September 2011 Summaries

Three hundred students from Eastern Seaboard computer science programs gathered for PennApps Data, a student-run hackathon featuring expert execution and enthusiasm that rivals professional events. Organized by a small group of engineering students, the event showcased remarkable production with 41 different hacks built and demoed in 48 hours. Participants received prizes totaling almost $10,000, including category awards and sponsorships from big corporations like Microsoft and startups like Venmo. The organizers' impressive efforts included coordinating meals, security, and building space, as well as attracting sponsors through their own sponsorship sourcing.

The Twilio REST API is used in Windows 8 Metro-style applications by utilizing the `System.Net.Http.HttpClient` class, which provides a simple API with full async support for making requests to the Twilio REST API. The `SendMessage` method uses this class to send an SMS message from a specified "from" number to another number, with the message body being sent as form data. To authenticate the request, Basic HTTP authentication is used, where the account SID and auth token are passed in the Authorization header. The response from the API is then parsed using LINQ to XML. Additionally, the `SendMessage` method can be made asynchronous by decorating it with the `async` keyword and using the `PostAsync` method, allowing the app to remain responsive to the end user.

HubAustin is a coworking space located in South Austin, Texas, that was launched after a successful startup weekend event in 2011. The idea for the space was sparked by Kyle Simpson's pitch at Starup Weekend Austin #2 and was brought to life through the efforts of Toyin Akinmusuru and Keith Casey. The team faced numerous challenges, including finding a suitable space, securing funding, and establishing a strong brand identity. After months of preparation, HubAustin officially opened its doors on October 3rd, offering a unique blend of community, collaboration, and innovation to its members. Twilio has played a key role in supporting the launch, providing phone system services through OpenVBX and sponsoring the space's Open House event. The space is now open for membership, with room available for approximately 35 people, and offers a range of amenities and resources to support entrepreneurs, startups, and remote workers.

Flash Valet uses SMS technology to simplify the valet parking experience for customers by providing wait time updates and payment options. The service reduces waiting times and eliminates the need to find an ATM at odd hours, making it faster, easier, and more convenient for both customers and valets. By leveraging SMS, Flash Valet streamlines the process of managing staff, tracking car assignments, and responding to customer inquiries, ultimately providing a better experience for everyone involved.

The Austin API Hackday was a successful event where teams were given a short amount of time to create innovative projects using APIs from various companies. The three standout projects, "The Application Trail", "Crapcha", and "SMScal", showcased creative solutions to real-world problems. These projects utilized APIs such as Mashery's access, Infochimp's Geo API, Twilio API, and others to develop unique applications that solved issues like navigation, Craigslist ad filtering, and scheduling reminders. The event demonstrated the power of collaboration and creativity when developers come together with a clear challenge and the right tools.

Zendesk is extending its "Loves Startups" program to Twilio Conference attendees, offering a free one-year subscription to the help desk platform. This move aims to recognize Twilio's partnership with Zendesk and promote collaboration between the two companies. The extension of this program follows Zendesk's recent announcement of Zendesk Voice, a VoIP system that integrates cloud-based call center functionality into the existing customer support platform.

Twilio Presents the Definitive Brogramming Primer` Twilio hosted a presentation at their conference where Rob Spectre was temporarily possessed by the spirit of Chad, a famous brogrammer, for 15 minutes. Chad shared his "Tao of Bro" with the audience, showcasing his unique approach to programming and communication. The presentation featured epic slides and was recorded for posterity. Twilio has embedded the video on their website for all to see, providing an opportunity for developers to learn from Chad's expertise in brogramming.

FastCall411, a Los Angeles-based sales automation and analytics company, has secured its second round of funding at TwilioCon, further solidifying its position in the market for cloud-based telecom APIs integrated into Salesforce.com. The company helps marketing and sales organizations optimize conversion from lead generation to inside sales, increasing response rates by up to 10X for companies targeting small businesses. With its unique approach, FastCall411 has established itself as a key player in the industry, leveraging Twilio's voice API and Salesforce.com to drive efficiency in sales and marketing efforts.

The TwilioCon Hackathon has announced its finalists, who will present 2-minute lightning demos on stage at the conference. The hacks were developed by teams of developers using the Twilio Client iOS Beta and Twilio Connect platforms. Finalists include projects such as Betwext Talk, which enables real-time SMS updates between browsers and phones, and Custard, a simple customer support platform that integrates with websites. Other notable finalists include SportsSignup.com Roll Call, PresenTweet, Yap.io, Sidebox Nearby Network, Qwestioned, and several others. The hacks were developed by teams of developers from various backgrounds and showcase innovative uses of the Twilio platforms.

