SMSify your apps
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009When we started IMified, we had some ideas for a couple of simple apps that ran over IM. It turned out that compared to developing a web app, sending and receiving instant messages was complicated and required understanding of all sorts of arcane rules and techniques. We wished for an easy way to send and receive instant messages. So we built a service that allowed anyone that can build a web app to plug into IM networks.
Ever since then, one of the most requested features has been SMS support. Heck, we’ve found ourselves wishing there was an easy way to send and receive text messages. Compared to delivering a web app, sending and receiving text messages is complicated and requires understanding of all sorts of arcane rules and techniques.
Hey, that sounds familiar.
Starting today, you don’t need to understand short codes, SMS gateways, routing, DIDs or the silliness that different carriers inject into the whole process. In fact, you don’t even need to write any new code. Your existing IMified app can work over SMS.
Adding SMS to your app couldn’t be simpler. Just log into your account and select your app. Under Network Settings, click the SMS tab. Click activate and we’ll assign you a phone number.
Any text messages that get sent to that number will be delivered to your app just like an instant message. There will be a userkey, a message, and all the goodies you already know and love. Your app’s response will be sent as a return text message to the sender. You can send out text messages by sending to the user’s userkey.
If you want to respond differently to SMS users, you can do so by checking the network field in the message to your bot. Just like we already tell you if the message came from AIM, Jabber, Twitter or any of our other networks, we’ll also tell you if it’s coming via SMS.
