August 2010 Summaries

PhoneTap is a tool that enables users to record phone calls and download the recordings as MP3 files after the call is completed. Ben Morris developed PhoneTap in 48 hours using Google AppEngine, but later updated it to run on a Rackspace CloudServer with MongoDB as the datastore, after winning a Twilio developer contest. The app was originally designed to use Twilio's services and was ported over from AppEngine to take advantage of the $30 free developer credit and good documentation offered by Twilio, which made it easy for Ben to get started with the platform. Ben found working with MongoDB to be straightforward, as he was able to install and integrate it into his app in just a couple hours after hearing about the contest. Overall, Ben's experience with Twilio and MongoDB was positive, allowing him to focus on other aspects of his app development quickly.

The Twilio Developer Contest is a recurring event that encourages developers to try Twilio for different use cases, industries, and integrations. The current contest focuses on location-based apps, with the deadline being Sunday August 30th. To participate, developers can submit their projects or ideas, which will be judged based on creativity, helpful materials, and potential business value. Previous non-winners are eligible to resubmit, and the contest aims to reward developers' efforts and help them find success with Twilio's cloud communications platform.

The Hackerspaces in Space project has successfully launched a space blimp using Twilio for communication purposes. The blimp is equipped with an APRS radio system that sends messages through Twilio voice and SMS, allowing the recovery team to stay updated on its status and location. Participants can also call a dedicated phone number to receive live updates and SMS messages with direct links to Google Maps. The launch was deemed successful, and the project's use of Twilio enabled real-time communication between the flight team and the public.

I'll be attending several events this month, including the Twilio Meetup/OpenVBX Hackathon in Denver, CO on August 24th, a meetup at the Lonestar Ruby Conference in Austin, TX from August 26-28, and the Startup Weekend Austin event from September 10-12. I'll also be giving a talk called "The State of REST in .NET" at the Minnesota Developers Conference in Bloomington, MN on September 29th. Additionally, I'll be attending Strange Loop 2010 in St. Louis, MO from October 14-15, and CloudCamp Reno @ SPLASH in Reno, NV from October 17. If you're planning to attend any of these events, feel free to reach out so we can connect ahead of time.

PhoneTree for Windows Phone 7 has won a netbook in the Twilio Netbook Contest, with its creator Barranger having successfully built the application using Silverlight, XNA, and the Twilio API. The idea for PhoneTree came from a personal experience, while the use of Twilio simplified the development process due to its simple API and compatibility with existing WP7 apps. Integrating Twilio with chosen tools and technologies was straightforward, thanks to open-source projects like the TwilioApi project. Barranger's experience with developing with Twilio began after hearing about it through the contest, where he leveraged his prior knowledge of WP7 apps to successfully integrate Twilio into PhoneTree.

MongoDB is hosting a developer contest that will run until August 22nd, offering a netbook and $100 in Twilio credit as standard prizes. In addition to these prizes, MongoDB is also giving away a swag pack consisting of a limited edition laptop bag, T-shirt, coffee mug, stickers, as part of the prize. The contest aims to encourage developers to try Twilio for different use cases, industries, and integrations. Submissions are due by August 22nd, and previous non-winners are eligible to resubmit their projects with a chance at winning again.

Twilioflow is a Rails plugin for state machine driven interactions with Twilio, providing a workflow approach for business logic inside models, concise Ruby syntax for specifying voice responses and key press actions, clean RESTful controllers, automatic generation of TwiML based on interaction states, HTML scaffolding for browser testing, and easy integration for building Rails apps with Twilio.

I've summarized the key points of the text for you in a neutral and interesting paragraph: Startup Weekend DC was an exciting event where 55 startups pitched their ideas on Friday night, and 11 teams were formed to work on prototypes over the weekend. The event featured a live coding demonstration by the author, which inspired several pitches, including one for SMS-based two-factor authentication. Despite some initial setbacks, such as discovering that another team had already built a competing product, the author's team was able to form and complete a project within 24 hours. The final pitches showcased impressive projects, including mobile apps, voice-powered sleep logs, and online payment solutions, demonstrating the potential of Startup Weekend DC. Overall, the event was a great learning experience for the author, who highly recommends attending a Startup Weekend near you.

