Sydewynder is an open-source SMS receiver and sender application written in Python for the Nokia S60 phones. It can automate the responses of messages and can be used as a mobile application server in areas where setting up a traditional server may be difficult or illegal. It also is very useful for prototyping mobile applications, such as games, without the burden of expensive hosting. As such, it works very well in educational settings. It includes an emulator for developing scripts off of the phones as well as several example applications that students can modify to produce their own work. Sydewynder was tested as an educational tool in the fall of 2007 during classes in the Communication Design and Techonology Department at Parsons The New School for Design. Students developed many different kinds of applications, including using Sydewynder for prototyping mixed-reality games. They found the software to be reasonably easy to use for people with little prior programming experience, as well as a fast tool for rapid prototyping.