Celly Brings DIY Social Networking to iOS With Free App

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Celly for DIY Social Networks

The more and more we all use social network tools like Facebook and Twitter, the more we can see the benefit of using them in smaller, more unique groups. How great would it be to have a social network that is only open to members of a school project, a church group, or a hot rod club? Instead of going through the hassle of building a Facebook group, figuring out privacy and membership, you could just connect folks together easily and quickly and be done with it.

Well, the folks at Celly seem to have thought of that already, offering a build your own social network that you can create and manage while you’re on the go.

Previously only available on Android, Celly got an infusion of cash recently, and put it to use developing the iPhone version of the service, which lets groups of individuals create private social networks called cells, letting anyone they invite to join super quickly from any other iPhone or iPad, simply by clicking an invitation or texting the @cellname they wish to join to a special number. Anyone can then participate in the cell with text messages, email, or via the web.

There are group message modules, with curation ability, privacy controls, and no group size limits. The cells can mix and match into new cells as well, letting participants grow and shrink their social network on the fly. The idea here is to let people, organizations, and companies to use cells as building blocks that can link together to form quick, easy, flexible social networks that anyone can use, regardless of platform.

So far, teachers, students, coworkers and other community members have made over 20,000 cells with the Celly platform. The co-founders have said that the biggest use is among schools for parent, teacher, and student communications, and hospitals for two-way messaging and emergency alerts.

Check out the free app in the app store now, and let us know what you think.

Source: App Store
Via: TechCrunch

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