Social Networking Archives

A while back, Lifehacker reminded us that Google Voice Actions can be used with any web service that supports SMS or Email. You can easily send SMS and Email messages by speaking into your phone, so any service that lets you interact via SMS and/or Email is fair game. Keep in mind that most of this also applies to Vlingo or any other voice command software.

Simple Scenario

One primary example would be Twitter. By activating your mobile phone on the Twitter home page, you can send a tweet by texting it to 40404. Combined with Google Voice Actions, you would be able to say something like “SMS Twitter, That Rahsheen guy is some kind of awesome” and GV handles the rest. Of course, this assumes you have a contact in your address book named “Twitter” with a phone number of 40404.

Kicking It Up 10 Notches

If you want to be a Social Media Mogul, you will immediately recognize that this just isn’t powerful enough. There are other worlds than Twitter and you need to be able to update them all on the go using GV. Most of you already know where I’m going with this: Ping.fm. Both a blessing and a curse, Ping.fm is a powerful tool for updating all of your social networks simultaneously.

Once logged into Ping.fm (you do have an account, right?), navigate to ping.fm/sms and save the number in your contacts as something simple like “Ping.” You want to make sure you pick a name that will be easily recognized when you say it and “Ping” works pretty well. While you’re at it, go to ping.fm/email and add your unique posting address to this contact as well.

Now, you can long-press your search button, say what you want, and broadcast to everyone everywhere. As always, feel free to leave a comment here or hit me up on Twitter (@rahsheen) if you have questions, comments, or concerns.

Simple Examples:

“SMS Ping, I just ate a mango”
“Send Email to Ping, Flipmode is the greatest”

Lifehacker Post: Use Google Voice Actions with Any Web Service that Supports SMS or Email

There is no such thing as privacy anymore.

Go back and read that again….I’ll wait….

Now that you grasp that, don’t you feel a little better? Maybe like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders? Breathe.

Now, you don’t have to go around being so damn secretive all the time. You no longer have to try and hide things. You don’t have to stress out so much about Them finding out about that thing you did. You don’t have to keep wondering if They will ever get around to asking you about that thing you swore you would never speak of again.

They Already Know

That shouldn’t scare you. If they cared, they would have taken action by now, right? Here you are, beating yourself up and stressing over this and they don’t even care. Wow, don’t you feel silly. Whatever privacy you think you have is simply the illusion They have manifested before you so that you never really catch on to the truth. You, however, know the truth now.

You’re probably reading this on a computer or cell phone. You’re connected. You’re plugged in. The very system that allows you to enjoy the convenience of information at your fingertips at all times is the same one They are using to track you’re every move.

They have your social security number, your birth records, shots, dental, medical, and financial records. They know what kind of beer you like, sexual preference, favorite TV shows and movies. They even know which hand you use to do that thing you thought you were doing in private.

The Red Pill or The Blue Pill

It always comes down to those damn pills, doesn’t it?

The first choice is freedom. Do as you please with the knowledge that someone somewhere probably knows you did it, whether you wanted them to or not. It’s simply the path that technology and hyper-connectivity has placed us on. Keep updating Twitter everytime you eat a mango. Take grainy photos of yourself in the bathroom and post them on MySpace. Keep that relationship status updated on Facebook and for God’s sake, make sure you keep favoriting those racy photos over on Flickr.

If They are going to watch you anyway, you may as well have fun.

The second choice is isolation. Disconnect your internet connection, cancel your cell phone, close the blinds and lock your door. If anyone comes, send them away. Don’t talk to anybody, they could leak information about you. Cut all lines running to your home and for God’s sake do NOT leave the house.

You never know who is watching

This Post is Stupid. My Privacy is Intact. I’m Careful!

Really? My mistake then.

Sorry to bother you.