Tweeting and updating status messages was never an easy task. With launch of the new iPhone 4S, you no longer need to type your updates. Just talk to Siri and the task is complete. Let us have a look at how to update social networks with Siri, by going through the following article.
The latest feature of mobile phones is Siri. With the help of this interactive voice recognition software, you can ask questions, perform tasks and even type messages and notes by talking to your phone. Today most of us are active on various social networking sites. Won’t it be an utter delight, if we could just speak out our updates, status messages and tweets, instead of vigorously typing on the phone keypad? I am sure it would be a pleasure, and Siri will gladly complete your request. However, many new users tend to get the message, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you with Twitter or Facebook’ from Siri. This is because Siri has not yet been integrated with most social networking sites therefore, cannot directly update your tweets. There is a simple procedure that you need to follow before you begin updating statuses or tweeting using Siri. Let us go through the details of how to update twitter or Facebook with Siri by going through the following paragraphs.
How to Post on Facebook with Siri
You don’t have to go through a lot of trouble before you can begin posting messages on Facebook using Siri. If you’re wondering how to update your Facebook status with Siri, all you need to do is follow this link after logging into your Facebook account:
https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=mobile&t
Step # 1
Once you reach the ‘Mobile Setting’ page on Facebook, you need to select your country and mobile service provider for your iPhone 4S.
Step # 2
To activate your service, you need to send a text message from your iPhone 4S. Just type on the letter ‘F’ and send it to 32665.
Step # 3
You will promptly receive a verification code on your mobile from Facebook. This verification code needs to be entered into the ‘Activate Facebook Texts (Step 2 of 2)’ window you will observe on your Facebook page (as shown in the preceding image). Select or deselect the other options according to your wish.
Step # 4
Then, click on ‘Next’ and your phone will be verified as your authentic device that can post updates on your account. Save the number 32665 in your contacts under the name of Facebook. Save the name ‘Facebook’ as a First Name instead of business contact.
Step # 5
Once Facebook is saved as a contact, you need to press and hold the ‘Home Button’ for about 2 seconds. You will hear Siri ding and all you need to do is say ‘Text Message Facebook followed by your post or status update‘. Just make sure your status update is under 160 characters, and you speak out the punctuation.
After dictating the message to Siri, you will be shown the final message. Siri will ask you to confirm it and after you are okay with it, the message will be sent as an SMS to Facebook. Your post will automatically be updated on Facebook.
Alternative Ways to Post on Facebook Using Siri
If you do not wish to access a desktop or computer to complete the above process, you can use your phone to do so. All you need to do is send a message saying ‘Hello‘ to 32665. Facebook will send you a link that is mobile-friendly and works well on Safari (web browser). Follow the instructions as given and you will finally get a special code that you can add as a contact. This is a good option for those who are not able to access a desktop to complete the registration process for a mobile.
How to Tweet with Siri
Okay, so you want to tweet your opinions using Siri. In order to do this, you need to follow the link given below:
http://www.twitter.com/devices
Step # 1
Sign into your account and you are ready to start. The above link will guide you to a page that says, ‘Use Twitter with Text Messaging!’ Enter your country and phone number. And click on ‘Start’.
Step # 2
You need to send a text message to Twitter with the word ‘Go’ to 40404. You will now receive a verification code, as shown in the preceding image.
Step # 3
You will need to complete the verification process after receiving the verification code after which your Twitter account will be linked to your phone number. You will need to save the number 40404 in your contacts under the name ‘Twitter’.
Step # 4
You can now send all tweets from your iPhone 4S using Siri in the form of a message. The tweets will go to 40404 and your Twitter page will be updated automatically. All you need to do is say, ‘Send Text Message to Twitter, followed by your post or status update‘.
Alternative Way to Tweet on Twitter Using Siri
If you are away from your computer and still want to connect your iPhone 4S with your Twitter account? No problem. You can do so in a similar manner like we did with our Facebook account. You need to send a text ‘Start‘ to 40404. Soon, you will receive messages asking for your username and password. Once the verification process is complete, you can add 40404 as a contact for Twitter.
Important Point to Remember
Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook offer the service of SMS updates for free. However, your mobile carrier will charge you for the text messages sent. This is because, although you are using Siri to update or tweet, you are ultimately sending a text message. Thus, make sure you know the charges levied by your carrier, before you tweet or post using Siri.
How to Open Apps with Siri
Siri is a wonderful voice command app that you will enjoy using. However, it is still in its beta phase and is missing a few basic features. These include launching apps by just telling Siri to open them. Thus, many wonder how to use Siri for social media management. For this, you can use URL schemes that allow you to launch apps through your Mobile Safari (web browser). So, how to open third-party apps with Siri? Well, all you need to do is create a bunch of URL schemes according to your needs. Once you make these schemes, you can ask Siri to ‘show Facebook shortcuts’ or ‘Show me Bluetooth’. Some of the commands that you can use to open apps with Siri are as follows:
- fb://~ Facebook
- maps:// ~ Maps
- music:// ~ Music Application
- sms:// ~ Messages
- twitter:// ~ Twitter
- twitterrific:// ~ Twitterrific
- youtube:// ~ YouTube
- prefs:root=Sounds ~ Sound Settings
- prefs:root=Brightness ~ Brightness Settings
- prefs:root=Wallpaper ~ Background Settings
- prefs:root=General&path=Bluetooth ~ Bluetooth Settings
- prefs:root=LOCATION_SERVICES ~ Location services
- prefs:root=General&path=USAGE/CELLULAR_USAGE ~ Mobile Usage
- prefs:root=Sounds&path=Ringtone ~ Ringtones
- prefs:root=General&path=Assistant ~ Siri Speech Settings
These are some URL schemes that you can use to open application(s) using Siri. If you wish to open specific pages on certain websites, for example Facebook, you need to make page specific URLs. Some of these URLs related to Facebook are as follows:
- fb://albums – Open Facebook app to Photo Albums list
- fb://events – Open Facebook app to the Events page
- fb://feed – Open Facebook app to the News Feed
- fb://friends – Open Facebook app to the friends list
- fb://notes – Open Facebook app to the Notes page
- fb://notifications – Open Facebook app to the notifications list
- fb://profile – Open Facebook app to the user’s profile
- fb://requests – Open Facebook app to the Requests list
In a similar fashion, you can add the URL twttr://open to open your Twitter page. You can create your very own personal list of ‘Shortcuts’ or ‘Favorites’ contacts. All you need to do is add a specific URL for the app you wish to open using Siri. If you tell Siri, ‘Show Favorites’, you will be guided to your list of app shortcuts that you can open with Siri. Now, all you need to do is tap on the specific URL that you wish to get access to.
This was all about how to use Siri to update Twitter and Facebook. As you can see updating Facebook and Twitter using Siri is quite simple. However, you will need to pay for it according to your network carrier charges for text messages. When you need to update your profile make sure you say, ‘Send Text Message to Facebook/Twitter’. The words Text Message are very important or else Siri will give you a reply like “Sorry, I can’t help you with Facebook/Twitter”. It may even attempt to send a mail to Facebook or Twitter. Thus, keep in mind to say text message clearly. Also, Siri is not available with many third-party developers and applications. This requires you to use the above-mentioned URL schemes to open an app. If you are interested, you could even try using potential Siri-like apps other on iPhone 4 and 3G as well as Android. That’s all for now. Happy Tweeting or Facebooking!