The Twilio Conference Day 2 has begun at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco. The event features keynotes from prominent speakers such as Oren Jacob, former Pixar CTO, and Adrian McDermott from Zendesk. Additionally, there are numerous sessions covering various topics including building startups with Twilio, distributed systems, productizing applications, and more. The conference also includes panels on call tracking and customer-focused backend billing systems. Although some attendees may not be able to join in person, the entire event is being recorded for later viewing.

Today, the Twilio Conference kicked off at the Bently Reserve with 600 developers and entrepreneurs gathering for a day of keynotes, breakout sessions, and hack nights. The conference features notable speakers including Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson, Steve Martocci from GroupMe, Ron Conway from SV Angel, and Dave McClure from 500 Startups. Breakout sessions cover topics such as building great apps that make money, real-time web API landscapes, and hands-on introductions to each Twilio product. The conference also includes fireside chats, panels, and a resource center with Twilio documentation, ebooks, industry reports, and webinars.

Twilio has launched a major update to its Twilio Client with the Presence API, which enables developers to add presence-awareness to their applications with ease. The new Presence API allows users to integrate presence information into their apps using a single method, making it simpler and more efficient than traditional implementations. This feature is now available for all existing and new accounts, providing users with features such as call routing, buddy lists, and alerts for specific users. Additionally, Twilio Client Presence has been integrated with OpenVBX, enabling seamless browser-to-browser calls based on who is online at any given point in time.

Twilio has introduced Twilio Connect, a new set of features and APIs that simplify the integration of Twilio services into apps by allowing developers to delegate billing for usage-based transactions to customers' Twilio accounts. This eliminates the need for end-users to provide account credentials or sign up for phone numbers, call minutes, and text messages within the app. Twilio Connect consists of a Connect App created in the dashboard and a Connect Button placed on websites to authorize access to another user's Twilio account. The authorization process allows developers to request different levels of permissions, such as read-only access or charging the account for usage, without requiring users to provide sensitive information. Four launch partners, including MuleSoft and Mobile Commons, are already using Twilio Connect in their applications. Developers can learn more about Twilio Connect by checking out the documentation or starting with the Quickstart guide.

Dave McClure and Ron Conway have committed an additional $250,000 in seed investment to the Twilio Fund, with a focus on providing funding to companies that utilize Twilio Connect for usage-based billing of application end-users. This new investment is open for submissions starting October 15th, as part of Dave's closing keynote at the Twilio Conference. The Twilio Fund aims to support companies building communications and digital engagement experiences using Twilio's APIs, SDKs, and other resources.

The contest aims to encourage developers to create innovative Twilio apps using the new Metro or WinRT features in Windows 8 Developer Preview, with a focus on showcasing creative, original, and commercially viable solutions. The winner will receive a Samsung tablet and have their app showcased as an example of best practices in the Twilio community hub. The contest is open to developers worldwide and accepts submissions via a provided form until October 2nd. To get involved, developers can post their code on platforms like GitHub or CodePlex with a permissive license, and can seek help from Twilio staff through forums or email.

Twilio Fund is excited to announce the finalists and presenting alumni companies who will demo their products at TwilioCon this week. Eight companies will showcase their startups, with a panel of investors and industry experts providing feedback and potentially offering investment on the spot. The event aims to promote Twilio-powered startups building next-generation communications applications for business. The winning company will receive a prize, while a people's choice award will also be given. This initiative is part of Twilio Fund, which partners with 500 Startups to invest in promising companies built on the developer platform.

The use of call tracking in business can provide valuable insights into customer behavior, ad effectiveness, and lead conversion processes. By creating unique phone numbers for each marketing campaign, businesses can track the source of their leads and tailor their messaging accordingly. This allows companies to identify which advertising efforts are most effective at generating inbound leads and make data-driven decisions to optimize their marketing strategies. Additionally, call tracking provides a more complete picture of the lead conversion process, enabling businesses to refine their sales processes and improve overall customer engagement.

At Twilio Conference, Hack Night is an evening of hacking festivities with great prizes for the best hacks, including a 11″ MacBook Air, Parrot AR Drone, and a People Choice award. The event encourages developers to build something awesome using a Twilio API or any product from a sponsor, with a deadline to submit by 11:59pm PT on Wednesday. Finalists will be notified by email and must be present to win, with the opportunity to present their project to the entire conference on Thursday. Several partner companies are also offering prizes for the best use of their APIs, including SendGrid, Pusher, and TokBox. The best entries will be selected to present on stage, showcasing creative, unique, original, and fun hacks with business potential.

