For example, real simple syndication (RSS), a blog, email marketing, including an email newsletter (ezine), a text (SMS), and Twitter are channel tools, through which businesses serve their customer communities.

FORBES: Social Media Builds Customer Communities

Slimtrader is a promising start-up that launched a commerce platform a year ago using the tools available in the developing world: feature phones and SMS. A traveler in Lagos, Nigeria can enter the text shortcode for a bus ticket and get a reply with a schedule and prices.

FORBES: Slimtrader: Filling A Void In Mobile Commerce In Africa

Participating in the original conversation were a program that uses public health strategies to reduce urban violence ( Cure Violence), a group of young people creating health care tools for mobile devices ( Medic Mobile), and organizations using crisis mapping and SMS messaging to promote peace and facilitate humanitarian relief ( Ushahidi and Sisi ni Amani).

FORBES: The Secret to More Effective Philanthropy: Funding the Unknown