I have spent some time installing and developing a web interface to UltraSMS. UltraSMS is a little application that reads SMS (txt) messages from mobile phones and stores them in a MySQL database. It runs on Mac OS X or Linux and interfaces with several phones using Bluetooth or a serial cable connection. Tim Ellis of Ultralab developed this software, well worth a look.
This application has been used several times, most widely known for its use in Pirate BBC Essex, a local radio station celebrating 40 years of Pirate radio.
You can experiment with this tool by sending messages to my blog entry by txting anything you like to 0044 7811 636 738 You should see the entries appear, almost instantly, in the sidebar to the right. Remember to hit refresh first!
Please don't worry, your number isn't displayed anywhere on this website and before you ask, it costs the same as it would to txt anyone else, there are no hidden charges!
The neat thing about the UltraSMS application is that it is very cheap to get going... all you need is a mobile phone with a SIM card, preferably Bluetooth enabled since then you don't have to worry about cables and connections, and a Linux / Macintosh computer. That's it!
I have used the application when speaking at conferences - useful for collecting people's contributions and for the audience to post their questions as I'm speaking. Simple but effective. Though this is a photograph of a SummerSchool presentation event, you can see how people's contributions are added as 'stickies'. This 'stickies' user interface was developed by another member of the Ultralab team, Alex Blanc, using Flash.
Stephen Powell
So what might we use this for except a 'smoke and mirrors' trick? One of the most obvious opportunities would seem to be for adding images captured on a phone to an e-Portfolio (Blog based or using other technology). I am not sure if this particular technology can do this yet but I am thinking of how the recent London bombings brought out a plethora of phone related stills and movies as advanced phone technology is becoming widespread.
Images can convey another level of meaning and also act as an aid memoir that I might also chose to reflect upon at a later time. Definitely a tool that I would like to see for UV researchers to experiment and play with.
Ewan
Stephen, pop over to http://www.itagg.com and register a free 'keyword' on their dedicated MMS number. (No cost for non-commercial applications).
Then send a picture message to the MMS number containing this keyword and the photo will be emailed to you in seconds. They've got a full API to pass you the images properly but email receiption is the default for the free keyword service.
Jonathan
Brilliant, thanks for your comment Ewan, I've taken a quick look at the site. Any chance of a free-trial subscription so that Stephen and I can test it for ourselves and the 400+ researchers that we currently have on our Ultraversity degree programme?
Ewan
Very smart, I like the stickies application too
Alex
Can UltraSMS get MMS messages ?
How do you get it in the blob field ?
Alex
Jonathan
UltraSMS can only receive txt or SMS messages - currently there is no way of unbundling the data sent in an MMS message and placing this data into a database record. Why mobile phone operators want exclusivity over allowing people to making use of MMS data in the same way they can SMS I don't know.
I can't be a technical reason, can it?
Help Linux compil
hi ,
i've tried ultraSMS in Cocoa version. It Work very great with my MacMini G4.
Now I want to install it on my Linux Kubuntu with Source version.
Can i do it ?
i've tried more and more and i've got many error message.
Can u show me the right way for doing it ?
Please (i'm newbies un Linux)
christophe_bile@yahoo.fr
The Stickies application
Please how can we get the stickies application you show in the picture ?
mitch
the instructions in the pdf describes steps in Mac.. how about when using Linux? help please.. tnx
niceuneasy
too expensive to send sms :(
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