The SXSW Interactive Festival features a wide range of presentations, networking events, and special programs showcasing emerging technology, digital works, video games, and innovative ideas. The panels at SXSW are selected by experts, staff, and the crowd through the PanelPicker voting process, which is open to attendees and non-attendees alike. Twilio will be participating in the festival with a session on building Twilio apps, allowing users to vote for and comment on its content, even if they cannot attend the event.

Aaron Foss, a ColdFusion developer, won a netbook from Twilio for his medical software company MedTaker, which uses voice apps to check in on seniors who take multiple medications throughout the day, alerting them when it's time to take their meds and trying to reach an emergency contact if necessary. The site was developed using ColdFusion with a SQL Server database, and Aaron found Twilio to be easy to use with native CF http calls, making his first "real" application built with Twilio a success, and he highly recommends it for building awesome voice/text apps.

The Twilio Developer Contest is a 1-minute read that encourages developers to try Twilio for different use cases and industries. The contest runs weekly, with new categories announced each week, and submissions are due by August 15th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Developers can submit their projects, which must demonstrate the value of what they've built or explain how it could become a business someday, and receive bonus points for creating helpful materials such as screencasts or blog posts. The contest aims to reward developers' efforts and encourage them to find success with Twilio, and previous non-winners are eligible to resubmit their projects.

The Ankylosing Spondylitis Journal is a simple application that enables patients to log their symptoms via SMS or phone call, using hashtags to record pain levels or flag symptoms for medical attention. The application was built using the Twilio API and PHP/MySQL technologies, with a seamless integration experience. Chris Bennett won the "Anything Goes" contest with his innovative application, which has gained traction and attracted users from around the world. The success of AS Journal has inspired Twilio to host an entire contest around Health and Fitness, encouraging developers to submit their own applications that use Twilio's services.

Twilio is launching a new developer contest focused on health and fitness applications, with a deadline of August 8th, 11:59PM PST. The contest aims to encourage developers to try Twilio for different use cases, industries, and integrations. Developers can submit their projects, which will be judged based on their value and potential as a business. Bonus points are awarded for creating helpful materials such as screencasts or blog posts that demonstrate the project's worth. Previous unsuccessful contestants are eligible to resubmit their projects with improved versions. The contest is part of Twilio's efforts to support developers from all backgrounds in finding success with its cloud communications platform.

TaskRabbit is a task-completion service that allows users to outsource tasks to "runners" who are paid by the hour. The platform uses Twilio's SMS messaging service to connect runners with task requests, enabling same-day completion of tasks. TaskRabbit founders Leah and Kevin were inspired to create the service after realizing they needed help with a last-minute dog food run while getting ready for dinner. They leverage Twilio's API to send SMS notifications to available runners in their area, allowing them to quickly find help for various tasks. The use of Twilio simplifies the process, enabling TaskRabbit to provide an agile solution that can be easily implemented and tested.

Twilio is presenting at a New York Tech Meetup tonight, offering developers valuable resources such as API reference documentation, SDKs, helper libraries, quickstarts, and tutorials for various languages and platforms. The event also features the Twilio Resource Center, which provides ebooks, industry reports, webinars, and expert advice to help improve customer engagement. Additionally, attendees will have access to the Ahoy community hub, where they can share best practices, code samples, and inspiration to build effective communications and digital engagement experiences.

Setting up a virtual phone system with OpenVBX can now be done in under 1 minute, thanks to Standing Cloud's streamlined process. OpenVBX offers a free 30-minute trial period for its virtual phone system, allowing users to test the application before committing to a permanent instance. The platform aims to provide flexible hosting options, enabling users to choose their preferred cloud provider and take advantage of OpenVBX's capabilities.

The Twilio Netbook Contest is a bi-weekly developer contest that encourages developers to try Twilio for different use cases and industries, with the goal of solving problems and finding success with the platform. To participate, developers can resubmit their previous projects related to health and fitness if they were not previously winners, or submit new ones. The contest aims to support developers from all backgrounds in using Twilio for cloud communications, providing them with resources such as API reference documentation, SDKs, sample apps, and industry reports.