smoking cessation program - Auto Responder

I created an app engine application that performs the same task as GVMax's autoresponder.

Basically it will send an SMS back to any person who sends you an SMS.

I did this app for a smoking cessation program and wanted it to be more reliable than GVMax.

In addition to what GVMax does, this app allows the admin to specify multiple SMS responses so if a client sends multiple SMSs he gets multiple different responses.

I will probably open source this aswell (like gvmax-post), but I still need to remove some stuff specific to the particular smoking cessation program I was working with.

ps: The app allows the admin to manage multiple numbers as well.

HTTP Post Service

GVMax has been a bit moody the last few weeks and the problem is probably related to GTalk notifications.

Since a lot of the new users use GVMax to perform an HTTP Post (mainly WM7 users) I decided to split that functionality out into a separate service .

To use it you will need to :
1- Forward your GV emails to gvmax@gvmax-post.appspotmail.com
2-Log into the service at https://gvmax-post.appspot.com and type in the HTTP Post URL you want to use.

I will probably provide an API for WM7 Phone developers so that they can do step 2 for there users automatically.

As for step 1, you create the gmail filter in the same way you would do in GVMax (if doing it manually (https://www.gvmax.com/filters)), but forward it to gvmax@gvmax-post.appspotmail.com instead.

This app runs wholly app engine it should be VERY reliable, since it does very little.

And by the way it is open source ( http://code.google.com/p/gvmax-post/ )

GVMax being used by a couple of WM7 GoogleVoice clients.

I always thought the api and http post functionality of GVMax was pretty nice, but until recently very few people used it.

Now it looks like a couple of Google Voice clients have started to make use of it.

GoVoice and FreeTalk

For iPhone users

There are many reasons to use GVMax these include:
- Being able to get SMS/VM notification on your computer's desktop via GTalk (and being able to reply from the IM program)
- Sending group SMS messages
- HttpPost and general API access to GV.
- Auto responding to SMS

But I suspect most people use GVMax for the original reason it was built for, namely to be able to be notified of SMS/VM on the iPhone. Of those people I would say around 2/3rd of them use it via an IM client on the iPhone such as Beejive or Meebo. This is because until recently this was the most seemless way to integrate GV with a non-jailbroken iPhone.

Recently Apple has allowed a couple of Google Voice native applications into its AppStore. This is great news ofcourse. Unfortunately currently both of these applications do not provide push notifications. This can be fixed by using GVMax together with Prowl. GVMax monitors your GV account for SMS/VM and tells Prowl to notify the user. The cool thing about Prowl is that it is them able to redirect the notification straight into GVMobile+ or GV Connect.

So to these people I suggest that they switch to using the GVMax/Prowl configuration (see my previous posts on how to set that up).

GVMobile+ also released on Apple's store.

Well done to Sean for getting GVMobile+ into the Apple Store. It is a pity that it appeared a day after GV Connect, since I think it is better than GV Connect.

If you need push notifications of SMS and Voicemail, you can follow the same instructions from my previous post but select GVMobile instead of GV Connect (note: I have not tried that yet, so let me know if it works, ie prowl can redirect properly).

Native IPhone Google Voice App at last!

So Apple finally allowed a native Google Voice app into their store. Read about it here:
http://lifehacker.com/5641283/apple-finally-approves-a-native-google-voice-iphone-app-again

It is called GV Connect

It looks pretty nice (the interface is functional although it could use a little polish).

It does not have push notification though, which is a pain. But using GVMax together with Prowl solves this problem. Here is how to do it:

1. Purchase Prowl on your iPhone.
2. Register at GVMax. Note you do NOT need to provide your GV password to GVMax. (If you don't provide your GV password you will need to create a gmail filter manually, instructions available here. If you do provide the password than all the config is done automatically)
   
3. Once registered, change your default notifiers, select Prowl and enter your Prowl API key.
4. Start prowl on your phone, 'Settings'/'Redirections'/'Add a New Redirection'
5. Under 'Application Name' type 'GV SMS' and select 'GV Connect (SMS)
6. Repeat step 4
7. Under 'Application Name' type 'GV VM' and select 'GV Connect (Voicemail)

Now when you receive a google voice SMS, GVMax will send you a prowl notification, which in turn causes prowl to display the SMS as a notification and opens up GV Connect so you can reply etc...

If I get sometime (unlikely) I will post a more detailed tutorial.

Regards,
Hani

GVMax after my move to Android

I have got a number of users asking about GVMax's status now that I have stopped using my iPhone.

Well, I will continue to run and support GVMax since I still use it on the desktop, but even if I was not using GVMax at all I would continue to support it. I would only consider shutting it down if Apple and Google got their problems sorted out. (Even then desktop integration via XMPP is something I use so would probably keep that going).

In the meantime any donations are welcome :)

Hani