Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How to send/receive Twitter updates instantly without an internet connection!

TheSpaz

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
Okay, many people don't realize that you don't even need a Twitter app on your iPhone to post and receive Twitter updates. Also, when someone updates their status, you get a notification instantly without needing push or background processes. Check this out:

1. Go to Twitter.com and log in from a computer.
2. Click Settings
3. Click Devices
4. Type in your iPhone phone number
5. Text the code they give you to 40404
6. Go to http://www.twitter.com/friends
7. Click the little phone icon next to the people you want to receive updates from

That's it! You will now receive Twitter updates through the SMS app on your iPhone! The updates are just about as instant as you can get. I tested it with my brother and as soon as he posted something, I got the text message. Also, if you text anything to 40404, it will update your status too!

To make things look better, I just added 40404 to my contacts and named it "Twitter". Now when I'm in SMS and I'm talking to people, I figure I can update Twitter without having to leave the SMS app. If you leave the 40404 conversation open, you can view the message history just like any other conversation. I find this convenient because I wouldn't want every update to come from a different number (like AIM has the tendency to do).

Anyway, thanks for reading! Enjoy!

If you wanna follow me on Twitter, my name is Spaztik
 
If you don't have an unlimited texting plan (and I don't for example) you can also just log into twitter with safari.

I have over 100 people I follow and don't care to miss updates by singling anyone out. I would be SMS spammed all day if I did the above route.

But your method is fine for someone that wants to follow a few people or those that don't care about getting "pinged" every 5 seconds - and those with unlimited texting.
 
I did this for a couple months and was getting approximately 4000 texts per month from Twitter. Since then I have carefully chosen select twitter accounts that I want instant texts from, otherwise it's just constant texts all day.
 
samcraig said:
If you don't have an unlimited texting plan (and I don't for example) you can also just log into twitter with safari.

I have over 100 people I follow and don't care to miss updates by singling anyone out. I would be SMS spammed all day if I did the above route.

But your method is fine for someone that wants to follow a few people or those that don't care about getting "pinged" every 5 seconds - and those with unlimited texting.
Click to expand...

Yes, I forgot to specify that standard SMS rates apply. I don't have very many people to follow (7 people), so I don't get updates that often so it works nicely for me. Especially since I'm on 2.2.1 where there are no push apps.

However, it wasn't until a couple of days ago that ever heard of doing this with Twitter and I didn't really see it mentioned, until I accidentally stumbled onto it on some random iPhone blog site or something.

Yeah, I have unlimited text messaging so I don't care how many texts I get... maybe if I get enough, I can stick-it to AT&T so to speak.
 
Funny...

No - but if I have a cell signal - I have internet. And I have unlimited data not txt - so there ya go
 
samcraig said:
Funny...

No - but if I have a cell signal - I have internet. And I have unlimited data not txt - so there ya go
Click to expand...

My girlfriend is using a first gen iPhone on AT&T with the data plan... so for her, it's going to be nice. For me, I like getting notified of new tweets from friends.

Seeing as how I'm on 2.2.1, it's like having push!
 
JBaker122586 said:
This "new feature" has existed and been widespread for probably about 2 years.
Click to expand...

Ah, I don't remember saying it was a new feature, but I just don't see people talking about it everywhere and I didn't realize how easy it is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back