Twitter

[denny]

You should all go and check out Twitter. Here's the very basic explanation of what it is (because it's not obvious from looking at their slightly hideous website):

1. You create an account.
2. You add your friends to your friends list.
3. When you go somewhere unusual, you send a text message to Twitter saying "Bored today, going to see Chinese New Year parade, be at Trafalgar Square in half hour or so", and the site sends that message by SMS to everyone on your friends list!

It's like that madly disorganised last-minute thing of sending texts to people who might be in the area you've unexpectedly found yourself in, only on a thermonuclear scale. Also, cheaper. I'm not sure yet whether it will be cool or bloody annoying in the long run, but it's easy enough to turn the text notifications on and off via SMS or web, and you can configure times to automatically stop and start them each day so you don't get them while you're asleep.

So - go sign up, check it out - it'll only be useful if a load of us get on there. My username is denny if you'd like to add me to your friends list (I will probably only add people who are in or likely to visit London).

Comments

[tephramancy.livejournal.com]

That is exceptionally cool. I am, of course, 'tephramancy'.

[lis0r.livejournal.com]

Isn't that giving them a large number of mobile numbers, ripe for spamming?

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Good question. Their T&C don't say much either way about their right to send you messages that aren't triggered by your friends.

*sends an email*

[mr_magicfingers]

Nice idea, and I'm pretty likely to join up, but I'd like to see what the spam likelihood is. Please let us know what replies you get.

[wechsler.livejournal.com]

+=parsingphase

[libellum.livejournal.com]

I shall join :) Do you know if they let you have filters/friends group within your friendlist? Cause that would be amazingly more useful.

[sevenhelz.livejournal.com]

hm, worth bearing in mind, but i think for the moment i'll just text you ;)
xx