Search Wikipedia and RSS News Feeds via SMS

Lately I have been experimenting a lot with text messaging services since it's the primary way people interact with data on their cell phones. Plus, as you know, I am into the whole microblogging revolution.

You can do a lot with SMS, including send them from your desktop, query the Web or even use it to find a clean public restroom believe it or not. Here's another one I really like.

GoLiveMobile has set up a way to query Wikipedia via text messages using their Text2WAP technology. All you need to do is send a text message to the number 23907 with the word ABOUT followed by your search topic - e.g. ABOUT WIKIPEDIA. You will then get a link back to a special mobile-friendly version of the Wikipeida entry.

In addition, the company has a news search engine as well that scans RSS feeds. Simply text NEWS [Search Term] - eg NEWS MINNEAPOLIS - to 23907 and you will get back a link to a special formatted web page.

The service is free but typical SMS charges apply. Handy stuff.

Comments

[Careers at Baker]

Indeed Mobile systems is a fast growing technology, in some countries you can even pay using only your mobile phone, it's an eCash...

[Devlin]

That's amazing. *adds to phone hotkeys*

[josefartine]

its okay but i think the folks at golivemobile.com could have done a lot more with it...i mean, there's no real navigation etc. i get the picture about "activating" a wap page using SMS, and yes they don't bill at as a commercial service but more as a demo, but i still think if you're going to do it you might as well do it all the way... jmho ;)

[87rox]

I think it is great and to call it a demo just because the aren't doing premium sms charging is foolish at best. This is a really great service and i dare you to give me a solution that allows me to access this type of info (BESIDES GOOGLE SMS because that isn't fair) than this.

Nice work done here! JMHO!

;-)

87rox

[Joseph Philipson]

Cool, thanks. I can use this alongside Google SMS

[asherdelug]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the feedback. I'm a partner at GoLive! Mobile...Just to clarify -- this service is absolutely intended as a DEMO and nothing more. We have no business model whatsoever tied to the service, however we do have many commercial implementations of Text-to-WAP technology using non-public data repositories...

Thanks,

Asher Delug
GoLive! Mobile
http://www.golivemobile.com/

[Wes Gill]

I'd love to use all these great SMS services, but my provider does not have these shortcodes (quite possibly from being in Canada). Is anyone aware of any sort of prefix that could be used to allow me to enjoy these services?

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[Noel]

I noticed the GoLive! Wikipedia thing hasn't been working the past couple of days and wonder if they turned it off. :(

Also, Wes Gill:
In response to your question, there is a free service that many people in Canada can use called Mosio (full disclosure: I work there). You can text any question from your phone and have it answered by real people. Click on the link above for more information or go to www.mosio.com.

:)