linder Sep 8th 2008

Have a hard time keeping up on stocks, sports scores, birthdays, gas prices, and pretty much everything? Alerts is a new service launching at DEMO that will send you email or SMS alerts for a wide range of items so you can get updates without remembering to check a calendar or visit a web page.

While there are a number of other services out there that offer email alerts for news items, stock updates or other information, Alerts aims to bring everything together in one tidy package. You can manage all of your alerts by visiting the alerts web site which looks a bit like a personalized homepage like iGoogle or Netvibes. Except all of the widgets are alerts you've set for yourself.

You can choose to have alerts sent once or on a recurring basis. You can either choose from a set of custom alerts or write a note that you can have delivered as a text message to your phone at a later time. You can even set a wakeup call for yourself. There's also a "do not disturb" option that lets you temporarily pause all alerts.

[via VentureBeat]

Tags: alerts, demo08, demofall08, sms

Filed under: Internet, Security, Utilities, BlackBerry

All SMSed up on your Crackberry with no space left? Dexrex 'em.

by Drew Olanoff Jun 10th 2008

A common problem for many Blackberry and other mobile phone users have as well is what to do with all of those "omg these could be important" SMS messages. What to delete, what not to delete?

That's no longer the question in Dexrex's mind.

Dexrex has put out an SMS archiving software and service for Blackberry people like yourself.

Once you get an SMS message it immediately gets archived by Dexrex for later checking out, re-reading, pining over, crying about, and forwarding to your buddy whilst drinking at the bar online (by just you hopefully). Dangerous stuff indeed.

We're calling this one Gmail for SMS.

The obvious issue here is privacy, as it is with all web services. SMS messages can be uber private, for example:

"d00d, thiz girl eez hawt". Do you want everyone in the world to see that? We don't. Dexrex has to prove themselves trustworthy.

Having said that, if you get a lot of SMS', give it a shot, tell us if its helpful, and share your experiences.

Tags: blackberry, cell, dexrex, mobile, sms

Filed under: Web services, Social Software

rmbrME: share social network info via SMS

by Jay Hathaway May 7th 2008

Remember making new friends without the help of the Internet? Thanks to a new service called rmbrMe, you can convert those messy real life acquaintances into easily manageable social networking formats! rmbrMe lets you send a code via text message that will link people you just met to your profiles on Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, or whatever other networks you choose.

There is a bit of a missing link between having someone's phone number and having their URLs. Not everyone has an iPhone, so it's not always easy to send a hyperlink that won't have to be retyped into a browser later. RmbrMe is a clever concept, but it makes us wish for something even easier. Instead of going to a browser and typing in a five-digit code to get to a profile that aggregates all of your other profiles, it would be nice to see a service that generated friend requests straight from the text message.

For now, rmbrMe is a fairly elegant solution to the problem of helping people, well, remember you. The catch, and the reason we probably won't become frequent users of the service, is that it charges 49 cents a message, on top of whatever your carrier charges. Asking for an e-mail address might be a little bit dorkier, but it's also cheaper.

Tags: facebook, linkedin, mobile, myspace, phone, rmbrMe, sms, text messaging, texting, TextMessaging

Filed under: Internet, Web services, VoIP, web 2.0

Send free text messages to any phone with Jaxtr

by Brad Linder Apr 16th 2008

VoIP company Jaxtr has added a new module that lets uses send free text messages to any cellphone from their Jaxtr homepage. There's no fee for sending the message, but if the recipient has to pay per message, you might want to think twice before sending dozens of messages a day. Unless you hate the person you're texting, of course.

We first covered Jaxtr way back in 2006 when the company released a tool for blogger and web publishers to embed a widget on their web sites that let visitors place calls to the web site author. You can also add a Jaxtr widget to social networking pages like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Orkut.

Honestly, we don't know too many people who want to take phone calls all day from visitors to their web sites or social networking profiles. But now that we've discovered the free SMS service, we can actually see ourselves using Jaxtr on a regular basis.

[via Digital Inspiration]

Tags: jaxtr, sms, text-message, voip

Filed under: Social Software, iPhone, web 2.0

TreasureMyText stores your text messages online

by Simon Kerbel Apr 10th 2008

If you shed a tear every time you have to delete a text message at the bottom of your inbox, or if you can't bring yourself to part with the latest ROTFLOL SMS sent by your best friend, then TreasureMyText is for you.

TreasureMyText is an online service that will store all of your text messages online: the good, the bad, the mundane, the unintelligible. Simply create an account and forward any text message to their standard rate numbers (available worldwide), and your message is forever immortalized.

True to web 2.0 standards, TreasureMyText also has a sharing feature called TextStream (which definitely reminds us of Twitter). You can choose to share your text messages with absolutely everyone (and you wonder why the internet is sagging under the weight of needless information?), or you can pick and choose friends and other members to share your messages with.

TreasureMyText also offers simple folders for organization, and an easy-to-use contacts list.

If you're wondering where the iPhone fits into all of this (since you can't forward text messages with the iPhone), the programmers at TreasureMyText have created a mobile client for your jailbroken iPhone that will allow you to archive your SMS over EDGE and WiFi. They have also stated their intention to create a more robust iPhone application with the release of the official iPhone SDK.

[via Technobuzz]

Tags: archive, SMS

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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