get ready....dodgeball for the 21st century

Ch-ch-ch-check it: I'm taking on the role of early adopter and really really want everyone (whether in Portland or New York or whereever, though it will only work when we're in the same city - NYers, that will be the case June 10-14!) to join dodgeball with me! Imagine: I go out to 820 for a yummy happy hour lamb burger, and when I get there I send a text message to dodgeball that says I'm at 820 ("@820") and then dodgeball pings that text message around to everyone in my dodgeball network so they can meet up if they want. Comes in especially handy in loud bars and clubs and concerts where yelling into the phone "I'm at Doug Fir...Doug Fir....DOUG FIR!!!" over and over again can get quite annoying.

So wanna hit it up with me? Click on the dodgeball link above and sign up and then look for me (using my email - lizhummer@comcast.net - or my phone number) and add me as a friend. Once you're "in the know," you can invite your other friends who want to be just as cool as us, and then we start to have a friends-of-friends network a la Friendster, but way more practical because you know where people are hanging out and can actually meet up with them in real life. What a concept! And if you don't feel social one night (God forbid!), just don't "check in" with dodgeball by sending them a text message and no one knows where you are - as usual. Want some more info? See the FAQs below... Come on, all the cool kids are doing it (and if you need some more validation, Google just bought dodgeball, so it's about to get crazy popular)!

Q: What is it?
A: dodgeball.com is a social networking site built specifically for mobile phones.

Q: What does it do?
A: The idea is simple: tell us where you are and we'll tell you who and what is around you. We'll ping your friends with your whereabouts, let you know when friends-of-friends are within 10 blocks or alert you if any of your crushes are nearby.

Q: Give me an example.
A: Okay, so you're having drinks at Luna Lounge. Send us a text message telling us where you are and we'll fire off a text message to all your friends telling them where they can find you. If we find any friends-of-friends within 10 blocks, we'll ping you with their whereabouts too. If you have a camera phone, we'll even send you their picture.

Q: How do I use it?
A: Whenever you're out, use your mobile phone to send a text message to "portland@dodgeball.com" with a "@" and then the name of the bar, restaurant or park you're at. e.g. @Luna Lounge, @Bowery Bar. When we get your text message, we'll check to see if there's anyone you know nearby.

Q: So, how do you know who my friends are?
A: You need to tell us who your friends are, just like you did with those other social networking sites.

Q: So how is this different than those other social networking sites?
A: dodgeball.com is designed to help you meet up with friends and friends-of-friends while you're out, not while you're sitting at home in front of your computer. Try "checking-in" the next time you meet up with friends for drinks and see who you end up meeting up with.

Q: Now what?
A: To get started:

1. Head back to http://www.dodgeball.com
2. Browse around, find your friends and invite them to be your friend.
3. Send invites to your friends that haven't joined dodgeball.com yet.