Tumblr 101: Tips And Tricks To Get Started
Sebastian Thrun: Google's Driverless Car
Microsoft's SLAM
What is SLAM, you ask? As with many Microsoft product names and government programs as well, SLAM is an acronym that stands for Social Location Application Mobile. Why that makes any sense, I don't know, but the idea is a mass-mobile messaging application out of Microsoft Research Labs. It endeavors to take SMS to the next level on mobile devices. There are many such services within the Web 2.0 bubble, most still in beta. This SLAM idea from Microsoft takes advantage of smart-phones, and especially those that have a unlimited data plan. Microsoft's software will SLAM your wireless bill if you don't have an unlimited data plan, because the service will allow groups to broadcast SMS messages to members including picture messages. Imagine all the bandwidth you would use up if this service went prime-time. Consider this Microsoft's stab at the social SMS broadcasting market (if there is one, I doubt it will go much of anywhere). I could see the use for it, as the website mentions, you could take a group to a movie and be able to instantly ask if everyone has arrived yet, or where everyone wants to go after the flick for dinner. Useful maybe, but in any case the service still isn't quite ready.
Comments
1
Subscribe to commentsLarryOct 25th 2006 10:10PM
I believe a couple of phone models have this feature. They call it the "send to all" option. Or something like that. I don't know how Microsoft will manage to sell this service, but if they succeed, they are geniuses! Who would want to pay more for a service that is being offered for free anyway? Better let the marketing guys behind mineral water on it.