New Feature: txt updates

Send updates to ALOFU from your cellio.

The jury is still out on whether or not services like Twitter and Jaiku, which let you blast updates to all of your friends via text or instant messages, are something we need or even want. (Does everyone need to know that you just took a big dump or washed the dishes?)

I see greater value in the ability of these services to post updates to a website remotely via SMS text messages. It doesn't matter if you're anywhere near a computer with an internet connection. If you have cell phone service, you can easily send updates. I first looked at Twitter but that didn't really have the collective posting ability I was looking for (I don't want to be the only one that can send updates).

Today I checked out Jaiku and they have a "channel" feature that fits the bill nicely. A group of people can join a channel, to which they can then view and add posts.

• Sign up for a free account at Jaiku.
• Register your cell phone number with Jaiku (it's part of the setup process). Make sure you put a plus sign at the beginning of your phone number! Example: +12125555555.
• Add this number to your address book: 30300
• Send a text message to that number. The message has to begin with #alofu. Example: #alofu i just took a big dump
• The message will instantly be posted to our Jaiku channel and the "txt updates" widget up in the corner.
• If you already have a Jaiku account, you can join the ALOFU channel at http://jaiku.com/channel/alofu