Prototypes
Search BBC schedules with your IM client, get SMS reminders sent to your phone
An instant messaging bot that you can query to get information on the 7-day BBC TV schedules, and ask for programme reminders via SMS (sent 15 minutes before the start of the programme you're interested).
Improvements: lots possible, including smoother navigation and additional 3rd party integrations (essentially anything with a web API). Also, could be expanded to non-TV channels, but have for simplicity's sake limited it to TV.
- 15 Sep 2005 04:45 PM
As an example of 3rd party web API integration, I've added a demo feature that lets you create a reminder in your Backpack account (as an alternative to SMS reminders).
Since this prototype doesn't know about user management, I am using a generic backstage account at Backpack - if you select to add a reminder to the Backpack account, go to http://backstage.backpackit.com/reminders with username backstage, password bbc (obviously everyone here is allowed to add/delete entries, so don't use it for anything real..)
I remember someone talking about iCalendar integration of BBC TV schedules - this may be one route, since Backpack supports iCalendar remote calendars.
Credits to Dave Cross for creating the Net::Backpack CPAN module I've used for this example..