September 2014 Summaries

The article describes how to build an MMS ticketing system using PHP, Laravel, and Twilio. The system allows users to send themselves a virtual "golden ticket" via MMS, which can be accessed by scanning a QR code generated by the system. The system consists of several components, including a Laravel framework application that handles user input and sends the ticket via Twilio's MMS API. The article provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up the system, including installing necessary libraries, configuring routes, generating QR codes, and sending MMS messages. The final version of the system includes features such as validation, alert messages, and support for multiple languages.

Send Daily SMS Reminders Using Firebase, Node.js and Twilio` is a tutorial that guides the reader through building a simple daily SMS reminder application using Node.js, Firebase, and Twilio. The application allows users to subscribe to receive daily reminders at a specified time, with the option to customize the message sent. The tutorial covers setting up the necessary tools, including Twilio for sending and receiving SMS messages, Firebase as a real-time database API, and Node.js for building the application. It also explains how to use cron to schedule the SMS messages and how to receive incoming SMS messages using webhooks. Finally, it shows how to save user information in Firebase when they subscribe or send a message. The tutorial concludes with an example of how to customize the daily message sent to subscribers.

The Twilio security team discovered a code-injection vulnerability in bash dubbed "Shellshock" and nicknamed CVE-2014-6271. `Twilio immediately upgraded its affected bash versions across its infrastructure to prevent potential exposure, although it's uncertain if its own infrastructure was directly exposed. `The company is urging customers to upgrade their bash installs to mitigate the risk of this vulnerability, which can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted environment variable. `Customers deploying services without authentication are advised to take immediate action to secure their systems. `Further information and resources on the vulnerability, including testing methods and mitigation steps, are available online.

The author of the text is Greg Baugues, who shares a personal anecdote about turning off phone notifications for non-urgent messages. The tutorial aims to guide readers through the process of authenticating their Rails app with Google's API using OAuth and connecting it to Twilio for SMS alerts. The author explains the OAuth process in detail, highlighting its importance for accessing user data securely. They introduce Omniauth as a gem that simplifies the authentication process and provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up the necessary gems, configure Omniauth, create a Google API account, and obtain an access token. After successfully authenticating with Gmail, readers learn how to save and refresh their access tokens using a custom `Token` model. The tutorial concludes by emphasizing opportunities for integrating Google APIs with Twilio for more advanced features, such as retrieving emails from the Gmail API and sending SMS alerts.

Twilio will be attending Oracle Open World and JavaOne conferences in San Francisco from September 28th to October 2nd, showcasing its Oracle-integrated communications solutions with partners BlueLeap, OpenMethods, and SureShot. The company will give away Twilio-Powered Weekends, host talks and tutorials, and have a booth where attendees can learn about using Twilio to connect with customers, suppliers, and employees. Twilio's partners will also be demoing their Oracle integrations in the booth, including OpenMethods' PopFlow Studio visual designer, BlueLeap's voice and SMS automation capabilities, and SureShot Media's marketing app development services. The company is also hosting live demos on using Twilio in Java environments and showcasing a Twilio-powered LED Torch at the JavaOne Expo.

This scavenger hunt game is built using Twilio's MMS feature to send picture clues to players, who then text back a keyword that must be found at the location depicted in the picture. The game uses Sinatra as the web framework and DataMapper for database management. When a player texts back a correct keyword, they are given the next clue and their progress is tracked. If they miss a keyword, they receive another clue with instructions to try again. The game includes features such as verifying player identity through phone number and keeping track of completed clues. The master route handles incoming texts from players, verifies keywords, and updates the player's status accordingly. To connect the game to Twilio, the server endpoint is set up in the Twilio dashboard, allowing for seamless MMS sending and receiving. The game includes suggestions for customizing the experience and has a GitHub repository with example code and additional features.

The project builds a security camera that sends MMS alerts whenever motion is detected using Twilio and Amazon S3. The camera uses a Linux desktop, a webcam, and Python code to capture images and upload them to S3. The Twilio API is then used to send an MMS with the image URL as the media. The project also includes a command-line interface for configuring the camera and sending alerts.

To automate the process of finding available tickets on Burning Man's forum, Manuel Ebert created a script that uses Kimono to extract data from the forum and Twilio to send notifications to friends in different time zones. The script checks for new posts every 15 minutes, extracts relevant information such as title, date, and replies, and sends a notification with the post details to three recipients. Once a friend responds first, the seller is notified, allowing them to sell the ticket. The script runs on a free Twilio trial account and can be set up using crontab. Manuel's Burning Man Ticket Notifier has helped him secure tickets for multiple events, including his own trip to Black Rock City.

Rob Spectre from Twilio shares his experience building a mustachify service using Twilio's MMS and Python, inspired by Aidan Feldman's original Mustachify.me service. The project starts with setting up a Flask app, importing necessary libraries, and defining an endpoint for receiving Twilio SMS messages. Once the basic endpoint is created, a Twilio phone number is configured to point to it, allowing users to send messages that will be echoed back with a response containing the original message's media, such as photos or images. The project then uses Aidan's mustachify.me service to apply a mustache effect to the received image, creating a "stashed" face. The code is made available for developers to build upon, and Twilio encourages users to share their own MMS hacks and ideas for further developing this technology.

The team at Twilio has announced the arrival of Picture Messaging, a new feature that allows users to send pictures with their messages. This capability is now available for all US and Canadian numbers, enabling developers to create more engaging and interactive messaging experiences. With this new feature, apps can send various types of content, such as concert tickets or photos, directly to mobile phones, revolutionizing the way people communicate and share information.

