June 19, 2006 at 6:21 pm · Authored by Ewan · Filed under SMS

Link: AUT pulls in the texting generation with StudyTXT” href=”http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/rss/C60B6D01B47249B4CC257188000E551C”>Computerworld > AUT pulls in the texting generation with StudyTXT.

Called StudyTXT, the service is a mobile phone-based, on-demand study support system. It is one of three services developed by the university.

StudyTXT works by texting a specific message code to the StudyTXT server; students can then order SMS text messages, with short information, about a chosen subject. These messages can then, in turn, be stored on the student’s cellphone and reviewed anytime, anywhere, creating a digital version of the traditional paper flash study cards. The service is available on both Vodafone’s and Telecom’s networks.

I don’t really get this one. I can see the concept behind it — but I’d rather text directly to a lecturer or a student .. if you’re texting to get 160 characters of information, surely you’d be better sat in front of Google — or a web based interface to StudyTXT? I wonder how efficient the medium is? I suppose if you’d forgotten a key fact, it could be useful — however since it’s a dumb terminal answering, I wonder what you’d have to do to properly phrase your answers in a text message?

e.g. STUDY HELP PHYSICS DISTANCE
… would return the distance = speed / time formula?? I wonder.

(Found this via the MacTips blog)