2. Short Message Service (SMS) is a communications protocol
allowing the interchange of short text messages between mobile
telephone devices. The SMS technology has facilitated the
development and growth of text messaging. The connection
between the phenomenon of text messaging and the underlying
technology is so great that in parts of the world the term “SMS” is
used colloquially as a synonym for a text message from another
person or the act of sending a text message. By a factor of four,
text messaging is now the most popular form of communication
between individuals in the world.
SMS as used on modern handsets was originally defined as part of
the GSM series of standards in 1985 as a means of sending
messages of up to 160 characters, to and from GSM mobile
handsets. Since then, support for the service has expanded to
include alternative mobile standards such as ANSI CDMA networks
and Digital AMPS, as well as satellite and landline networks. Most
SMS messages are mobile-to-mobile text messages, though the
standard supports other types of broadcast messaging as well.

3. Ask a Librarian began as a partnership between the College Center
for Library Automation (CCLA) and the Tampa Bay Library
Consortium (TBLC). Ask a Librarian was funded initially in 2002-
2003 with LSTA funds as a pilot project of the Florida Electronic
Library. The service was activated on July 28, 2003, with the initial
40 participating libraries beginning service one-by-one over the
next four months. A formal announcement and unveiling of Ask a
Librarian occurred on December 2, 2003 at a press conference to
announce the inception of the Florida Electronic Library. Ask a
Librarian has continued to grow to become a core service of many
Florida libraries.
Task #1:
Contact Ask a Librarian Mobile online in Florida and ask a
couple of questions. You will be describing your experience
in the 4.2 Assignment Forum in our course Discussion Board.

4. This text messaging service is intended to assist the
science related academic research, library help, and
information needs of the students, faculty, and staff of
Yale University.

5. From local business listings to stock quotes, you can get the information you are
looking for with Google SMS. Simply text message your search query to 466453
(“GOOGLE” on most devices) and you will receive a text message back
containing your results.
Search Samples:
• Query local sushi 94040
• Weather weather boston
• Glossary define zenith
• Sports score red sox
• Movies movies 94110
• Q&A abraham lincoln birthday
• Calculator 1 us pint in liters
• Help help local
Task #2:
Contact “Google Message System” on a cell phone and ask a couple of
questions. You will be describing your experience during this task in the
4.2 Assignment Forum of the course Discussion Board.

6. ChaCha is like having a smart friend you can call or text
for answers on your cell phone anytime for free!
ChaCha works with virtually every provider and allows
people with any mobile phone device—from basic flip
phones to advanced smart phones—to ask any question
in conversational English and receive an accurate
answer as a text message in just a few minutes.
Task #3:
Contact ChaCha using text messaging on a cell
phone and ask a couple of questions. You will be
describing your experience in the 4.2 Assignment
Forum of the course Discussion Board.

7. Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users
to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based
posts of up to 140 characters in length which are displayed on the user’s profile
page and delivered to other users who have subscribed to them (known as
followers). Users can send and receive tweets via the Twitter web site. Short
Message Service (SMS) or applications like Tweetie, Twitterrific, TwitterFon,
TweetDeck and feedalizr. The service is free to use over the Internet, but using
SMS may incur phone service provider fees.
Tweets are publicly visible by default, however, senders can restrict message
delivery to just their followers. Users can tweet via the Twitter web site, compatible
external applications (such as for smartphones) or by SMS available in certain
countries. While the service is free, accessing it through SMS may incur phone
service provider fees.
Users may subscribe to other users’ tweets—this is known as following and
subscribers are known as followers or tweeps (Twitter + peeps). The users can
also check the people who are un-subscribing them on Twitter (better known as
unfollowing via various services).

8. You will need a Twitter account to complete the task below. If
you do not already have one, go to the Twitter web site and
sign up for one.
Task #4:
Once you have your Twitter account, navigate to the
CourseSites web site. Scroll down to the bottom of the
opening page and locate the Twitter logo (bird icon). Take
time to read some of the tweets in the Twitter Feed. Select
the Twitter icon and when the new screen opens, follow
the steps to sign up as a follower (tweep) of CourseSites.
You will be sharing your experience during this task in the
4.2 Assignment Forum of our course Discussion Board.