Getting Paid for Every Word You Text...

What if you could make money for each word that people text to eachother on their smart-phones? I think it's possible to monetize the auto-correct spelling feature of these phones. There is a chance that this is already being done however, because of its concealed and very subtle nature.

As a lawyer, I spent precious few of my daily text messages talking about the bar. When I did text the word 'bar', it was often because I wanted to stop studying and have a barbeque. So, I would hit up my friends with a text. I would take out my HTC Hero Droid phone and type in, "Barbeque and Nazi Zombies?". But, on the HTC Hero, as soon as one types in "Barb", the phone gives "Barn" and "BARBRI" as suggestions for the word you are trying to type. Thus reminding me that I had to wake up early the following morning for 4 hours of video-taped classes.

For those of you who don't know BARBRI, it is the name of one of the popular bar study courses - it is a trademark. It is unlikely that BARBRI is aware of Droid's generous execution of its auto-correct software. If BARBRI was aware, it would probably be alright with this use. In fact, BARBRI and other trademark owners would probably pay for Droid's auto-correct to suggest that trademarks are what the phone user "intends" to type into a text.

Imagine if Facebook could expose you to it's brand every time you type "face" into your phone. With my Droid, if you type "face" followed by the letter 'b', 'n', or 'v', one of the suggestions for what you intend to type is indeed "Facebook". Thus, Facebook "owns" the real estate of two letters of the alphabet that aren' even in its name. I'm not sure if Facebook knows of this generous execution of Droid's auto-correct code.

This auto-correct code could be created in such a way as to suggest trademarks based on the trademark owner who paid the most. Every time you type "dont", your phone tells you that you must be typing "Sony", and Droid gets a nickel because you were exposed to the trademark. Well, right now Doird probably doesn't get anything, but it could...

Try typing the word "stood" into a Droid phone. Does the phone ask if you are trying to type its name - "Droid"? My phone does. If you write the code that tells people what they mean to type, then it's easy to play favoritism with yourself.

The code could be written so that if I type Pepsi, it suggests Coca-Cola. At least it could be written that way if Coke were Droid's customer. Otherwise, it should suggest Tab.