New website sends Twitter updates to mobile phones

By Alistair Houghton on Feb 19, 09 03:57 PM

TWO software developers have caused a stir in the world of social networking site Twitter by creating a new website for people to get free updates on their mobile phones.
Paul Kinlan and Paul Rawlings launched Twe2 just six days ago as a way for Twitter users to get free SMS (text alerts) on their phone when someone sends them a direct message via the microblogging service.

Twe2 has become an instant hit with worldwide users of Twitter, the microblogging service that has become the latest internet sensation.
Twitter allows users to post short status updates, known as tweets, telling people what they are doing. Its celebrity users include Stephen Fry and Russell Brand.
Mr Kinlan and Mr Rawlings, who both work as software analysts and developers, developed the Twe2 site in their spare time. The site already has 20,000 users.
The Twe2 website is free to use and is funded by adverts at the bottom of each text message.
Twe2 has become one of just 150 applications worldwide to be part of Twitter's OAuth Beta scheme, a project to improve the security of Twitter users' accounts.
The software has also been put on Twitter's "whitelist" of approved applications, which means there is no cap on the amount of updates users can send.
Mr Kinlan, of Liverpool, said: "We've been going for six days and it's been unbelievable. We're growing 100% each day.
"We're available in 158 countries."
Mr Rawlings, of Wigan, said: "We were annoyed at not being able to get SMS messages from Twitter in Europe as they could in the US, so we thought we could do something ourselves.
"There's been a global reaction to this. People are really pleased with the service. We didn't know it would grow as quickly as it has done.
"It's been quite viral as well. People are tweeting their friends about it and asking them to send a message to see how it works."
Liverpool boasts a thriving Twitter community, which recently took part in the city's first Twestival.
The event, one of many held worldwide to raise money for Charity:Water, saw dozens of people who met through Twitter meet face-to-face for the first time at Leaf Tea Shop and Bar.