January 2022 Summaries

With Twilio's Message Scheduling feature, developers can send scheduled SMS notifications with a single API call, eliminating the need for custom scheduling solutions. To use this feature, users must first configure a Messaging Service and add their Twilio phone number to it. They then set up a Ruby project, install the Twilio helper library, and define environment variables for their account credentials and Messaging Service SID. The application creates an instance of the Twilio client object and initializes it with these values, schedules a message to be sent 61 minutes after the current time, and uses the `messages.create` function to create and schedule the SMS. Once run, the application prints the sid value assigned to the scheduled message, which can be used to cancel the message if needed.

Integrating ngrok into ASP.NET Core startup automates the process of updating webhook URLs, making it easier to develop webhooks locally. The `TunnelService` class uses the `CliWrap` library to run the ngrok CLI and fetches the public URL from ngrok's local API. It then updates Twilio webhooks using this public URL. To use this service in a development environment, configure the project to run it as a hosted service. Once running, the application will automatically start an ngrok tunnel and update Twilio webhooks with the new URL. The updated webhooks can be tested by calling or texting the Twilio phone number associated with the webhook.

Marius Obert is a Developer Evangelist for Twilio, a cloud communication platform. He has a background in applied computer science and started his IT career at SAP, then moved to Silicon Valley for an internship where he became a UI developer. After four years, he wanted a change of pace and became a Developer Advocate for a cloud-based business technology platform, helping enterprise developers transition to the cloud. In his new role as a Developer Evangelist DACH, Marius works with engineers in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, sharing inspirational demo scenarios with code, building relationships, and promoting Twilio's products and technologies. He is passionate about software development principles, open-source software, and collaboration among developers from different backgrounds.

The tutorial demonstrates how to implement smooth, secure, and silent device authorization using Twilio's Verify Push API and React Native. The process involves registering a user's device as a secure key, creating a challenge to verify the device's identity, immediately verifying the challenge, checking the challenge status to validate, and triggering silent authorization at login. The tutorial provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up the necessary environment, deploy the Verify Push Backend, register the device, create a factor, trigger device registration, silently authorize future logins, and handle push notifications.

Laravel provides built-in services for sending and verifying email verification requests, and securely resetting passwords. However, customizing these features can be beneficial when building APIs or web applications without using Laravel's default authentication packages. This tutorial demonstrates how to create custom email verification and password reset functionality in Laravel, including setting up the application, database migrations, model and migration setup, authentication, middleware, and routes. The tutorial also covers testing the API using Postman and verifying that the custom email verification and password reset features are functioning properly.

The Twilio Video Room Monitor is an open-source debugging tool that displays real-time information and metrics for a Twilio Video room and its participants. It can be embedded into any JavaScript project built with the twilio-video.js library, providing detailed views of active video rooms, participants, and media tracks, as well as network usage graphs. The monitor can be launched in various browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge, using a convenient JavaScript console method or by installing the package with npm. However, users may encounter issues due to lack of global access to the video room object or Content Security Policy restrictions, which require alternative solutions such as downloading and sourcing the script locally.

Twilio Functions are used to handle the logic of selecting the best FROM number for outgoing calls, validating the TO number format using Twilio Lookup, and initiating Studio Flows to deliver 2FA codes via voice. A two-factor authentication solution can be built using this approach. The solution involves deploying a Twilio Serverless service that handles incoming requests, validates the TO number, selects the best FROM number based on country code, regional number, and default phone number, and initiates a Studio Flow Execution to deliver the 2FA code. This solution is relevant to any use case that needs to initiate outgoing calls and can be customized further for specific requirements.

To receive emails on your own domain using Node.js, you need to install the required libraries, authenticate your domain with Twilio SendGrid, and set up an Express application that will receive incoming emails. You can use a tool like ngrok to create a public URL for your locally running application, configure the SendGrid Inbound Parse webhook, and set up an MX record in your DNS configuration. Once you have completed these steps, you can send test emails to receive responses from your Node.js code.

The author Naomi Pentrel created a free dog camera using Twilio Video, a service that allows for real-time video communication. The application uses Python 3.x, Flask, and ngrok to connect devices to each other and share video feeds. It includes features such as responsive UI with optimal screen real estate usage, changing the camera input on mobile devices, and muting/unmuting participants. The author shares their code and provides step-by-step instructions for setting up the application, including creating a Twilio account, installing dependencies, and configuring the Flask server. The final result is an interactive dog camera that can be accessed through a web browser, allowing users to view live video feeds from multiple devices.

