If you’ve got a Windows Mobile device and you’re interested in trying out a new way to access the Internet from your phone, you should check out the just released application from Seattle based Zumobi.
Zumobi today launched the Beta version of its award-winning Zooming User Interface and mobile widget platform. Zumobi can now be downloaded free from the company’s Web site: www.Zumobi.com. Content is available from more than 75 mobile widgets or Tiles, including many from Zumobi launch partners such as Amazon.com, MTV Networks, The Associated Press, and AccuWeather.com.
I’d encourage you to play around with the Flash demo first, to see if you like the interface.
To participate in the Zumobi Beta you’ll need the following:
* A U.S.A. mobile phone number
* A data plan with your mobile phone service provider (they strongly recommend this be an unlimited data plan)
* A mobile phone running Windows Mobile 5 or 6
While Zumobi is compatible with most phones running Windows Mobile 5 or 6, they have certified and recommend the following devices for optimal performance:
* Motorola Q
* Samsung Blackjack 1.0
* HTC Dash
* HTC Touch
In the FAQ, the company says that although it will work on other Windows Mobile devices, they have not “fully certified these phones yet and cannot guarantee an optimal experience.”
The company also mentions that additional Windows Mobile devices will be supported soon and Blackberry and selected J2ME compatibility will be coming early in the second quarter of 2008.
If you haven’t heard of Zumobi before, it’s not a big surprise, because they recently changed their name from ZenZui. Furthermore, this is the first product they have commercially launched. The company is a spin-out of Microsoft Research and has received at least $12M in venture capital.
It will be interesting to see how the company does - clearly there is a major need in the market to improve the browsing experience on mobile phones and Apple has demonstrated that if you figure it out, people will browse on their phones.
The concern I have for Zumobi (or anyone else in this space) is that getting distribution is really, really tough right now. I’m sure the Zumobi team is working hard to convince wireless carriers to embed their technology, but that is a long and arduous process with a ton of competitive implications. In any event, if you download their application, we’d love to hear your thoughts.
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