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Twitter And Digicel Team Up To Bring Free SMS Tweets To Haiti

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Twitter has struck a deal with Digicel which will allow Digicel users in Haiti to use Twitter via SMS for free.

Twitter was able to strike a deal with Digicel to bring free SMS tweets to Haitian citizens (who use that carrier). Previously, people in the country would be charged a messaging fee each time they tweeted, so obviously this will help them communicate with the outside world a little easier. And it’s very simple to set use even if you don’t have a Twitter account yet.

To activate the service, mobile phone users in Haiti can text follow @oxfam to 40404. Accounts are created on the fly and any account can be followed this way.

[Via TechCrunch]

Google Offers Free Google Voice Calls To Haiti For Next 2 Weeks

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In an effort to help U.S. based families reach relatives in Haiti,  Google has made Google Voice calls to Haiti free for the next two weeks.

Additionally, Google has created a Google Crisis Response page from which you can donate directly to to unicef or Care via Google Check Out.  They have also listed the organizations accepting SMS donations.

  • SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts
  • SMS text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts
  • SMS text “GIVE10” to 20222 to donate $10 to Direct Relief

BlackBerry Messenger Gets Hit By Haitian Fundraising Spam

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What would possess some moron to create a fake fund raising scheme is beyond me, however, this is exactly what someone did.

A fake message being spread around BlackBerry Messenger says the following:

Because of what has transpired in Haiti recently, Blackberry has decided to help out and give 35 cents for the cause when you pass this message along to your friends on BBM.

This clearly isn’t an official message from RIM.  For starters, RIM would never refer to themselves as Blackberry.   Secondly, Blackberry is actually spelled BlackBerry…  Both Bs are capitalized.

Research in Motion is giving whomever started this message the benefit of the doubt.  An official RIM spokesperson says maybe, “the message originated from a legitimately confused user (who misunderstood some other unrelated news about charitable organizations raising funds through the texting medium), or perhaps the information morphed after passing through a string of people”.

If you do want to legitimately donate to the relief efforts for earthquake victims in Hati,  I sincerely hope that you do, text HAITI to 90999.  A $10 donation will be made to the Red Cross and a $10 charge added to your mobile bill.

[Via MSNBC.com]