FrontlineSMS: Now with Forms
It’s been a hectic few months, but we’re finally there. Today we’re excited to announce the release of the new FrontlineForms, an SMS-driven data collection tool which seamlessly integrates into our existing and growing FrontlineSMS platform. Sure, data collection tools already exist, but many require mobile internet access to function, degrees in Linux to get... Read More
A glimpse into social mobile's long tail
Although I’ve only been writing about the social mobile long tail for a couple of years, the thinking behind it has developed over a fifteen year period where, working on and off in a number of African countries, I’ve witnessed at first hand the incredible contribution that some of the smallest and under-resourced NGOs make in solving some of the most pressing social... Read More
Low(er) cost computing
In the middle of everything else that’s going on right now, we’re working to get the latest FrontlineSMS ready for launch. Among a few of the more minor changes (bug fixes and additional language support, for example) this new release will see the inclusion of FrontlineForms, a fully integrated SMS-driven data collection tool. Although it’s been ready for some... Read More
Spreading the [text] message
I often get asked the advantages of FrontlineSMS over the standard ‘Group’ messaging functionality of some (notably Nokia) mobile phones, or the supplied Handset Manager software. It’s an obvious question if you just see FrontlineSMS as a simple Group messaging hub. Not until you use it, or dig a little deeper, do you realise it’s a lot more than that. (Larger... Read More
Invention. Collaboration. Integration.
The past couple of weeks have been particularly exciting for Ushahidi and FrontlineSMS. Independently they’ve been featured on the BBC and CNN websites, where their use in the DRC and Malawi respectively continues to gain traction. Jointly they’ve appeared in Forbes Magazine in an interview given by Ory (which was predominantly about Ushahidi, but given the enormous... Read More
Empowering Africa's youth
Taken at a Plan International workshop in Kenya, December 2008. Plan projects working with primary school children throughout Africa will soon be implementing FrontlineSMS in their work. (Photo: Erik Hersman) Read More
FrontlineSMS @ Netsquared/USAID
Two FrontlineSMS-based projects have been entered in the 2008 Netsquared/USAID challenge. The challenge is sponsored by The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and aims to find the best in mobile innovations for good. Voting is carried out by the NetSquared community, and fifteen finalists will be chosen. A panel of judges, selected by USAID, will then select... Read More
NEWS: "Mobiles in Malawi" project featured on CNN.com
Josh Nesbit’s Mobiles in Malawi project has been featured on the ‘Technology’ pages of the CNN.com website. Josh travelled to Namitete over the summer to install a text-based communications network using FrontlineSMS. Josh, who is about to return to Malawi, was interviewed along with kiwanja’s Ken Banks for the article, which can be read here Read More
Pocket messaging?
During the recent Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellows boot camp in Camden, Maine, I had the pleasure of sharing a cabin with Erik Hersman of White African, AfriGadget and Ushahidi fame. Despite knowing Erik for a couple of years or so, it was the first time we’d managed to sit down over a prolonged period and chat Africa, mobiles, innovation and technology. It was great... Read More
Fireside chat
If I was ever asked to give a short, informal introductory fireside talk about FrontlineSMS, it would probably go something like this… FrontlineSMS was originally released at the end of 2005 based on a hunch that there was a need within the grassroots non-profit community for a simple, easy-to-use replicable text messaging tool which didn’t require the internet... Read More
