Clinton uses text messaging

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton launched a service asking supporters to sign up for regular text-messaged campaign updates, using text messaging as a political tool, reports Online.wsj.

Text messaging has been used before - Clinton's rival John Edwards used it in December and Barack Obama plans to start soon - but Clinton's use of it signals how widespread the technology is becoming for political campaigns.

Traditionally, political campaigns have lagged in adopting new types of advertising or technology, but with so many candidates trying to get ahead, or at least not get left behind, the technology is becoming widespread.

Microsoft is working with partners on a new generation of phones and other devices that will connect to e-mail, instant messaging, real-time presence information, VOIP, and mobile platforms, says Techwhack.

Microsoft highlighted its 'unified communications' strategy at the Hardware Engineering Conference in Los Angeles.

The company is working with several device manufacturers, including LG-Nortel, NEC, Plantronics, Polycom, Samsung, ASUSTek Computer, GN, Tatung and ViTELiX on the device specifications for this upcoming technology.

Recent voting in the Philippines differentiated itself from past electoral exercises because of the intensified use of technology to help voters, and to monitor the conduct of the polls, says Sunstar.com.

They used Web sites, blogs, chat rooms and mobile phones to issue and receive reports or complaints.

In the 2004 presidential elections, the entry of technology was seen in text messaging for survey purposes. This time, multiple platforms to get services for finding a precinct, making complaints and reporting irregularities were noted.