The website of Alex Kinch, live from London
Archive for June, 2007
Adults vs kids: can you tell the difference in their texts?
Jun 11th
Link: Can You Spot the Old Fogey by Their Messaging? : Robin Raskin : Yahoo! Tech
My son has a theory. He says that you can tell how old a person is by looking at their text messages. He came up with this theory as I was showing him the comments many of you sent about my piece on the Sidekick iD.
He believes that when grownups make spelling mistakes in their messages it’s because “their fat slow fingers” can’t find the right key (especially when they’re texting on their phones). When kids make spelling mistakes in their messages, it’s on purpose as a form of screen-speech.
Hmm ok. Let’s test this theory, using some examples from the article.
a kid might type “nd 2 talk asap” and an adult would type something more along the lines of “nerd ty talK is siin as passable.”
Really? Ok. I get text messages from ‘grownups’ all the time, and find they’re actually more intelligible than the abbreviated stuff the kids use. Spelling is usually spot on, as is grammar. Maybe it’s cos I is old.. 
Textopoly selects MX Telecom for SMS campaigns
Jun 11th
Link: MX Telecom Inks Deal With Textopoly to Deliver High-Value SMS Campaigns and M-Commerce Solutions
MX Telecom, a leading provider of global SMS text messaging and wireless multimedia solutions, today announced that Textopoly, a mobile marketing agency that integrates technology, creativity and feasibility to drive mobile campaigns, has selected MX Telecom’s Messaging Gateway to deliver SMS messaging campaigns and M-Commerce solutions to its customers. MX Telecom is operating short codes for Textopoly and delivering high value mobile campaigns through its sophisticated messaging platform.
TXT4 and Enjoy England launch dotMobi site
Jun 11th
Enjoy England has teamed up with mobile specialists TXT4 to create a mobile internet site aimed at driving tourism through all regions, by providing information to visitors on the move.
Launched today, the dotMobi site enables visitors to locate and read about their nearest attractions using unique new technology created by TXT4. ‘Locate Me’ helps people who may be visiting an area for the first time to pinpoint their location by entering a street name, town or post code. Over 7000 attractions are then searched to provide a shortlist along with contact details, a brief description and the option to download a map optimised for mobiles.
Here’s what Laurence Bresh, General Manager of England Marketing at Enjoy
’We’ve been using SMS successfully since 2003, and in recent years developed a bespoke look up service with TXT4 to allow visitors locate their nearest TIC. Launching a dotMobi site is an extension of this early service and provides a great opportunity to help us target and engage our widespread audience with a very useful, creative and easy to use service.”
You can also text ENJOY to 64118 to get a link sent straight to your phone.
Mobile casino player wins £20k from Wild Jack
Jun 11th
Link: Wild Jack Mobile Casino – Get £10 Free & Get Mobile Gaming today
I’ve never been much of a gambler, but seeing this news story come in this afternoon is tempting me to take them up on their offer of £10 free credit
Wild Jack Mobile Casino (WJMC), one of the UK’s most loved, fully functional mobile casino provided by Spin3, congratulates one lucky mobile player who has just won £20,000. Darren M, a UK resident, bagged the sum in a series of spins over the course of a day on WJMC’s Roulette game making him the second big winner in as many months.
‘Get ready for summer and get ready for some Wild Jack Mobile Casino” said Nicc Lewis, UK Country Manager for WJMC. ‘This second payout of £20,000 comes as the number of players joining our mobile casino hit an all time high. With our progressive slot, Major Millions, standing at a very cool half a million we hope our next big winner is a mobile customer.”‘This win further demonstrates how mobile gaming is truly primed to be the next big thing for interactive gaming,” said Matti Zinder, Head of Spin3. ‘Mobile casinos that can offer best-of-breed games, like Wild Jack Mobile Casino, are strategically positioned to take the lion share of this industry.”
Of course the usual disclaimers about being over 18 and gambling responsibly apply. However if you do hit the jackpot, we wouldn’t say no to a few pints to help you celebrate
PixDrop launches free MMS service in the US
Jun 11th
Link: PixDrop Launches The First Free Picture Messaging Service
Had a note in earlier from SMS Text News reader Nate, to let us know about his new service launched today. PixDrop lets people send send free picture messages to Verizon Wireless, AT&T/Cingular, and Sprint users with picture messaging capable handsets.
