ShoZu gets easier, better

During the Smartphone Show, ShoZu Inc. announced an upgrade to its mobile phone media service that enhances the service’s value to media companies, content owners, web partners and handset manufacturers by increasing the visibility and usability of both the application and the partner offerings. The new features make it easier for camera phone owners to activate the application, send images to photo sharing sites and other Web destinations with the company’s Share-It service, subscribe to the company’s ZuCast media delivery service, and discover both the Web destinations and ZuCast options available.

New features include:

• Easier activation from the handset, whether ShoZu is pre-loaded on the phone or downloaded from a website.
• One-click image uploading for all Web partners, eliminating the extra clicks previously required to send images to sites that lacked full API integration with the ShoZu server.
• Easy access to ZuCast and Web destination listings from the handset, enabling users to subscribe to ZuCasts or select Web destinations for image upload without visiting the ShoZu website.
• Full integration of ZuCasts with the Share-It service, eliminating separate sign up procedures.

ShoZu also offers a variety of custom capabilities for partners in all categories, including custom landing pages as well as priority catalog listings for Web and media partners under certain circumstances.

Benefits for Partners

For brands, media companies and content providers, ShoZu offers the ability to connect, engage and interact with their consumers in the mobile world in a compelling yet effortless way, allowing partners to maintain the quality associated with their brand while seamlessly transitioning to the mobile device. For web communities, ShoZu offers increased usage and stickiness through easy extension of community services to the mobile phone with minimal upfront investment.

For handset manufacturers, ShoZu offers unlimited content support on one open application platform, eliminating the need to install different clients for each service or upgrade the client when a new service is added. For mobile operators, ShoZu offers the ability to generate new revenue streams with a service that has strong appeal for the key 14-30 demographic and does not interrupt other revenue-generating services.

Availability

The ShoZu upgrades will be available on Symbian Series 60 v2 and v3, Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) Smartphone 2003 and Microsoft Windows Mobile devices before October 30. A version for Java-based handsets will follow later this year.