The Furious Angels
FA Discussion => General => Topic started by: Tbone on April 11, 2010, 02:26:58 am
-
Introduction
Text alerts are used by FA to send out time-sensitive alerts that can instantly be received by all of our members who opt to receive them. They are used to alert and remind members about in-game events, rare opportunities (like limited Beta sign-ups), interviews, and important news announcements. All members who have access to our text alerts are expected to only use them for one of these reasons. Important: Only use the text alert system for important or time-sensitive announcements as some people get charged per SMS text!!!
How To Sign Up With An iPhone/iPad/Droid
The system that runs our text alerts is an application for the iPhone and similar smartphones. It's called textPlus. You can check out their website here (http://www.textplus.com).
If you have an iPhone or other phone that can download this app, you can download it here:
(http://a1.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/026/Purple/29/49/ca/mzl.mtsiuzhi.175x175-75.jpg) (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=314487667&mt=8?partnerId=30&siteID=KEmRFwU0WKY-g_jzlJry7JclK.GJKOBdDA)
After downloading it, run the app and create a textPlus address. Once you have created your address, send a new message to "Thetbone" saying "Add me!". I'll add you to the community that receives our alerts and it will send a push notification to your phone when there is a new message, just like a text! And all for free!
How to Sign Up With SMS Texts
Text "Join" to number 60611. Follow the instructions given to signup to TextAlerts.
After signing up, text "Add me!" to the following phone number:
(209)322-1336
This will send me a message and then I can invite you to the community! You should receive an invitation once I'm able to send it (usually instant)!
Any alerts will be sent via SMS text to your phone! While these texts are free from the service, make sure you know what text plan you have from your service provider, as those charges will still apply!
To send out an alert from a regular phone, use the following format:
"To: 60611
Message: Furiousangels This is my message!"
To reply to an alert, you should be able to just reply to the text. Simple! Please make sure I will recognize your account name, as if there are any numbers or names I don't recognize on the list, I will remove them.
Other Uses of TextPlus
If you have the app, you can view the member list and send a message to any individual without going through the "Furiousangels" community. It's an easy way to quickly get in touch with a specific person without everyone having to exchange phone numbers.
If you don't have the app, you can send messages to anyone else who is using the service if you know their textPlus address (the name they ask you for when you sign up). Just text their name followed by your message to 60611.
-----------
We have found these text alerts to be extremely useful at quickly gathering a mass of members at the drop of a hat. The more people who receive the alerts, the better are odds are of getting a strong reply and the more effective we are both in game and out of game!! So if at all possible, sign up!
-
Review of the app: http://www.appscout.com/2010/03/hands_on_with_textplus_free_te.php
Worth noting: You can send not only to the community, but also individuals or multiple individuals without needing their phone number. For instance, if Broin gets it, we could contact Broin by texting Broin to 60611 or, if he happens to have an iPhone and so do you, just choose Broin from your drop down. The only information given when you text is your full name and your textPlus address, not your phone number.
-
Address: manicv
-
For those with a non-iPhone, Droid, etc., it's very painless signing up. Tbone already had my number so he sent me an invite. I had to reply to a standard text message saying "JOIN", and then I replied back my name "Anamodiel", and finally my age.
Very painless.
-
Cool, that's simple enough. Under my textPlus app, you show up as Anamodiel (ANAMODIEL). It goes Name (textPlus address). I can click on you to just send a message to you. It's pretty cool. It's combining an IM-like app for the iPhone that sends you push notifications with regular SMS text messaging for people who can't get the app and then throwing in group/mass texting to both the app users and regular SMS people.
-
Thank God for the iPhone.
-
It's cool that they've got the free ad-supported app, and the ad-free app for $3.
-
*updated since the Community is OPEN at the moment (anyone can join)*
Make sure to choose a recognizable nickname, as I'll delete any fishy looking numbers!
-
I added my number to the list, but when I attempted to add a nickname it doesn't work.
-
I don't see your name or number on the list. If you sent me your number, I can send you an invite.
-
It's still not working, but I'll try the ipod app way tonight and let you know what happens.
