HeyWire Ramps Up Group Messaging for SXSW

Android and Updated iOS App Makes It Easier to Communicate and Find Your Friends


BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - March 8, 2011) - If you think group texting apps are going to shake up SXSW this year, then brace yourself for HeyWire™! Why? Because HeyWire is much more than a simple group messaging app -- it's a full-on Social Messaging Hub. By mashing up unlimited texting (SMS), Facebook Chat, Google Talk and Twitter, HeyWire makes staying in touch with friends a simple, seamless experience.

Today, just in time for SXSW, HeyWire is rolling out a new iOS version and bringing forward group messaging as just one of the many awesome features for Apple and Android devices. What makes HeyWire's group messaging feature so sweet?

  • It includes Facebook Chat, Google Talk, Twitter and Texting! HeyWire is the only app that lets users simultaneously send one message to friends via text messaging (SMS) and multiple social networks including Facebook Chat, Google Talk and Twitter.
  • It lets you get personal! With HeyWire, group message responses are threaded back to the HeyWire user, so individual conversations can continue.
  • It keeps Twitter followers in the loop! HeyWire users can extend the reach of their group message to their Twitter followers by placing 40404 in the "To" field of the message to send the message out as a Tweet.
  • It happens in real-time! Even if the HeyWire App is closed, messaging notifications for Tweets, texts and chats appear on iOS devices and through a message preview widget on Android.

But that's not all! HeyWire has a ton of other cool features that make it perfect for SXSW-ers. At a press party and wondering who's nearby to meet up for a beer? Use HeyLo™, HeyWire's location feature for iOS, to find which HeyWire friends are around!

Want to keep your focus during a super-interesting session or during a powernap to recharge for the evening? Use SmartSMS™, available on HeyWire for iOS, to hold all messages for future delivery and send customized auto-response messages to your friends, like "I'm at a SXSW session, I'll get back to you later!"

"SXSW is a logistical cluster, but HeyWire will make it super easy for people to text, group message, Tweet, chat across social networks and find friends while they're there," said Meredith Flynn-Ripley, CEO of HeyWire. "SXSW should definitely be experienced socially, and we love that we can make that happen for people."

If you're heading to SXSW, make sure to download the free HeyWire app for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android smartphones and tablets. Users can also get access to the web version to use through any web-enabled device!

About HeyWire
HeyWire™, brought to you by MediaFriends, Inc., is a real-time social messaging hub that empowers consumers worldwide to connect with each other in better ways using text messaging (SMS), Facebook, Twitter and IM on virtually any Internet connected device. For more information, please visit www.heywire.com.

Note to Editors
HeyWire works over Wifi or mobile operator data service. Texting is absolutely free worldwide for HeyWire-to-HeyWire Messaging. Friends without HeyWire responding to a HeyWire number will be charged by their mobile operator standard rates for texting a U.S. phone number. Nothing extra.

Contact Information:

Media Contacts
LaunchSquad for HeyWire
Mike Farber or Anna Farnum
heywire [at] launchsquad [dot] com
+1.617.945.1915

HeyWire
Glenn Kiladis
glenn [at] heywire [dot] com
+1.617.319.9789

HeyWire Group Messaging Online Buddies