Phone Phun

What do they call those weird phone numbers that they want you to text stuff to during all the TV shows? You know it's not a regular phone number, because it isn't long enough, but they must work, because there's so many of them out there.

Common Short Codes (CSCs) are shorthand phone numbers you can use on your cell phone to vote in polls, enter contests, or otherwise access special content. You've seen them on TV: just text "1", "2", or "3" to some five- or six-digit number, or maybe a word spelled out.

So what do you do if you're eager to participate in whatever survey or promotion you just saw, but you totally missed that number? Will they ever hear back from you? Will your vote count?

There is actually an agency that is tasked with keeping track of all these numbers. An outfit called Neustar, who is under contract to maintain these numbers, has an official list but apparently inclusion in it is voluntary by the number owner, and it isn't always up to date. Another source for this information is located at The US Common Short Code WHOIS Directory.

Don't miss out on all the fun.

Need help making life's difficult decisions? Text any "yes" or "no" question to 8ball@mosio.com from your phone and fate will decide the answer for you.

(This free Magic 8-Ball service is provided by the Mosio Project, a subscription-based mobile product.)

Here's an interesting new game — sort of a combination of an auction and a sweepstakes that's played over text messaging. Limbo 41414 puts big-ticket items up for auction: stuff like a Hummer, a plasma TV, and so on. Players "bid" on the items, but unlike ebay, to win the auction you have to have the lowest bid that doesn't match anyone else's bid. The company claims that players come away with stuff like a video iPod for $4.30 and diamond earrings for $1.45.

To join Limbo send a text message with the word FREE to the number 41414 or go to www.41414.com to learn more.

The game doesn't support my mobile phone company, so I can't play via SMS. However, you can also bid on some auctions by calling 1-877-771-9257. I was able to try for tickets for an NCAA championship game via phone (I placed a unique bid but wasn't the lowest: the automated voice told me to call back to try again.) I could not bid on the Hummer via telephone — for that, you need to use SMS.

I don't understand the company's business model at all … maybe you should try to win cheap stuff before their investors figure it out.