Mozes is a Palo Alto based startup founded by Dorrian Porter that is tapping into the U.S. SMS (phone text) market.
It allows you to do all sorts of things via sms. Hear a song on the radio that you like and want to bookmark? Text the radio station (ie, KROQ) to 66937 (which translates to “Mozes”). Mozes will note the time and station name and bookmark the song title in your Mozes page (and sms you the song information). Meet someone who has a Mozes keyword? SMS their Mozes keyword to 66937 and store whatever personal information they’ve elected to share. And online advertisers can use a Mozes keyword to give you more information on the product.
Oliver Starr at MobileCrunch wrote a long review of Mozes with more information. Mozes faces a formidable chicken/egg problem – a lot of the value is realized only when a lot of people are using it. But it may be worth grabbing your personal keyword at Mozes now, just in case this is the next big thing. And you can use the radio station functionality right away.
Mozes has stayed quiet but they will finally start making some noise this weekend and generate revenue at the Maker Faire this weekend in San Mateo. The Faire is being put on by O’Reilly Media for its Make Magazine – a magazine for DIY technology projects. The event is going to be huge (15,000 people are expected) and as people walk around the Faire, they will be able to save information about their favorite exhibitors using Mozes. Dorrian sees it as a micro testing ground for how they will deploy Mozes in the real world.
To get started, sms “Dorrian” to 66937. You’ll add the founder to your friends list, and get an activation code.