| If the White Rabbit's watch ran Windows Mobile... |
Oct. 17, 2008
 Programmer Alex Reich announced a Windows Mobile application that messages meeting participants automatically when a user is running late. Version 1.2.3 of "Oops I'm Late!" now sends alerts via Twitter and Facebook, in addition to the program's existing SMS, phone, or email notification methods, says Reich.
(Click here for a larger view of Oops I Am Late!)
The innovative "Oops I'm Late" works only on phones equipped with a GPS receiver. The user launches the application as they are leaving for a meeting to which they think they might be late.
"Oops I am Late!" is said to integrate with the Calendar application built into every Windows Mobile phone. Via this integration, it "knows" who will be at a meeting, and can retrieve stored location information, Reich says. Alternatively, the user can enter a destination address and contacts to notify.
Once the software knows the user's destination, it connects to Yahoo!, geonames.org, and Microsoft Live Search databases, in order to discover the destination's location and likely travel time, according to Reich. It then tracks the user's progress via GPS, and works out how late a user is likely to be. When a preselected "lateness threshold" has been reached, the application will contact other meeting participants to let them know about the delay.
 
Samples of SMS messages sent by Oops I Am Late!
According to the author, version 1.2.3 of "Oops I am Late!" now supports Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter-compatible services such as Laconica and Present-ly. The new version also still supports email, voice calling, and SMS text messages, which can be sent even while the user is on the phone with someone else, according to the company. As an added bonus, the program lets users send direct private messages to Twitter and Facebook friends, Reich says.
By combining prewritten text with updated arrival information, the application can send a personal-seeming message that "enhances your reputation with courtesy," says Reich. Sample output is shown in the two screens above.
Further information
Oops I'm Late is available in "ad-supported," "economy," "standard," and "professional" versions. The ad-supported version is free, while the others cost approximately $5, $15, and $25, respectively. All share the core functionality discussed above, but the paid versions add the ability to store more contacts, and can further personalized SMS messages, says Reich.
The application is available now. For further information, see the Oops I'm Late website, here.
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