I just recently got Yahoo! email. I've had the account since late December of 2008... but mainly used it for Yahoo! Answers (where, by the way, I have attained a 42% best answer rating). I then decided that I like the Yahoo! email interface a lot better than Gmail's (although I still love Gmail), so I decided I'd get familiar with it.
I noticed that there was a split button beside the "New" button. For the few messages I had sent on Yahoo!, it was just reflex to press the main portion, as it would take me to my goal - which is to send an email message.
But curiosity got to me... and I succumbed to it by clicking on the untouched portion of the split button.
I discovered two peripheral functions to regular email - chat, and SMS. The concept of in-email chat was nothing new to me, having used Google Talk in the past. The concept of Internet-based SMS wasn't really new to me either, as I had tried sending free SMS messages from the Rogers and Fido sites. It didn't allow me to respond from my phone, nor did it allow me to track a conversation (let alone maintain it).
So, I decide I'll click on the button and give it a shot.
Yes, I'm just that new of a user with 16 new messages :)
I was presented with a place to enter a mobile number (or a contact, should I have a phone number stored to a contact in my Yahoo! Address book. After you've confirmed which number you wish to send it to, if that number is not in your contacts, it will ask you if you wish to add it to one of your contacts).
Upon entering my number, I was prompted to enter a message in the lower part of the screen.
So, I sent the message to my cell number, "Testing this cool function"
It immediately appeared in this iChat-esque interface, with the speech bubble, time, and even my Yahoo! Avatar image.
And subsequently, I get an SMS alert on my phone, reading as follows:
(my username): Testing this cool function
So, I reply with an SMS to the same number with "Cool indeed!"
Surely enough, I get an alert on Yahoo! mail that my number had sent me a message.
So, I proceeded to send a few messages back and forth until it got old talking to myself... but just thought to myself, "I have GOT to blog about this!"
The only drawback is incomplete compatability with messages excessive of 144 characters. It arrives in two parts, like this:
Now the question comes: where's the opportunity in this?
I was thinking that Yahoo! could become a quasi-MVNO, issuing ten digit phone numbers exclusively for text messaging, be it through the browser, or through phones. They could produce SIM cards (ones that could work on any GSM phone, despite any potential locks from carriers) for those who only text, and never do any calls. This could be done quite inexpensively, and be a very affordable solution for those who do not use voice for any reason.
Any FCC restrictions on mandatory 911 compatability (if existent) would be fulfilled, as all cell phones have built-in capability to make emergency calls, whether a number is active on it or not.
SMS could also be taken advantage of to provide inexpensive mobile email and chat.
Lots of opportunity here. I just think that this feature could be a lot more heavily tapped.
I only fear that as a result of a service like this, it will be used for spam.
That being said, on my luck, I just know that within days, I will receive a text message reading "spammingcompany: Cngrtltns! U have just won a trip 2 Hawaii!"
And they will subsequently be contacted with a very rude and belligerent reply :)
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