This tutorial by Miguel Grinberg explains how to send scheduled SMS notifications in a Node.js application using the Twilio Programmable Messaging service. The tutorial covers the requirements, including having a Twilio account and a smartphone to receive SMS, buying a Twilio phone number, configuring a Messaging Service, setting up a Node.js project, and sending a scheduled SMS with Node.js. The author provides step-by-step instructions and code examples to help readers implement message scheduling in their applications.

Bulk SMS marketing involves sending mass communications via text message to a database of consenting contacts, providing a channel for customers to opt-in to receive messages. With 58% of consumers preferring texting as a way for businesses to reach them quickly, bulk SMS marketing offers several benefits, including cost-savings, efficiency, engagement, and reach. To get started, it's essential to obtain permission from recipients, segment your list, keep messages concise, provide an opt-out option, use short codes, and send at the right time. Bulk SMS providers like Twilio offer trusted cloud-based communications, flexible pricing, advanced software features, and simple integrations via programmable APIs. With proper execution, bulk SMS marketing can drive conversions, achieve a high open rate of 99%, and reach millions of recipients worldwide.

The Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) in AWS is designed to provide high availability and fault tolerance, but its default setup can be limiting. By implementing custom health checks using multivalued DNS records, it's possible to improve the resiliency of ELBs by detecting issues more aggressively and taking corrective action sooner. This approach can help mitigate traffic loss and ensure higher levels of availability for applications running on AWS.

By following this tutorial, you've created a Markdown blog using the Slim Framework and PHP. The application uses the Standard PHP Library (SPL) to iterate over markdown files in the data/posts directory, filtering out non-markdown files with the `MarkdownFileFilterIterator`. It then aggregates the content from each file into an array of BlogItem entities, which can be iterated over and displayed on a web page. The application also includes routes for displaying all blog posts and individual blog post pages, using Twig templating engine to render the views.

There's an easy way to find out how much time you spend on your phone depending on your phone's operating system. For Android devices, users can access phone usage stats under the "Digital Wellbeing" section, where they can view daily and weekly usage statistics, parental controls, and app timers. On iOS devices, users can access similar data through the "Screen Time" app, which allows them to set limits on specific apps or websites. With the rise of mobile phones during the pandemic, phone usage has increased significantly, with people spending more time on their devices than ever before. As a result, businesses are turning to SMS marketing as a convenient and affordable way to connect with customers. With Twilio's SMS marketing platform, users can build personalized experiences tailored to their customers' needs and improve customer satisfaction.

To schedule a text message on an iPhone, you can use the Reminders app as a workaround. Open the Reminders app, add a list, enter details, add a reminder, choose a time and date, and write out your text. When you receive the reminder notification, open the event notes, select the text, copy it, and paste it into iMessage. Alternatively, you can use third-party apps like Scheduled or Later to schedule a text message. On Android devices, Samsung Galaxy users have a built-in feature to schedule text messages using the Messages app, while others need to use workarounds or download third-party apps. For businesses looking to efficiently send scheduled messages to customers, Twilio Message Scheduling is an option that allows scheduling of SMS, MMS, or WhatsApp messages for a fixed time in the future.

You can develop webhooks locally using Cloudflared Tunnel to make your local port accessible on the internet. This allows you to test and develop webhooks with external services like Twilio without needing a public IP address or internet connectivity. You can use Cloudflare Tunnels to tunnel your local port to a random public URL, and if you use Cloudflare DNS, you can also configure a persistent tunnel URL for free. This enables you to respond to events in real-time as they happen, and integrate with Twilio's products such as phone numbers and SMS services.

Twilio Studio is a no-code visual editor used by Twilio customers to build various workflows, including interactive voice response (IVR) systems. A project was built using the studio to create a templated IVR system that can be reused and customized. The system uses JSON files to define the IVR options and messages. A web form allows users to select which features of the IVR they want to enable, and the selected flags are used to determine which features to add to the base IVR. The Twilio API is called to create a studio flow, purchase a phone number, and assign the studio flow as the number's VoiceURL. This project demonstrates how businesses can build custom IVR systems without requiring code.