The Twilio company is hosting a contest for developers to create apps that utilize the new Metro or WinRT features in Windows 8 Developer Preview Tablet PC, with a focus on showcasing creativity and originality in their submissions. The contest aims to encourage developers to try using Twilio for cloud communications, offering a chance to solve problems and gain recognition. To participate, developers must submit an open-sourced code that meets specific criteria and is publicly available, with the deadline for submission being October 2nd at 11:59pm PT.

MuleSoft is a provider of enterprise-class software based on popular open source application infrastructure products that delivers an integration platform for the cloud, web, and enterprise. They recently announced the release of Cloud Connector for Twilio, which enables developers to easily integrate the Twilio API within Mule. This announcement was made in support of the Twilio Conference, where MuleSoft is a sponsor. The company offers various resources for developers, including API reference documentation, SDKs, and tutorials. Additionally, MuleSoft has a developer community hub that provides best practices, code samples, and inspiration to build communications and digital engagement experiences.

Intro is generously sponsoring the Twilio Conference and will be providing a service that allows conference speakers to meet and follow up with their audience through a short, session-specific code. This code enables audience members to text a 5-digit number to establish contact with the presenter, who can then engage with them in real-time and gather feedback. The Intro tools provide benefits for both presenters and audience members, including prioritizing follow-ups, promoting presentations on Twitter, and gathering feedback.

The Video Hack Day event brought together hackers who formed teams and worked on various projects, including an augmented reality iPhone app called Terminator Vision that won the first place prize and People's Choice award. The app allows users to see the world like a cyborg from the Terminator franchise. Other notable winners included Open Live Streaming Server, a Node.js-based video streaming server; Screening Room, a turntable.fm-style platform for video sharing; and Where 9/11, an app built using Ruby on Rails that lets users share their stories of September 11th with videos and comments. The event was sponsored by Shelby.tv and featured a panel of judges who awarded prizes to the top teams.

Pubnub is a Web Data Push Cloud-Hosted Broadcasting Service for Real-time Mass Communication that simplifies data pushing in a quick-scaling, affordable, and effective way. Appcelerator provides an excellent platform for developers to create mobile, web, and desktop applications using familiar languages and skills. Bluefire Digital offers easy-to-use mobile marketing products for various industries, including cost-reduction and on-time delivery. Mashery provides a scalable and secure infrastructure for APIs, while Pusher enables the addition of real-time functionality via WebSockets. Heroku is a platform as a service that allows developers to build, deploy, and run cloud apps using Ruby, among other languages.

Allstate Banners offers high-quality banners at affordable prices and provides excellent customer service through their user-friendly website, live chat support, and real-time tracking system.` `They cater to large volume orders with wholesale pricing, making them a reliable choice for businesses in need of custom banners.` `Their exceptional customer experience is complemented by access to Twilio Conference resources and the developer community hub.

Sonus Networks offers a range of telecommunications products and services, including TDM-to-IP and IP-to-IP solutions, for policy-based IP network infrastructure and subscriber services. Their technology can deliver media to devices across fixed and wireless networks, enabling operators to adopt new technologies and build secure, reliable, scalable, and cost-effective networks.

Vuurr is a digital ad agency founded by Jonathan Kressaty, who has previously built companies on top of Twilio, including Betwext. Vuurr aims to deliver metric-driven digital architecture and development solutions for its clients, with the goal of creating innovative integrations using Twilio's APIs and platforms.

MongoDB is a flexible and scalable storage alternative to relational databases that utilizes binary JSON to simplify coding and group relevant data together internally, allowing applications to model data in complex hierarchies while remaining indexable and query-able. MongoDB scales horizontally using auto-sharding with built-in support features, enabling rapid application growth. The database comes packed with frontend tools such as a powerful data management tool, administrative interface, and monitoring plugins, making it developer-friendly with official drivers for 12 programming languages and extensive platform support.

BeenVerified is a people search engine that utilizes public records to provide users with simple reports and searches such as background checks, property reports, social searches, reverse phone lookups, and people searches. The company also offers an API for developers to access this information, which has been integrated into various applications including career hunting and dating apps like The Sex Offender Tracker.

At Apigee, their goal is to make better tooling for the API-driven Internet and offer free API tools for building apps faster. The company offers fantastic API consoles that simplify working with APIs, providing a resources section with extensive information on using APIs for business. Apigee also provides various developer resources such as API reference documentation, SDKs, helper libraries, quickstarts, tutorials, ebooks, industry reports, webinars, and a community hub. These tools aim to make it easier for developers to work with APIs and build communications and digital engagement experiences.

