Some really interesting stuff here - thanks for the links and thoughts.

I built a thing called "stufflinker" in 2005ish - just found that the blog is still online: http://stufflinker.blogspot.co.uk/

The basic concept was that institutions would put unique SMS codes on their objects - so "text 1234 to 60300 to find out more". The system would then return either a short blurb or a web link (more practical now than it was in 2005!) so the user could read more. 

Back then I used an SMS gateway which was a bit clunky and expensive but I think I'll try building this again as a demo now that I'm fiddling with Twilio. I know James Parton (@jamesparton) who is in charge of their European operation - they do some ace hack meet ups like the one Hannah mentioned and are really progressive about improving their product - well worth following.

I think SMS (and also the potential of a potent mix of SMS + web) is a bit of a forgotten world for this kind of stuff. Although SMS is on the decline (see http://www.readability.com/articles/n0utdv3z) - it is still highly ubiquitous - and available on 100% of mobiles. I'm pretty sure you'd still have to say "costs the same as a normal SMS message" but given that almost everyone has free texts as part of their mobile plan, that becomes less of a problem too.

Final thing that got me excited about the tech is that it can be set to transcribe incoming voice too. So in theory you could get users to phone a freephone number to leave a review / talk about their memories of an object - and the system would then send you through a text version of that which you could moderate / edit before displaying on your website / kiosk etc.

Going back to Linda's earlier question and the conversation about apps, this might be one thing to think about - either as a method in itself of getting information to users or simply an easy way of hooking people into the app ("send a text to *** and we'll send you a link to the app")…?

cheers

Mike

ps. In terms of Trevor's point - I think it could be abused in the same way that MailChimp could be abused, but not if you follow the guidelines..

_____________________________


Mike Ellis 

Thirty8 Digital: a small but perfectly formed digital agency: http://thirty8.co.uk  