As a developer, learning PHP and its framework Laravel can be beneficial for building web applications that integrate with Twilio, a cloud communication platform. The author of the article recently learned PHP and started exploring the possibilities of using it to build custom call centers, automate business processes via voice and text, and enable collaboration across multiple communications channels between colleagues and customers. To get started with Twilio and Laravel, the author set up a development environment using Nitrous.io, installed the necessary packages and libraries, including Composer, and created a new Laravel project. The article then guides readers through the process of responding to incoming calls and text messages, sending outbound texts, and handling errors that may occur during these processes. With Twilio and Laravel, developers can build custom applications that integrate voice and text communication with their web applications, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to enhance their customer service and collaboration capabilities.

This project utilizes a Tessel microcontroller, which is a Node.js-compatible device with built-in Wi-Fi, to create a sleep tracker for dogs. The device is equipped with an accelerometer module and can send SMS messages using Twilio's REST API. The code detects movement by comparing the last x-axis changed position to the current value, and if there's been no movement for more than 5 minutes, it sends out a message about how long the dog slept. The project demonstrates the use of machine learning algorithms in IoT devices and showcases the potential of microcontrollers like Tessel for building innovative projects.

PicShareParty is a private photo sharing platform that allows users to share pictures via SMS, eliminating the need for downloading apps or giving up privacy. The platform was built by Jeremy Senn using Twilio's documentation and a Ruby on Rails stack, and has been live for a few months with new features being actively added, including a two-factor authentication system to control who sees what photos.

The twilio-ruby gem provides a simple way to secure webhooks in Ruby applications using Rack middleware. The middleware validates incoming requests from Twilio by checking the X-Twilio-Signature header, which is signed with the account's auth token. To use this middleware, you need to add it to your application's configuration and pass your auth token as an argument. This ensures that only requests from Twilio are processed, preventing sensitive data from being exposed. The middleware can be easily integrated into Rack-based applications, including Sinatra and Rails, with a single line of config in the production environment. By using this middleware, developers can secure their webhooks and protect against potential security threats.

The Future of Coding In Kids' Hands: Code.org Launches Code Studio to Educate, Inspire` Code.org has launched an online learning platform called Code Studio that teaches young students the basics of computer programming. The platform is designed for kids from Kindergarten through 8th grade and offers a fun and interactive way to learn coding skills. With Code Studio, students can create their own animations and apps, share them with friends, and even send them via SMS for free. According to Hadi Partovi, founder of Code.org, the platform aims to empower young students to build their own apps and share them with others, providing them with a valuable learning experience that combines technology and creativity.

The Internet is an open network where users can access any Internet-connected server without restrictions on what those bits mean or whether they should be permitted to access them. The FCC is currently considering a reversal of this doctrine, allowing ISPs and carriers to use arbitrary policy to price and police the Internet for specific services. This action would enable discrimination in who can access the Internet, at what price, and for what use-cases. Net neutrality has been crucial for innovation on the Internet since its inception and has allowed young companies like Twilio to reach customers without having to engage in laborious business development with each carrier and ISP. The power of the Internet lies in its elimination of gatekeepers, which has driven innovation and entrepreneurship for decades. To protect this freedom, Twilio is partnering with organizations to promote a call to action, encouraging users to contact their government representatives to express their concerns about the future of the Internet.

Twilio Developer Evangelist Phil Nash reflects on his journey in software development and how his experiences as a student and later as a professional developer led him to realize the importance of community and sharing. He shares that he initially tried to learn alone, but eventually found success by engaging with others through online communities and sharing knowledge. Nash emphasizes that community is key to growth and learning, and that giving back to the community has been instrumental in his career. As a new developer evangelist at Twilio, he looks forward to empowering developers and serving their communities. Nash's story highlights the value of collaboration, open-source software, and online platforms in driving innovation and personal growth.

Shower With Friends`, a team of five developers, created an app that uses Twilio's SMS API and an Intel Galileo Gen 2 Board to monitor water consumption habits and send motivational texts. The app aims to encourage users to save water by competing with themselves and others. This project leverages the Internet of Things to make everyday devices controllable and programmable, sparking civic and environmental change. It is one of the first examples of a company or group of developers using this technology to drive positive impact.

Roger Stringer, a Twilio expert, has created a roll call feature that allows moderators to take a headcount of participants during a conference call programmatically. This feature can be useful for scheduled conferences where it's essential to ensure everyone has joined before starting. To set up this feature, developers need to create two TwiML files: one for non-moderated callers and another for moderators. The moderator file includes an action that triggers a roll call when pressed, which then presents the list of participants on the screen. This feature is built using Twilio's conference calling functionality and can be customized to fit specific use cases.

Fancy Hands, a virtual assistant service, partnered with Lipton to help its customers win back time for summer by outsourcing errands, such as lawn care, through Fancy Hands' API. The partnership utilized Twilio Voice to manage and communicate with landscapers, laundromats, and other task providers, allowing Fancy Hands to scale efficiently and effectively handle the demand from Lipton's large customer base. This collaboration aims to give users more free time for leisure activities during summer by taking care of routine tasks, such as lawn maintenance and laundry, off their hands.

Aziz Ansari used Twilio's SMS feature to connect with fans and prevent ticket scalpers from buying up seats for his shows. By running a ticket lottery system via text messages, Aziz was able to ensure that only his genuine fans could get tickets, while keeping scalpers at bay. The system was built by David Cho in just 36 hours and allowed Aziz to send out over 35,000 texts in 72 hours, confirming spots for the lucky winners and providing updates on future shows.