ifttt Puts Internet Automation Into an iPhone App

ifttt today released a free iPhone app of the same name, which stands for 'if this, then that,' and which puts the power of Internet automation at your fingertips. The amazingly simple yet powerful service helps users create 'recipes,' such as 'if there is an upcoming event on my Google Calendar, then send me a text message reminder' without ever looking at a line of code.

While ifttt has long included text messages and phone calls among its list of supported services that you can add to recipes, the iPhone app actually adds a few mobile-specific new features. For example, it added support for several Apple apps, including Photos and PhotoStream, Contacts, and Reminders. You could now create a recipe right from your iPhone that could save all your PhotoStream photos to Dropbox. Another example would be to instruct ifttt: 'Send me a text message at 7a.m. daily with the current weather forecast.'

When you enable a phone number in ifttt for either text messaging or phone calls, you have to enter a code sent to that number, which helps ensure no one uses ifttt to send you junk.

Part of the value of ifttt is it lets you set up interactions between two or more Internet sites or services that don't necessarily have any formal integration with one another.

The new ifttt app also includes real-time feeds that show all activity your ifttt account has trigged, helping you keep an eye on your digital life. You can also turn recipes on and off from the app, and set up push notifications, too.