There’s no registration required – you just have to upload the pic you want to send and enter the number of the person you want to send it to. They’re working on expanding the service to other mobile networks in the US, so if you’re not a subscriber to any of the aforementioned services, watch this space!
Crook gets nabbed by text in South Africa
Jun 11th
Link: IOL: Man arrested after SMS tip-off
Just a few days after the launch of a new ‘text the police’ service in South Africa, one unlucky individual has already been caught by the power of SMS.
A man suspected of armed robbery was arrested after police were tipped off by a cellphone SMS, police said on Monday. “The SA Police Service is delighted that only hours after the launch of Primedia’s Crime Line, the first criminal was nabbed,” said national police spokesperson Sally de Beer.
The SMS service, an anti-crime campaign where people can send information on suspected crime while remaining anonymous, was launched last week. The SMS informed police of the whereabouts of the suspect. He was arrested on Friday in Rustenburg.
Sydus launch beta for mobile & web music service
Jun 11th
Link: SYDUS.COM
Back in 2005, Virgin Radio hooked up with Sydus to launch the world’s first 3G radio player. I had a play with it at the time, was quite impressed, and then – like so many other things I’ve installed over the years – it ended up on the shelf gathering dust.
Roll forward to 2007, and I was chatting to someone the other day about Sydus, and we both wondered what they were up to these days. My wondering is over, as an email popped into my inbox this morning from them announcing the beta launch for their new mobile & web music service.
We have just beta- launched a new site for Sydus after months of arduous hard work. This new site is based on feedback from users just like you and from our vision of giving access to all sorts of music, in a free of cost, unrestrictive and in a legal manner, across multiple digital platforms. This site is for you and will be shaped by users like you.
Starting today, you can explore the new site by visiting www.sydus.com and help us better it with your comments.
I had a quick flick, looks quite good. You can listen to over 240 hours of music from 20 genres they’ve already uploaded, or add your own. Share it, stream it, and enjoy.
USA Today to offer free text alert and search service
Jun 11th
Link: USA TODAY Keeps Readers Informed With Free Mobile Search and Text Message Alerts
USA TODAY partners with 4INFO, Inc., a pioneer in mobile search and text messaging services, to offer this informative and entertaining service to its readers. Users sign up to receive free text alerts on the subjects that are most important to them — from news, sports scores, stock quotes and weather forecasts to celebrities, movies, travel, and a variety of other topics. Promoted daily in the newspaper, anyone can sign up by sending a text message to the short code 44636, along with a key word for the subject desired.
Forgive me father, for I have text
Jun 11th
Link: Bible Quotes, Devotions, and Prayer Requests go Mobile – Christian Newswire
J R Wireless Inc. is a Montreal based company focusing on bringing innovative and value-added mobile services to the North American market.
Their latest mobile service solution will bring advantages and a new communication channel to Christian radio stations, TV broadcasters, ministries and congregations. The solution brings Bible quotes and devotions directly to any mobile phone and enables prayer requests using text messages (SMS).
Safaricom launches Africa’s first mobile money service
Jun 11th
Link: IOL Technology – Kenya pioneers ‘mobile money’ in African first
More than 60 percent of Kenyans have access to banks or microfinance institutions, but a staggering 38 percent – mostly living in rural areas – are entirely unbanked, according to data collected by Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSDK).
However, more than half the population either owns or has access to a cellphone, generating a new means by which banking and financial services could be provided, according to Safaricom’s Chief Financial Officer Les Baillie.
Now this is cool – especially given the figures above about how many Kenyans don’t have bank accounts but do have access to a mobile phone.
M-Pesa users can send up to 35 000 Kenyan Shillings (about R3 800) per transaction and keep up to 50 000 Kenyan Shillings in a “virtual account” for later use.
To use the service, senders hand over funds to a Safaricom shop to be converted into “mobile money” that is “transferred” by text to the recipient, who then withdraws it as cash at another Safaricom shop.
The fees for sending and withdrawing run up to 170 shillings, a mere fraction of the cost charged by other money transfer agencies, which ask for up to 10 percent of the amount being sent.
Although you’ve still got to make the trip to pick up the money, it’s a lot more convenient (and cheaper) than the old methods, like Western Union. (Thanks to SMS Text News reader Malcolm for the tip!)
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