* My book: http://heritageweb.co.uk *




On 30 Sep 2013, at 09:47, Hannah Locke <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi Jo,
> 
> That's right. In our case, users were invited to "text to vote" one of a number of codes on screen to vote for which city's weather they wanted to experience. The option with the highest number of votes within a given time (2mins) triggered the electronics to deliver the weather for that city in the immediate physical environment. There's no data capture or tracking of users' phones, or pushed content.
> 
> Best
> 
> H
> 
> 
> 
> Hannah Locke
> Head of Business Development
> and Marketing
> 020 3176 4600
> 07584 038 692
> www.specialmoves.com
> @specialmoves
> Our blog
> 
> 
> 
> On 30 Sep 2013, at 09:43, "Pugh, Jo" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> I don't see how. I don't think anyone is suggesting cold calling/texting museum visitors. They would have to initiate the interaction themselves, surely? And then they would have consented.
>> 
>> I have experimented a very little with this sort of technology. It is extremely engaging and interesting. One key problem in the past was the extremely low audio quality associated with telephony but maybe this has improved.
>> 
>> Jo
>> 
>> 
>> __________________________________________________
>> 
>> Jo Pugh 
>> Research Engineer | The National Archives / University of York
>> tel. +44 (0)20 8392 5330
>> The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU
>> www.nationalarchives.gov.uk 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Reynolds, Trevor
>> Sent: 30 September 2013 09:27
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: twilio
>> 
>> 
>> Interesting stuff but some of the possibilities they offer could potentially conflict with the regulations on automated calls:
>> 
>> http://www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations/privacy_and_electronic_communications/the_guide/automated_calls
>> 
>> And electronic mail (which includes SMS)
>> 
>> http://www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations/privacy_and_electronic_communications/the_guide/electronic_mail
>> 
>> Trevor Reynolds
>> Collections Registrar, English Heritage
>> tel: +44 (0) 1904 601905.  37 Tanner Row, York, YO1 6WP
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hannah Locke
>> Sent: 30 September 2013 08:41
>> To: Reynolds, Trevor
>> Subject: Re: twilio for web to SMS
>> 
>> Hi All,
>> 
>> We're familiar with the guys at Twilio and have attended several hackathon events with them. We used their API to create a "text to vote" system, along with Arduino and PC laptops to influence the user's experience of a physical space on the Real Weather project which you can read about here http://specialmoves.com/research-and-development/labs/four-amazing-ways-to-experience-data
>> 
>> Best
>> 
>> Hannah
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Hannah Locke
>> Head of Business Development
>> and Marketing
>> 020 3176 4600
>> 07584 038 692
>> www.specialmoves.com
>> @specialmoves
>> Our blog
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 30 Sep 2013, at 08:13, Andrew Lewis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> 
>>> Twilio looks interesting. I like the concept.  Not playing with it at 
>>> all, but this bit caught my eye:
>>> 
>>> "Twilio lets you use standard web languages to build SMS and voice 
>>> applications. We're connected to carrier networks globally and expose 
>>> them to you via a clean, powerful web API. So bring your favorite 
>>> programming language, a web server, and build the next generation of 
>>> communications with us."
>>> 
>>> Obviously in sales talk here, but the concept is nifty.  Ta for the 
>>> heads-up
>>> 
>>> Andrew
>>> 
>>> Andrew Lewis
>>> Acting Head of Digital Media
>>> Digital Media Team
>>> Victoria and Albert Museum
>>> South Kensington
>>> London SW7 2RL
>>> 
>>> 020 7942 2373
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> www.vam.ac.uk/digitalmedia
>>> linkd.in/andrewlewis ( www.vam.ac.uk/digitalmedia ) @rosemarybeetle ( 
>>> https://twitter.com/rosemarybeetle )
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>>>> MCG automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]> 29/09/2013
>>> 00:00 >>>
>>> There are 2 messages totaling 150 lines in this issue.
>>> 
>>> Topics of the day:
>>> 
>>> 1. Twilio (2)
>>> 
>>> ****************************************************************
>>>     website:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/ 
>>>     Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg 
>>>    Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
>>> [un]subscribe:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
>>> ****************************************************************
>>> 
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> 
>>> Date:    Sat, 28 Sep 2013 12:07:00 +0100
>>> From:    Mike Ellis <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Subject: Twilio
>>> 
>>> Hey all
>>> 
>>> I've just been fiddling with Twilio - https://www.twilio.com - which 
>>> enables you to do exciting things with phone numbers...(!)
>>> 
>>> You can do stuff like "if user calls this number then read out this 
>>> text" or "route this number through to this extension" or "ask user to 
>>> choose from the menu" or even "send this data to an API" or...
>>> 
>>> And - I thought that this would potentially be a pretty amazing 
>>> platform to build audio tours on. You could purchase a toll-free 
>>> number and then have a web-based backend where you uploaded recordings 
>>> of curators or whatever. I'm still playing but I'm pretty sure sending 
>>> the user a web link via SMS or email or whatever is all going to be 
>>> possible too..
>>> 
>>> Anyway - wondering if anyone has played with this or similar?
>>> 
>>> cheers!
>>> 
>>> Mike
>>> 
>>> _____________________________
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Mike Ellis
>>> 
>>> Thirty8 Digital: a small but perfectly formed digital agency:
>>> http://thirty8.co.uk
>>> 
>>> * My book: http://heritageweb.co.uk *
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ****************************************************************
>>>     website:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/ 
>>>     Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg 
>>>    Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
>>> [un]subscribe:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
>>> ****************************************************************
>>> 
>>> ------------------------------
>>> 
>>> Date:    Sat, 28 Sep 2013 12:49:45 +0100
>>> From:    Peter Pavement <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Subject: Re: Twilio
>>> 
>>> Hi Mike
>>> 
>>> I just had a good rummage around and there looks like there's loads of 
>>> potential there.
>>> 
>>> We did some interesting work with SMS gateways before - stringing 
>>> together social interaction and UGC type things for pre-smartphone 
>>> phones. The most successful was a mobile "book group" hub where 
>>> participants were discussing their reads wherever they might be - 
>>> something we take for granted now with smartphones! SMS gateways are 
>>> really simple to run though, just a simple server side script (usually 
>>> php), a simple database (often just one table) and a phone number and 
>>> off you go. We've also used them for verifying sign ups and for things 
>>> like charity pledges at events. The biggest overhead cost was usually 
>>> renting the number, but it looks like Twilio (and no doubt their
>>> competitors) have got this down to minimal charges.
>>> 
>>> The prospect of being able to do the same thing with calls looks 
>>> pretty exciting. I could also see the integration of everyday 
>>> "interfaces" like phone and sms being used to encourage more takeup of 
>>> higher powered functionality in native apps so you can get around the 
>>> commonly woeful data connectivity in cultural venues but still have 
>>> access to the juicy stuff.
>>> 
>>> All the best
>>> 
>>> Peter
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Peter Pavement
>>> Surface Impression Ltd
>>> 01273 958600
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> www.surfaceimpression.com
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 28 Sep 2013, at 12:07, Mike Ellis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hey all
>>>> 
>>>> I've just been fiddling with Twilio - https://www.twilio.com - which
>>> enables you to do exciting things with phone numbers...(!)
>>>> 
>>>> You can do stuff like "if user calls this number then read out this
>>> text" or "route this number through to this extension" or "ask user to 
>>> choose from the menu" or even "send this data to an API" or...
>>>> 
>>>> And - I thought that this would potentially be a pretty amazing
>>> platform to build audio tours on. You could purchase a toll-free 
>>> number and then have a web-based backend where you uploaded recordings 
>>> of curators or whatever. I'm still playing but I'm pretty sure sending 
>>> the user a web link via SMS or email or whatever is all going to be 
>>> possible too..
>>>> 
>>>> Anyway - wondering if anyone has played with this or similar?
>>>> 
>>>> cheers!
>>>> 
>>>> Mike
>>>> 
>>>> _____________________________
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Mike Ellis
>>>> 
>>>> Thirty8 Digital: a small but perfectly formed digital agency:
>>> http://thirty8.co.uk
>>>> 
>>>> * My book: http://heritageweb.co.uk *
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ****************************************************************
>>>>    website:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/ 
>> 
>>>>    Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg 
>>>>   Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
>>>> [un]subscribe:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
>>>> ****************************************************************
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ****************************************************************
>>>     website:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/ 
>>>     Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg 
>>>    Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
>>> [un]subscribe:  http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
>>> ****************************************************************
>>> 
>>> ------------------------------
>>> 
>>> End of MCG Digest - 27 Sep 2013 to 28 Sep 2013 (#2013-200)
>>> **********************************************************
>>> 
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