Smart New Uses for Old Technology: SSID to Broadcast a Message

SSID_Messaging
If you want to know what’s going to happen next with a technology perhaps the smartest way to predict the future is to ask your kids – or someone else’s… It’s amazing what you might learn.

The other night, for example, I was having a meeting with Tom Foremski of Silicon Valley Watcher. His son, Matt, also happened to be present. I needed to log into their WiFi to go over a few things and as I did so I noted a number of funny networks in the area – phuckphace, for example.

When I mentioned this Matt told me how he and his friends are using the SSID – and it’s both clever and surprising: they use it to broadcast general messages to their local area. An example: someone’s SSID might be “shutyourdogup” (the intent being obvious). Another might be “partyatmyplacenexthurs”.

Sure, this is non-specific, but if you know who the network belongs to (or you know you’ve got a barking dog issue) this is a quick, dirty and free way to get the word to folks that are local to you.

Have you heard about another clever new way to use a technology you thought was fully exploited? Did you learn about it from someone half your age?

I’m curating a Pearltree on this topic, so please include links with your comments and I’ll add other cool tips to the Pearltree so that you can see what other folks have discovered.

About Oliver

Oliver Starr is an author, entrepreneur, former technology executive, and wildlife conservationist with a career spanning journalism, technology, strategic communications, and executive leadership. An early contributor to TechCrunch and founding writer of MobileCrunch, he later served in senior executive and advisory roles, including Chief Evangelist at Pearltrees. Today, he is the founder and Executive Director of the Tahoe Wolf Center, author of The Wolf Lover’s Guide to Raising Dogs, and a TEDx speaker. His wildlife and educational content has generated more than 100 million documented views across digital platforms.
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