Twilio has announced the General Availability of its Verify Push service, a fully-managed API solution for verifying users across multiple channels without the risks and costs associated with One-time Passcodes. This service enables in-app user verification via a push notification, allowing businesses to build secure engagements into their application flows while reducing friction for better UX and increasing security. With Verify Push, customers can provide an alternate channel to their verification flow, such as a push authentication to their linked device to confirm transactions, providing a countermeasure to prevent unauthorized activity. The service is turnkey and ready to deploy, built on public key cryptography, and provides detailed information about each verification, including request status, device name, and other valuable signals. It also offers predictable costs by eliminating the uncertainty of international telephony costs.

The article describes how to build an SMS-based version of the popular word game Wordle using Twilio's Serverless Toolkit, Twilio Assets, and the Dictionary API. The project involves creating a Twilio Function that responds to incoming text messages, generates random words from a dictionary, and scores player guesses based on their proximity to the goal word. The function also handles game over conditions and provides feedback to players. The code is written in JavaScript and utilizes Node.js, got, and Twilio's Serverless Toolkit for deployment. The final product allows users to play Wordle by texting a 5-letter word or "?" to a designated Twilio number, with the game state stored using cookies.

To build a contact form in Node.js with SendGrid, developers need to install Node.js and create a free Twilio SendGrid account. They then configure their environment by generating an API key and building the scaffolding for their Node.js application. The application structure includes three files: index.js, form.html, and .env, which securely stores the SendGrid API key. The form is displayed on the main page of the server, and when submitted, it sends a POST request to the /contact route, where the data is processed and sent out as an email using SendGrid. Once the application is set up, developers can test it by entering the URL in their browser and submitting the form, which should result in receiving an email regarding the contact request.

This tutorial teaches how to create a RESTful CRUD API in PHP using Laravel and Google Firebase. The tutorial starts by setting up a new Laravel application, installing the kreait/firebase-php package, and configuring it to connect to a Firebase database. It then shows how to create a service account, set up security rules for the database, and connect to the database using a service class. The tutorial also covers creating CRUD endpoints in a controller, adding routes to the application's routing table, and testing the API using curl commands. Throughout the tutorial, the author explains each step in detail and provides examples of how to use Firebase with Laravel.

This summary provides an overview of how to send SMS using C# and Azure Functions with the Twilio output binding. The process involves setting up a Twilio account, preparing the local Azure Functions environment, creating a timer trigger-based Azure Function, integrating the Twilio binding, and configuring the ToPhoneNumber and FromPhoneNumber environment variables. The summary also explains alternative ways to send text messages using Azure Functions, including returning a CreateMessageOptions instance, assigning it to an out parameter, using ICollector or IAsyncCollector, and utilizing the Twilio C# SDK.

Twilio has created a Wordle-like game called Twordle that can be played over SMS, and it's a tribute to Josh Wardle, the creator of the original Wordle. The game works similarly to the original, with users guessing five-letter words and receiving feedback in the form of colored tiles. Players can text a "?" to receive instructions and learn more about Josh, or start playing after the first message. After five guesses, players can try again with a new random word from a dictionary file containing over 2500 options. Twilio celebrates builders like Josh Wardle, who created Wordle as a gift for his partner, and invites users to build their own Twordle using Twilio's SMS or serverless solutions.

The contact center and customer service market has undergone significant transformation in recent years, driven by the need for adaptability and change. According to Twilio's 2020 and 2021 interviews with prospects and customers, the top drivers of change have shifted from fixing problems to being more strategic about the future, with a focus on innovation, flexibility, remote work, and improving digital experiences. Companies such as BGL Group and Scorpion have successfully migrated their legacy contact centers to the cloud using Twilio Flex, achieving significant benefits including reduced average handle time, improved customer satisfaction scores, and increased flexibility to innovate and expand services. The article highlights the importance of staying ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing digital world and encourages businesses to analyze their future strategies and invest in technologies that provide flexibility and innovation.

Twilio has released its Message Scheduling feature, now available in public beta, allowing developers to schedule SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp messages for future dates and times. This feature is included for free with other Messaging Service features and enables businesses to send reminders or updates at a desired time without relying on server-side logic or backend polling. With Message Scheduling, developers can create sophisticated message journeys and take advantage of business requirements such as scheduling messages before, during, or after business hours. The feature requires a Twilio account, phone number, and Messaging Service, and can be accessed using the Twilio Programmable Messaging API and server-side helper libraries or an HTTP request to the REST API. Developers can schedule messages up to 7 days in advance and cancel them if needed, with the ability to verify scheduled messages on the Programmable Messaging Logs of the Twilio Console. Message Scheduling is designed to support messages between 60 minutes and 7 days in advance and does not affect message throughput or maximum queue length.

