By David Wallace

The buzz about Twitter as the next great communications tool quieted down after a boom of trendy noise. It offers an instant-message format that broadcasts messages to select groups of people, but limits users to 140 characters. When it suddenly became all the rage, users were sending micro updates on even the most mundane daily activity—like the choice of breakfast cereal.

Twitter's phenomenon fizzled after crowds flocked to it with many noting its limitations and few compelling reasons for such short messages. E-mail remains the killer online application, even when unlimited cell phone minutes are available. Other variations of the group message offer real-world benefits and a wider range of options.

• PINGER lets you call a toll-free number and message several people simultaneously via a short voice or text message. Faster and more personal than SMS, it alerts people when messages arrive and they hear it in your own voice. They can respond with a voice message by pressing a single key.
• GRAND CENTRAL combines all your phone lines—home, office, cellular—into a single number where you can check all voicemail at once. One catch is you have to change to a single phone number and then tell your contacts to use that new number.
• JAIKU turns you into a broadcaster and makes your conversations into mini-blog entries that people can subscribe to via RSS feeds. When something new is added, they receive a notification. Voice or text messages get posted on a website you select. The identity of group members and the content are safe thanks to the password-protected log-in.

Many of these are in beta testing, or offer free service in return for putting up with advertising or possible changes in functionality. Everyone has some reason to be in touch—work or play, family messages or corporate contacts—and these tools link the Web to your phone or computer to help you add speed and simplicity.