Temporary Phone Numbers

So, last week we had the Phillies World Series parade, where I had planned on meeting up with friends from all over the state. I knew Twitter and my cellphone would be the best tool in the enormous crowds, but I didn't want to broadcast my cellphone number for the world to see.
Alas, I couldn't find a running Septa train to get me to the parade, but I did find a solution for my phone.

http://inumbr.com

I heard about Numbr.com a few months ago on Twitter, as some of my followings were preparing to attend an educational technology conference. They wanted to be able to contact each-other, without losing all privacy by giving out their cellphone numbers. The idea is simple (I have no idea how it actually works, only that it does!): You click on the "get a free number" link, it then assigns one (you can choose one in your area code, too). From that point, you put in the phone number you want it forwarded to, along with some settings like automatic forwarding to voicemail, blocking telemarketers, and more. Most importantly, you set how long your free, temporary number will last before it automatically expires. 

The timeliness of this post is mostly due to the fact that I wanted to keep my current "inumbr" through the duration of BarCamp Philly (November 8, folks!!!), so I can network on the go. I'm hoping this solution works for others attending BarCamp, or any other event. For a brief video walk-through, watch below: 

p.s. I will post my inumbr via Twitter on Wednesday. ;)

photo credit: Karmalize

Tweetup, October-style

THURSDAY! Yeah, it's the 3rd one of the month already, so I'm gearing up for another trip to Harrisburg, home of my favorite social "real-world" network. It's always exciting to see the first few tweets asking, "When is the Tweetup?", "Who's coming?", etc. as we get closer to the Tweetup.

I've been asked recently, "Why go all the way to Harrisburg just to meet people you see online everday?". It's a valid question, especially with travel expenses (I'm happy, though, that fuel is getting cheaper!). Tweetups are a way to share all that stuff that doesn't fit in 140 characters (or 12 seconds), or doesn't translate well in type. We share new networks we've found, tips on blogging, Twittering, or "filtering the noise". We do this all over a couple of beers, and some non-bear chili.

A quick note to any Philly Twitterati: If anyone's interested in tagging along, let me know via Twitter or email. I have the most fun, and get the most out of these Tweetups when new people come.


The details: Thursday 10/16/08 7pm-9pm @ ABC In Harrisburg. (here for map)

After the Tweetup

Last night was my 3rd Harrisburg Tweetup, and this by far was the smallest attendance, since I've started going...but don't get me wrong; it was still a great night out, and there was still plenty to talk about!
We started out on the deck with Dave, Kathleen, Vicky, and myself. It's always funny to see a group of "strangers" try to meet, as Andrea (didn't get her Twitter name) found out. It made for a hilarious story, but at least she got a free drink out of it.
Aaron showed up shortly after, followed by Justin and Daniel. We joked about the "non-bear chili", and the HUGE (I'm not exagerating) salad Andrea got. We talked about Twitter's learning curve (or lack of one?), and our lack of wifi at the ABC last night. Gadget etiquette was also joked about (turns out, I'm allowed to keep my phone out on the table during Tweetups)
As it got a little chillier (still no bear, though), we moved inside. I responded to a few Central PAers' Tweets asking how the Tweetup was going, so later on we had James and Sara show up for a few beers and their normal restaurant/political conversations (which I find myself more and more interested in, lately).

So, I've made a decision:  I intend on making every Harrisburg Tweetup even though I'm no longer living in Central PA. Why, you ask? Because these people rock!