-
Apparently I'm still not on the text list. So I really don't know what to do now.
-
Uh, you're on the list. I just sent you a text.
-
Registered...check your pm T, it has my number.
-
Bell and Phienyx, you both should have received an invite. Let me know if there are any issues.
-
I got a txt from you. Thanks T
-
*Updated how to sign up with SMS*
It should be a quick and easy process now.
-
Introduction
Text alerts are used by FA to send out time-sensitive alerts
Please only use these for important updates. I recently got around to signing up, but already they're getting annoying and too close to conversations instead of "time sensitive alerts".
Thanks guys.
-
Yes, and you can send texts to INDIVIDUALS. So when I send out a text about a meeting, you can send a message back to JUST ME to tell me if you can't make it or something. You don't have to send that to everyone.
-
Yes, and you can send texts to INDIVIDUALS. So when I send out a text about a meeting, you can send a message back to JUST ME to tell me if you can't make it or something. You don't have to send that to everyone.
Though it is fun to ridicule those that can't make meetings.
-
Speaking of TextPlus, does anyone else have it for android? I get private text notifications but I don't get (phone) notifications for the community posts.
-
Introduction
Text alerts are used by FA to send out time-sensitive alerts
Please only use these for important updates. I recently got around to signing up, but already they're getting annoying and too close to conversations instead of "time sensitive alerts".
Thanks guys.
Yet again, only use this for important shit.
I tried to send a replay saying "quit texting everyone. Review the texting guidelines on the forums" and apparently it onyl read the first word "quit" and discontinued my service. Which honestly, i don't mind until SWTOR comes out.
-
wow, we can't have a little bit of excitement and camaraderie for our boys that get into beta?
i understand the sentiment of not wanting regular conversations running on there, but damn.
sorry i shit in your cheerios Fuse.
-
Would it help to create more than one community? One for important announcements and one for guild chat? It still wouldn't be just chat-all-day, but you could share and respond to things that didn't need to be deemed "important".
We already have one for the staff :)
Let me know how many of you would be interested in opting into a more laxed chat-version of the texts.
-
wow, we can't have a little bit of excitement and camaraderie for our boys that get into beta?
I understand the sentiment of not wanting regular conversations running on there, but damn.
sorry I shit in your cheerios Fuse.
That's what the forums are for. Read the first post here.
you did not shit near me, nor was I having cheerios. Literally or figuratively.
:)
-
The great part is the Android app is a piece of shit and you don't even get the group notifications!
-
I was sleeping and didnt mind that much that the texts were going off (i work night shifts) I got up and checked my email to be disappointed of course. But I was glad for text alerts just the same.
I dont think I would mind if we had an optional group text social system so we could stay active with our members on the go. I have unlimted texts so this feature would be ok with me as it wouldnt cost me anything. plus if our computers are down or are out of touch we can still keep tabs.
-
Fuse, good to hear! :) I just figured since Master Adad opened the proverbial social door it was okay to do so for this special occasion. I was genuinely excited that some FA got some real live beta action. Means the rest of us are that much closer right?!
Tbone, about the social channel, I think it's potentially a great idea. Could have some really practical uses in the future too, for example letting someone who's stuck in traffic on the way home from work communicate to his FA buds that he/she's going to be 20 mins late for their flashpoint run they had planned on doing, or whatever.
-
Just thought I would bring up once again that our texting system is for important alerts only. The biggest problem we have is people replying to alerts to comment on it.
If you want to comment, you can text the person who sent it directly so that they are the only ones getting a reply. If the website is down, you can use the system to text just Lithium and I. If you want a group to jumpnon TS with you, you can pick them individually and shoot a group text.
I asked before and didn't get much of a response, but do you guys want another group created that could be used for more general chat (something you can turn off if needed while still getting our alerts)?
-
I believe Manic made an Ad Astra only group after today. A general chat one would be fine though.
-
I apologize for my misuse of the text alert system. I was drunk with power.
I had just stopped by to see Lits one last time before my flight home, and felt like shooting the shit with everyone.
-
Name is Sared!
-
Name is Sared!
Not helpful...
