YAFE

Updates: Two quick updates. First, looks like the Edwards Application is actually a side project of Fred Stutzman of Unit Structures and not an official campaign app. In a very cool note, Fred is open-sourcing his application so anyone can build off of it. Second, I don't mean to imply that the Obama campaign will literally be spamming people with TXT messages, merely that they are using their mobile program as a broadcast tool rather than a targeted, niche tool as I laid out below.
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Obama and Edwards have some new toys for you to play with this week.

OBAMA
Scott Goodstein (who you might remember from such organizations as Punk Voter), writes on the Obama blog to announce the launch of Obama Mobile. My phone is at home (and I'm having lunch in the office), so I tried to sign up via their webpage and got a "service unavailable" message. An inauspicious beginning to a program that I've repeatedly expressed doubts about. Goodstein says:

Millions of Americans relying on cell phones and are cutting the cords to their landlines - so this new service is essential for us to communicate with a growing number of Americans where they’re at.

We will periodically update everyone with campaign updates, local information, public appearances, and other info. We will also use text messaging to ask for your opinions and advice and give you the ability to request information from the campaign.

In addition, I’m excited to announce that our supporters have made a bunch of great free ringtones and wallpaper designs to personalize your mobile phones and show your support.

As you know, I'm skeptical about mobile content in campaigns thus far. The New Politics Institute notes that content is just starting to come into its own, and politics is traditionally far behind the curve, but I just don't see this as the breakout year for mobile organizing in American electoral politics. Maybe in 2012.

Regardless, my take on what Goodstein describes is this: It sounds like the campaign is getting ready to spam news to their supporters. Obama Mobile (like most campaign mobile programs) is a sort of forced RSS straight to your cell phone and you can't avoid the call. This is good for GOTV purposes, but really misses the boat I think for the other 14 months we have left in the campaign cycle.

I can't remember where I read about this, but I heard about a mobile service that you can text in (at anytime) to receive immediate information about local weather. Rather than spam supporters, it would make much more sense to offer services like this through TXT/SMS. For instance, being able to text "obama" to get updates on when he will next be in your area. Or to get 3 short sentences about his position on an issue for those late-night bar debates (Drinking Liberally?) when you can't quite remember what the Senator said about an issue. Haven't we learned any lessons about content distribution from the decline of network television and rise of cable that could be transposed to the mobile market? isn't "niche" the buzz-word du-jour? Campaigns should find a way to make mobile information immediately useful, personally specific, and by request (not forced as part of a mass TXT). This should be a service for supporters, not just a marketing vehicle.

More on Edwards after the jump.