This tutorial demonstrates how to send recurring emails using Twilio SendGrid and Quartz.NET in a C# .NET application. The project creates a new worker template project, integrates Quartz.NET, and configures it to run the SendMailJob every 15 seconds. The job uses the SendGrid API to construct an email and submit it to the SendGrid service. The program logs "Email queued successfully!" when the email is sent, but notes that this does not necessarily mean the recipient received the email. The project also showcases how to use user secrets to configure sensitive configuration such as the SendGrid API key, providing a secure way to store and load secrets outside of source control.

Twilio's message scheduling capability allows users to automatically send appointment reminders via text or other channels at predetermined times, reducing no-shows and ensuring patients receive the care they need. To get started, a free Twilio account is required, along with review of the docs for message scheduling capabilities. An example using Airtable as a backend demonstrates how to integrate Twilio's messaging API into an appointment scheduling system, allowing users to personalize messages and schedule follow-up reminders. The setup involves calling the Twilio Messaging API and providing information such as To, MessagingServiceSid, Body, Status, and Delivery Date/Time in ISO 8601 format. Once a message is scheduled and a response is received from Twilio, it can be populated into an Airtable database with relevant information, including appointment ID, message SID, patient phone number, appointment date/time, message delivery date/time, status, and message body. A flow for appointment check-in and canceling upon receiving a "missed appointment" text has also been set up to ensure seamless integration with existing EHR systems.

To send SMS online, businesses can choose between using an SMS app or building a custom solution with an SMS API. Once the platform is chosen, a verified phone number must be obtained, which can be local, national, mobile, toll-free, or short code, each with its own advantages and regulations to follow. Verification of the number improves deliverability and compliance with regulatory requirements, such as A2P 10DLC in the US, which requires registration for businesses sending more than 3,000 daily texts. With a verified phone number and an SMS service provider, businesses can start sending text messages online, taking advantage of their high open rate, cost-effectiveness, and permission-based nature to engage customers effectively.

Facebook allows users to receive notifications via short message service (SMS), which is the second most popular communication channel after email. Users can choose to receive these notifications about private messages, status updates, comments, tags, or profile changes. There are two types of SMS notifications: "Only about your account" and "Suggested." The former includes Facebook account changes, privacy, login attempts, and password changes, while the latter also includes comments on posts and tags. Activating and configuring Facebook SMS notifications can be done through a user's profile settings, and users can stop receiving these notifications by deactivating their mobile phone from the "Mobile" tab or texting "STOP" to 32665 (FBOOK).

Create a Chat Room App with Twilio Video and Flutter / BLoC. In this tutorial, you'll create a Flutter app that uses an unofficial Flutter package for interfacing with Twilio Video, allowing users to host a call and be joined by multiple other users. The app will use the Business Logic Components pattern (BLoC) to separate business logic from the presentation layer, enabling code reuse and efficiency. The app will set up a serverless endpoint to generate access tokens for users to connect to the same chat room, represented as a grid of video streams. The tutorial assumes basic knowledge of Dart and BLoC, and provides step-by-step instructions on setting up the local dev environment, creating the backend service, writing the Cubit object, and connecting to Twilio Video.

Flex Insights data can be separated for Supervisors by using various approaches such as dashboard permissions, variables filters, or embedded dashboards with filtering values automatically filled from Taskrouter worker attributes. Each organization has its own unique structure and it's up to them to pick the right approach to display just the required set of data. The main goal is to hide data and each method has its own advantages and manual work involved. Supervisors can see different data depending on their role and permissions, and with the use of Flex plugins, Functions and advanced Studio flows, it's possible to enhance analytics data.

An email drip campaign is a strategic marketing approach involving the automated sending of a series of emails based on specific recipient actions, such as purchasing a product or abandoning a cart. These campaigns aim to engage recipients gradually by delivering relevant content over time rather than overwhelming them with information all at once. Utilizing tools like Twilio SendGrid Marketing Campaigns, businesses can create and manage these campaigns effectively by defining the email flow, segmenting the target audience, and scheduling the cadence of each email. The platform offers features like custom fields, segmentation, and a best-in-class editor to enhance the campaign's design and delivery, enabling marketers to craft tailored and cohesive experiences for their audiences. The process is streamlined through automation, ensuring emails reach the appropriate contacts without manual intervention, and can be further tailored by branching based on whether recipients have engaged with previous emails.