If you are outside USA, Canada and UK, you no longer can get your twitter friends update via SMS, though a number of starups came along to offer you twitter SMS but with hefty charge per SMS. Well that change now if you use Brightkite (BK)- which is still in privet beta- because BK now supports international SMS updates via a UK number, in-bound SMS receiving is free, I keep getting them! (I have 30 invites thanks to Martin May cofounder of BK, please leave a comment below this post with your valid email address)

Brightkite is a location based social network, I reviewed it few months ago here and where I gave them some ideas based on a startup project I wanted to do. BK basically lets you update your location via SMS and web, and get Free SMS or web updates from your friends locations and blurbs; you can also see who of your friends is near you via the both platforms, and get to know and meet real people around you.  On BK you can also post photos via mobile email, email or web and see what your friends has posted. So basically the application is twitter plus facebook but location aware.

Brightkite has taken some of my advice lately; they added comments on photos, and users’ status update. But no sign for video updates yet! Other adds include tabs for: Updates from me and Friends, around me, mentions, comments and universe (Updates of everyone in the community). The most recent BK’s redesign includes instant updates from the universe on BK’s homepage, Ajaxly done, which is cool  and much better than hitting refresh all the time!, with a cool new homepage design. Though these ajaxy features seems  not to work when you login!

Also BK is finally currently testing a native iPhone app, which they have been late releasing  it (you can throw tomatos at Martin there :D). Moreover BK has now some cool applications that works with it via its API, such as Guess My location right from your Wi-Fi connected laptop, powered by Geode and  Loki and Brightkite Map Visualization with SpatialKey (Brightkite Map Visualization with SpatialKey)  Though the missing app I am waiting for is desktop  AIR app and support for Twhril. since the current AIR app socialAddict is not cool at all.

If you wonder what is BK business model since twitter does not have one. Well it is location based advertising that caters to any business from big corporate and mom and pop shops. let’s say you’re a coffee shop owner, you can send SMS ads to people around several blocks away from you announcing happy hour with discount via BK.

Again do not forget to leave a comment with a valid email so I send you the invites.

Stumble it!

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