If You're Not Using Ifttt, Then You Don't Like the Internet

2012-05-18T17:35:00Z

San Francisco-based startup ifttt (If This Then That) has built a framework that lets you harness the full potential of the Internet and your web-connected devices.

By "listening" to various channels (weather, stock prices, RSS feeds, SMS messages, and many more) ifttt can carry out actions when certain criteria are met.

Want the weather texted to your phone every morning? Want an email alert when a stock starts to crash? ifttt can handle these tasks and many more.

It's duct tape for the Internet.

Here's how to use it to trigger a phone call and use it as an excuse to leave an awkward situation.

This is what your dashboard looks like after you create an account and log in. From here you can create a task from scratch or browse pre-made "recipes." Click on the Recipes button in the top right

Click on the blue arrow next to the first search result

You need to teach ifttt how to receive your text messages and how to call you. Click on the blue "Activate" button next to the SMS logo

Screenshot

Enter your phone number and click on "Send PIN." A moment later, you'll get a text message with a PIN number in it

Type it in and press "Activate"

Success!

Now you need to teach it how to call you. Click on this Activate button

Type in your phone number and press "Send PIN." A moment later, your phone will ring and a computerized voice will tell you your PIN number

Type it in and press Activate

Success!

Now you need to customize it. Come up with a tag to use in your text message that will trigger the phone call. In this case, any message sent to ifttt with "#helpme" in it will make our phone ring in a few minutes

Then you can customize the message that the same computerized voice will read to you when it calls. Change it however you like, then click on "Create task"

Let's text the tag to ifttt

If You're Not Using ifttt, Then You Don't Like The Internet

This is what your dashboard looks like after you create an account and log in. From here you can create a task from scratch or browse pre-made "recipes." Click on the Recipes button in the top right

Click on the blue arrow next to the first search result

You need to teach ifttt how to receive your text messages and how to call you. Click on the blue "Activate" button next to the SMS logo

Enter your phone number and click on "Send PIN." A moment later, you'll get a text message with a PIN number in it

Type it in and press "Activate"

Success!

Now you need to teach it how to call you. Click on this Activate button

Type in your phone number and press "Send PIN." A moment later, your phone will ring and a computerized voice will tell you your PIN number

Type it in and press Activate

Success!

Now you need to customize it. Come up with a tag to use in your text message that will trigger the phone call. In this case, any message sent to ifttt with "#helpme" in it will make our phone ring in a few minutes

Then you can customize the message that the same computerized voice will read to you when it calls. Change it however you like, then click on "Create task"

Let's text the tag to ifttt

A few minutes later, the phone rings. Use this as your excuse to leave!

Siri needs more capabilities

It's completely ridiculous that Siri can't do these 8 simple things >

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If You're Not Using ifttt, Then You Don't Like The Internet

This is what your dashboard looks like after you create an account and log in. From here you can create a task from scratch or browse pre-made "recipes." Click on the Recipes button in the top right

Type "text to escape" in the search box

Click on the blue arrow next to the first search result

You need to teach ifttt how to receive your text messages and how to call you. Click on the blue "Activate" button next to the SMS logo

Enter your phone number and click on "Send PIN." A moment later, you'll get a text message with a PIN number in it

Type it in and press "Activate"

Success!

Now you need to teach it how to call you. Click on this Activate button

Type in your phone number and press "Send PIN." A moment later, your phone will ring and a computerized voice will tell you your PIN number

Type it in and press Activate

Success!

Now you need to customize it. Come up with a tag to use in your text message that will trigger the phone call. In this case, any message sent to ifttt with "#helpme" in it will make our phone ring in a few minutes

Then you can customize the message that the same computerized voice will read to you when it calls. Change it however you like, then click on "Create task"

Let's text the tag to ifttt

A few minutes later, the phone rings. Use this as your excuse to leave!

Siri needs more capabilities

It's completely ridiculous that Siri can't do these 8 simple things >

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