Editor’s Note: Welcome to Yay or Nay, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week we’ll review a new wireless application or service from the user’s point of view, with the goal of highlighting what works and what doesn’t in the mobile content industry. If you wish to submit your application or service for review, please contact us at rcrwebhelp@crain.com.
Application: Kwiry
Running on: Motorola Inc. Q Global on AT&T Mobility
Yay: A simple, accessible way to “jot down” ideas, reminders and whatever other random thoughts worth saving.
Nay: Kwiry provides only one function, but that’s OK. We love coming up with user IDs and passwords.
We say: Kwiry Inc. has built a simple tool that’s all about reminders. Life is full of reminders — most are ingrained in memory — but for those sporadic ideas that spark throughout the day, a simple text message just might be the best way to save that thought for later.
Review: There’s so many things to forget. Birthdays, holidays, bills to pay — sure those might be the things you focus on remembering. But what about that movie trailer that piqued your interest or that great new bar your friend was raving about?
A Kwiry would keep those thoughts on file. Signing up is a breeze and one confirmation text message later our mobile phone was ready to kwiry. Simply text any message to the short code 59479 (K-W-I-R-Y on the numeric keypad) and seconds later your message is stored online at kwiry.com.
We didn’t have anything to remind ourselves of right off the bat, but we’re in Las Vegas this week for CTIA Wireless 2008, so why not a friendly gambling reminder: “Don’t forget to bet it all on black.” Just in case those free drinks get the best of us, we’ll always know where our hard-earned money belongs at the Slots-A-Fun Casino. Sure enough, the message was stored under “kwirys” on our home page within seconds.
Now we know what you’re thinking. Isn’t this like sending an e-mail to yourself, but without a middle-man? That’s what we’re thinking, anyway.
So here’s how we figure it. E-mail will never be as cool as text messaging. With e-mails, there’s always an added level of etiquette. Some recipients require a more formal approach while others don’t. Plus, the e-mail inbox can be quickly bombarded, pushing that reminder way, way down the list.
Text messages dummy everything down. Bosses, relatives, friends — new and old — all get the same format from you. SMS is a language without rules. Three- and four-lettered words become a single letter. SMS is the language of the people, whatever we make it.
If you’re already used to twittering your whereabouts, Kwiry is a natural transition. Indeed, your Kwiry and Twitter accounts can be linked so you can send kwirys via twitter.
Our mind is full of the new ways we could use kwiry.
For example, there’s that woman who spends some of her mornings holding uplifting, laugh-out-loud messages on a sign on Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach. One Friday her sign read, “Dude, it’s Friday. The weekend is here.” It’s classic!
Although her smile and message for the day always strikes us, we always forget to look into it further. I mean, what if this woman is in some group that’s all about spreading its cheery love to commuters slogging through the morning? What if there are other locations where people can get this daily dose of joy?
A kwiry might have reminded us to dig around — or better yet, leave 10 minutes early to stop, say hi and return the favor.