-
I signed up and sent the SMS request under the name Sared, but it said invite only. Sared would be the name the invite would be sent to I assume.
-
You have to send me a message requesting I add you.
-
Re-set up with a new number. I send the "Add me!" text.
-
I got the textplus app and sent Tbone a text via that app, but I didn't get a response back. Did you get that text Tbone?
Also: I'm wired! Can'twaitCan'twaitCan'twaitCan'twaitCan'twait
-
are we still using this app... I installed it and couldn't find our community or "thetbone" at all :/
-
are we still using this app... I installed it and couldn't find our community or "thetbone" at all :/
I have the same issue. I brought it up a while ago but people assured me it was working fine. I assumed it was just me.
-
Possibly they are using an older version of the app?
-
I just got it about a week ago and got it all working fine.
-
Bump! Make sure you all have this! It's a really good way to know about FA events!
-
Can't we just switch to having google send out normal text messages for the love of <random>? I can't stand the ads, the buggy interface, the nonsensical page hierarchy... Definitely not putting it back on my phone. Ever.
:D
-
Even if you don't use the app you can still have it send your phone normal texts can't you?
-
Normal text messages cost money. Not everyone has unlimited texting. You would also be required to give out your phone number. With textPlus, your phone number is not needed. You also would not be able to respond to anyone unless you had their phone number, which means you'd have to give your phone number out to EVERYONE, and I'm pretty sure no one is ok with that.
Now, you can actually get textPlus messages via SMS without installing the app on your phone if that's your issue. Just pretend like it's coming from a google number. :)
-
Even if you don't use the app you can still have it send your phone normal texts can't you?
This is what I do.
-
If you use a google number I can choose whether I get the text as email, sms or tts voicemail. I can reply to anyone on the distribution list through simple abstraction without gaining their information and it is delivered via their preference. If someone's going to be late for a raid (for example), they can call from a payphone, leave a voice message, have it transcribed and have posted to the forum. You could even automate the whole I need a new TS file thingy through it. Get outside of the box!
But whatever's clever. I just refuse to support TextPlus in any way because it's a pos.
-
Ana, do you get ads at all or spam texts from TextPlus using it your way?
-
*Updated the instructions for SMS*
-
Ana, do you get ads at all or spam texts from TextPlus using it your way?
No.
-
jasonlhutch invite please
-
Somehow our text plus community got deleted. Sorry, it's gonna take some time to figure it out.
-
Might want to look into GroupMe:
https://groupme.com/
Looks like it's supported on all major mobile platforms, and standard SMS. Groups can be public or private, and it allows direct messaging to individuals. I'm downloading the app now and will be available for testing.
Account name is Manic Velocity to search for me. I've created a public group called "ManicV Test Group".
-
Hah, I set up a test group for GroupMe yesterday before you posted this. It was bought by Skype, so I feel like it will stay legit. I thought I read somewhere that there is a 25 cap on groups, though
-
They raised the cap to 50 a few months back. And according to their knowledgebase, you can contact them to raise the cap on a case-by-case basis.
-
Nevermind. It's 50 person cap but you can request more. I can't find how to add people via their GroupMe name, though. Only by number or email. Also, GroupMe has a desktop version for you private folks who don't want it on your phone.
-
Link for the FA group: https://web.groupme.com/#groups/2767245
I think you have to sign up for that link to work...not sure.
-
PROTIP: There's an inactivity check built into GroupMe which has frustrated a few users in the past. Basically, if you are invited to a group but never post to the group, you are auto-booted after 7 days of being invited.
The only fix at this point is that if you are invited to a group, you need to send at least one message to the group. After that, you will not be booted.
-
Ok, so I have to send invited out manually (can't just link a code), so once we get rid of the inactives I'll start doing that. I'm sure there's a way to make the group temporarily open...I'll keep looking.
-
How is this usable with an app for your computer? Do you need skype?
-
I thought it had a desktop client, but it's for Windows PHONE 7, not Windows 7. You can use it from you computer by logging into their website, though, which I plan on incorporating into our site.
-
which I plan on incorporating into our site.
About that... been waiting on your input of something. :P