mobile technology
QR codes
QR (or "quick response") codes are everywhere: on posters, in magazines, even on ads at bus stops. They are the tiny white squares full of black pixels arranged in a pattern.
What are they
They are two dimensional barcodes, originally created in Japan auto manufacturing plants to track factory products. Now these codes are used on any kind of material or object. With just the scan of a smartphone, the QR code opens an offline hyperlink. Anyone with a QR reader in their mobile can scan a code to see videos, pictures, websites and other content. The codes may be small but they can contain a lot of information.
Vibe
Vibe is a free microblogging app, much like twitter, for iphone, itouch and ipad.The biggest difference is that Vibe is completely anonymous - no logins, signing up or records of your messages.
It was created by 53 year old New York business consultant Hazem Sayed, who has been working on location based communication apps for years. Though the app was originally for people to chat at outdoor events, it's been embraced by the Occupy protesters as a secure way to communicate.
Ushahidi crowdsourcing
Ushahidi is an open source real time crowdsourcing tool that maps crisis incidents sent in through mobile phones. Like wordpress or tumblr, Ushadhidi is a platform. You can embed a map into your website or create your own separate version.
OpenWatch
OpenWatch is a citizen media initiative that provides users with free and open source mobile technology capable of documenting abuses of power.
OpenWatch technology consists of a mobile phone application capable of invisibly recording audio and video. The belief is that such evidence can be used to unmask corrupt practices, and charge those responsible.
Aside from exposing corrupt dealings, OpenWatch maintains that this participatory project also strives to promote the importance of an open and transparent government.
ShoZu
ShoZu allows mobile-phone users to publish multimedia content -- photos, videos, and text -- directly to the Internet.
Medic Mobile
Medic Mobile leverages communication technologies to improve the delivery of healthcare services in rural areas of the developing world. The idea is that connectivity via mobile technologies enables health workers overcome challenges inherent in these low-resource regions.
Crisis mapping
Crisis mapping utilizes mobile technology, geospatial platforms, visual models, and statistics to spur rapid early warning responses in a range of disaster scenarios. As a tool, crisis mapping has enabled those on the ground to better plan and allocate resources in humanitarian emergencies.
Essentially, crisis mappers are engaged in the live mapping of evolving catastrophes. Interestingly, crisis mapping technology has been leveraged in numerous cases including political, social, and environmental crises.
FrontlineSMS
FrontlineSMS is a free, open source software that allows for instantaneous two-way communication via SMS text messaging.
FrontlineSMS is unique in that it does not require an Internet connection to function. Essentially, FrontlineSMS works by allowing users to connect an array of mobile devices to a computer. In doing so, FrontlineSMS effectively turns any computer and mobile phone, or modem, into a two-way communication hub from which SMS text messages can be sent and received.
FrontlineSMS attests that its software can be used to send SMS text messages to large groups of people anywhere there is a mobile signal.
http://www.frontlinesms.com/
MobileActive
MobileActive harnesses the power of mobile technology for the purpose of social change.
Undoubtedly, the mobile phone is one of the most prevalent mediums of communication worldwide. In fact, MobileActive reports that nearly 6 billion mobile subscriptions are currently in circulation -- meaning, two thirds of the world's population now has access to mobile technology. MobileActive aims to capitalize on this reality by engaging people in a variety of social change issues via their mobile devices.