Stackmob is a backend development platform for mobile applications that helps developers build, deploy, and scale their entire backend, allowing them to focus on building awesome apps. This platform provides a full development stack with features such as APIs, physical scaling, push notifications, email campaigns, analytics, and social integration. By using Stackmob, developers can create exceptional user experiences by focusing on frontend code, conserving resources, and turning ideas into real software quickly. The company has partnered with Heroku to extend its mobile platform to all Ruby developers on the platform, providing greater flexibility and a better way to build, deploy, and scale their mobile and web applications. This partnership brings together two powerful backend solutions to give developers more options for building and deploying their applications.

Salesforce is a trusted leader in cloud computing that offers easy integration with existing tools, programming languages, and databases, without long term contracts or commitments. The company has been an integral element in some of the most successful Twilio projects and was thrilled to be a Gold Sponsor for the Twilio Conference. Salesforce.com provides a range of products and solutions, including custom application development, social and mobile app building, and enterprise cloud database management. With its CRM applications, companies can collaborate and communicate with customers more effectively, revolutionizing sales and customer service. The platform offers various tools and resources, such as API reference documentation, SDKs, and tutorials, to help developers build communications and digital engagement experiences.

Airbnb has built a Voice Connect click-to-call app on Twilio, allowing hosts to securely connect with guests without sharing their contact information. The integration took just 48 hours from concept to production, thanks to Twilio's ease of use and international dialing capabilities. This move aims to increase host confidence while maintaining data privacy, and it showcases the benefits of using Twilio for building communication applications.

Introducing Stevie Graham, Twilio’s First UK Developer Evangelist` Stevie Graham is Twilio's first UK developer evangelist, a role that combines his passion for programming languages with his experience in using and integrating Twilio into various projects. He has been a long-time fan of Twilio, having used it to build apps and even creating his own Twilio Ruby library. Stevie was initially hired as a developer evangelist after applying about a year ago, and he is now excited to continue working with developers outside the US to help them build innovative applications using Twilio's API. He aims to address challenges faced by international developers and promote the use of Twilio globally, while also encouraging collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the community. As an evangelist, Stevie will be available to answer questions and provide support to developers building with Twilio, and he invites interested individuals to reach out to him via email or social media.

ReadySetWork is a mobile platform that helps small and medium-sized businesses create, manage, and share employee work schedules via SMS, with features such as scheduling based on employee availability, skill, and labor cost, real-time communication of schedules, and management of employee requests and changes. The company was founded by Joel Frisch, who won a free pass to the Twilio Conference, and is currently partnering with various industries including payroll, time & attendance, sourcing/staffing, and telecom to expand its offering and reach hourly employees. ReadySetWork aims to make communication easier for businesses, allowing them to "triumph" without relying on Twilio as the lifeblood of their company.

Rob Spectre is a Developer Evangelist at Twilio who shares his story of joining the company after witnessing a "Neo moment" - a moment when a developer discovers they can use their skills to make something new and exciting happen. He recalls a hackathon where he helped a student find inspiration in using Twilio's APIs to create an outgoing call, which sparked his passion for connecting developers with technology that can be used to create real products that make a difference. Rob joined Twilio to help others experience this "Neo moment" and to collaborate with like-minded individuals to turn ideas into reality. He believes the current climate is favorable for small teams with big dreams to change the world, and he invites others to join him in creating these stories of innovation and inspiration.

Toutapp is a tool that uses Twilio to send SMS and aims to make emailing more efficient by allowing users to quickly send e-mails via SMS while on-the-go, with an iPhone app and new features being continually added. The company's goal is to evolve email to improve communication productivity for businesses over the next 5 years. Toutapp was started as a weekend project and has grown into a brand-agnostic platform using a combination of Rails, Redis, Javascript frameworks, and other tools. The company values user experience and has worked closely with Twilio to develop its API, citing the platform's UX-focused approach as a key factor in their success. With new features and resources being added regularly, Toutapp is well-positioned to achieve its goal of becoming the defacto email client for businesses.

Tsheets is releasing a new dial-in feature with capabilities that enable organizations and employees to clock in and out or add notes using a phone call, powered by Twilio's technology. This feature can be used from landlines or cell phones and provides job code tracking, notes, and more for industries such as in-home healthcare, staffing/temp agencies, janitorial, and construction. To address the needs of these demanding industries, Tsheets developed this feature without new dial-in add-ons. The company is now making it available to existing and new customers to increase the capabilities of their product. Tsheets uses open-source technologies like Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PSP/Perl to build and support its application stack. The integration with Twilio was successful due to the company's excellent documentation and pre-built classes that made it easy to leverage Twilio's services.

