shizzow is a brand new location-based social web service that is using our Zeep Mobile API to power their SMS features. Shizzow lets you Shout from any location to let your friends know where you are, making it easier to meet up in person.
I took it for a spin to check out the service, see how they implemented the Zeep Mobile API and to write up this little case study for developers who are curious what other websites are up to with Zeep. Shizzow futher ado…
shizzow’s SMS features
With shizzow, you can send and receive Shouts with any mobile device via SMS. To do this, you first need to subscribe your mobile device via the Zeep Mobile panel that they’ve embedded in the Preferences / Contact Information section. Once you’ve subscribed, you can start shouting from anywhere! You can also have shizzow send your friends’ shouts to your device.
Shout, shout, shout it out loud
All Shouts originate from a location, so before you can Shout via SMS you need to add at least one location to your favourite location list and give it a (preferrably) short nickname. I’m at the ActiveState office in Vancouver right now and added that as a location with the nickname AS. Your Shouts show up on your profile page on Shizzow and are also sent to friends who have subscribed to your Shouts.
To Shout, I sent this message:
shzow #s AS to 88147
- 88147 is the Zeep Mobile shortcode.
- shzow is the Shizzow SMS prefix (required because multiple websites use Zeep Mobile for their SMS features).
- #s is how you tell Shizzow you’re Shouting.
- AS is the nickname I assigned to the ActiveState office.
You can also add a message to your shout with the #m command following a shout like so…
shzow #s AS #m Working for the man! to 88147
As you can see, it’s pretty damn easy. Here’s a complete list of Shizzow’s SMS commands. It would have been nice to receive a confirmation message after a successful Shout, as I had to check the website to make sure it made it on there (It did, and really quickly, because Zeep and shizzow rule).
Go give it a try!
I really like Shizzow’s concept and execution. Being a social service, it will thrive as the user base grows so… GO TRY IT! You can request an invite from their site, or if you leave a comment here I have three to give away.
shizzow.com