"Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"
While Twitter is mostly about broadcasting to your friends (and the public), it also sports the ability to send private messages. This means you and Sandy can exchange private text/SMS messages to and from your cellphone and by instant messenger (iChat, Google Talk, Jabber, and LiveJournal).
We urge you to practice safe and considerate texting. And, of course, please don't text and drive. (You might want to think twice about texting and walking too — especially if you're chewing gum at the same time.)
Twitter setup and settings
How do I get Twitter and Sandy talking?
Visit your Twitter settings and introduce Sandy to your Twitter self.
Essentially, you'll become Twitter friends, mutually following one-another.
Please note that by following Sandy as part of setting up Twitter and Sandy to talk, you will appear on her profile page. Your direct private messages themselves, however, will of course stay between you and Sandy.
Do I need a Twitter account?
Yes — but but it's free! Get yourself a Twitter account »
Twitter reminders
Sandy can send you a reminder tweet that you can redirect to your mobile phone by SMS/text message; your desktop via AIM, iChat, Google Talk, and LiveJournal; or just silence when you want a little quiet time.
How do I turn on reminder tweets?
Visit your Twitter settings, click the "Yes" radio button under "Would you like me to send you reminder tweets?", and click the "Save" button to save your settings.
How do I turn off reminder tweets?
Visit your Twitter settings, click the "No" radio button under "Would you like me to send you reminder tweets?", and click the "Save" button to save your settings.
Twittering with Sandy
What is Sandy's Twitter user name?
Sandy's Twitter user name is "S" (rather than "Sandy" or "iwantsandy," saving your thumbs some mobile typing).
How do I twitter with Sandy?
Twitter with Sandy by direct private message just as you would any of your friends and she'll twitter you back (almost always within a minute). Try:
d s hi
(In Twitter-speak, this means: "Send Sandy a direct private message saying 'hi'.")
Sandy will reply to your tweet with:
Hi, I'm Sandy, your personal assistant.
Set a reminder: r go for a walk in 15 mins
...
Sandy will respond to "remember" or "remind" ("r" in even shorter shorthand), lookup ("l" as in lower-case "L"), update ("u"), forget ("f"), and "invite" ("i").
Twitter's tweets differ from email in that Sandy can't tell whether you're responding to a tweet she just sent, one from an hour ago, or one you just noticed from last week. By numbering things, you can both be sure you're talking about the same item.
How do I ask Sandy to update something?
Updating things via Twitter works just as it does by email.
In every one of Sandy's replies — whether confirmations or lookup results — she numbers each item like so:
#1 I got: chris likes french cheese
She does this so that you can refer to a specific item you'd like her to update. Just reply to any tweet like this:
update [#number of the item to update] [text, date, time, and/or tag you want updated]
For example:
update #1 chris doesn't like french cheese
update #2 12/2/07
update #3 @family
Sandy will reply with a renumbered response:
#2 I updated: chris doesn't like french cheese
You can leave out the # sign and save your fingers a keystroke: update 1 chris likes dutch cheese. Save 5 more keystrokes using "u" instead of "update": u 1 chris likes dutch cheese
How do I ask Sandy to forget (delete) something?
Forgetting (deleting) things via Twitter works just as it does by email (and just the same way updating works: see above).
Just reply to any tweet like this:
forget [#number of the item to forget]
For example:
forget #1
Sandy will reply with an un-numbered response:
* I updated: chris doesn't like french cheese
You can leave out the # sign and save your fingers a keystroke: forget 1. Save 5 more keystrokes using "f" instead of "forget": f 1
What is it like to twitter with Sandy?
Here's a sample Twitter conversation with Sandy to give you some of the flavor...
d s remember chris likes french cheese
[Sandy] #1 I got: chris likes french cheese
d s update #1 chris likes good french cheese
[Sandy] #2 I updated: chris likes good french cheese
d s forget #2
[Sandy] I forgot: chris likes good french cheese
Is there any shorthand I can use to save my thumbs some typing?
Sure thing! Instead of typing "remember" or "remind", try "r", as in:
r yoga fri 8a
And instead of "lookup", try "l" (that's a lower-case "L"), as in:
l tomorrow
For "update", use "u", like so:
u 1 fri 9am
For "forget", use "f":
f 1
And to invite someone, "i" works just like "invite":
i pat@example.com
Twitter + Sandy security and privacy
How is Twitter affiliated with Sandy?
Twitter is a third-party service and is not affiliated with Sandy. Twitter and Sandy accounts are completely independent, as are Twitter's and Sandy's respective terms of use (Sandy's Terms of Use) and privacy policies (Sandy's Privacy Policy).
NOTE: By turning on Twitter support you understand that you are allowing Twitter, a third-party service, to access your private data at iwantsandy.com on your behalf.
If you have any questions or concerns, please send email to help@iwantsandy.com.
Do you share my Sandy account information with Twitter?
No. We'll never share your account information with anyone without your explicit consent.
Do you I need to share my Twitter user name or password with Sandy?
No. We associate your Twitter user name and Sandy account through a confirmation code (see "How does Sandy know a tweet is from me?"); Sandy never needs your Twitter password.
How does Sandy know a tweet is from me?
When you first introduce Sandy to your Twitter you, she sends a confirmation code that you receive through Twitter and paste or type into a form field in your Twitter settings on iwantsandy.com. In this way, Sandy knows that your Twitter account is authorized to speak to your Sandy account.
Sandy regularly poll's Twitter asking for any new direct private messages meant for her eyes only. Each message you twitter is associated with your Twitter user name and account which Sandy checks against the Twitter user name she has on file for your iwantsandy.com account.
Sandy only picks up Twitter messages from Twitter users with whom she has a mutual "follow" relationship and whose Twitter accounts have been authorized to access an iwantsandy.com account.
How do I ask Sandy to stop accepting tweets on my behalf?
Visit your Twitter settings, clear the "Twitter user name" form field (highlight your Twitter user name and hit the "delete" key on your keyboard), and click the "Save" button to save your settings.
What if I change my Twitter user name?
If you change your Twitter user name, you should tell Sandy by visiting your Twitter settings, replace your current Twitter user name in the "Twitter user name" form field with your new one, and click the "Save" button to save your settings.
Twitter cost
What does Twitter cost?
A Twitter account costs you nothing. Get yourself a Twitter account »
Standard text messaging fees charged by your mobile carrier do apply for SMS/text replies, reminders, etc from Twitter and Sandy; please speak with your carrier or consult your mobile phone bill for these rates.