SideBox has won a contest with its innovative Campaign Call Center tool, which makes creating landing pages easy and connects users with human customer service agents using Twilio Client's Click-to-Call feature. The tool also allows businesses to track the entire customer experience and A/B test landing page effectiveness. As a result, SideBox will receive a Twilio Timbuk2 Messenger, free passes to Twilio in San Francisco, $100 in Twilio credit, and a brand new 11-inch Macbook Air for development purposes. Additionally, Twilio is hosting a developer contest, encouraging developers to showcase their projects using Twilio Client and offering swag as an incentive.

The company Twilio has a close relationship with SendGrid, another provider of APIs and cloud-based email infrastructure. SendGrid offers an easy-to-use API that provides reliable and scalable email delivery, as well as real-time analytics to help optimize email campaigns. By using SendGrid, businesses can save time and resources by not having to build and maintain their own email systems in-house. Additionally, SendGrid's expertise in deliverability ensures that emails reach their intended destination, a problem that affects 20% of legitimate emails on average. With its scalable infrastructure and easy integration with APIs, SendGrid is a popular choice for businesses looking to improve their email communication.

This is the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon in San Francisco, where teams can compete for prizes such as an 11″ MacBook Air and free passes to the Twilio Conference, while being supported by the Twilio team. The event provides resources for getting started with Twilio, including REST APIs, TwiML, and a client SDK, as well as other tools like quickstarts and helper libraries. The hackathon aims to promote innovation in communication and digital engagement experiences, and teams can share their projects and receive support by filling out a form on the event website.

RESTfest 2011 was a conference focused on REST-based systems where attendees traded ideas, problems, stories, and code in an almost all practical setting. The event featured regular presentations, demos, and a unique format where every attendee had to give a "5 in 5" presentation showcasing something they'd built or a concept they're working on. The conference was 100% free to watch online, with recorded sessions posted weekly for learning about REST, building powerful software, and staying up-to-date on the technology's future direction.

Volunteering for the Twilio Conference can be a fun and unique way to attend the event, including evening events such as the Hackathon or Ringdown afterparty, for free by working one day and attending the other. Volunteers will receive exclusive swag, food, and credit towards building more awesome apps if they are also Twilio customers. The ideal volunteer is someone who loves volunteering, wants to attend but can't afford it, craves limited edition Twilio swag, or is interested in learning how to throw their own conference. To become a volunteer, one need only fill out a form and get in touch with the Twilio team.

The Twilio First Aid for Your Fitness developer contest is an ongoing initiative that encourages developers to use Twilio's cloud communication platform to create innovative solutions that promote public health and wellness. The contest offers a grand prize of a new MacBook Air, a pass to the Twilio conference, $100 in Twilio credit, and assorted swag, with entries accepted via a designated form. To get involved, developers can submit their projects using Twilio Client and receive support through forums or email assistance. The contest aims to foster creativity and problem-solving among developers while promoting the use of Twilio's platform for social impact.

This developer contest by Twilio aims to encourage developers to use the platform to make a positive impact on society, with the grand prize including a brand new MacBook Air, a pass to a Twilio conference, and $100 in Twilio credits. The contest invites developers to submit projects that utilize Twilio's cloud communications capabilities to create innovative solutions for public health notices, IVR systems, or other applications that promote healthier living. Submissions must be made by September 18th, and winners will be announced shortly after. The contest is part of Twilio's ongoing efforts to support developers in using its platform to drive positive change.

Oren Jacob, former CTO of Pixar, left his 20+ year career at the company to start a new venture as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at August Capital, where he is working on a secret project at the intersection of mobile and family entertainment. `Oren credits Pixar's ability to celebrate and reward high-performing employees, and its culture of adapting to change, for his long tenure there. He believes that cultures never stay the same and that companies must be willing to evolve and adjust their changes to maintain a desired culture. Oren was drawn to entrepreneurship as a way to explore new areas outside of film animation, which is Pixar's main business area. `His startup aims to leverage mobile technology for family entertainment, although details remain under wraps until his keynote at the Twilio conference.

Ron Conway, founder of SV Angel, discusses how entrepreneurs can get his attention, his investment thesis which focuses on people over ideas, and his fascination with several mega-trends including social, real-time data, collective wisdom, social commerce, big data, online-to-offline, and mobile. He believes that some of the best companies are being created right now and that angel investing is a highly rewarding occupation, offering a front-row seat to the future through entrepreneurs who share their crystal balls with him. Conway also shares his excitement about watching entrepreneurs mature and succeed, particularly in cases where he has been able to offer guidance and support.