Samsung has announced operator billing for Samsung Apps in 11 countries, including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, Vietnam, India, Thailand and Indonesia. Up until this point users had to use their credit or prepaid cards, or cyber cash to pay for mobile apps. The idea is to make it easier for users to…
Pandora adds comedy stations
Pandora just expanded its offering to include comedy stations to the mix. Just like you would do with the music, select a starting point based on a favorite artist or genre, and then give thumbs-up or thumbs-down feedback to personalize the station. You can choose from multiple genres, including political comedy, working class comedy, PG…
Muve Music now available in all Cricket markets
Cricket has been steadily adding new markets for its Muve Music service and voila – they are now offering it in all of its markets. The newly added markets include Fort Smith, Jonesboro and Little Rock, AR; Fresno, Merced and Visalia, CA; Macon and Savannah, GA; Boise, ID; Lincoln and Omaha, NE; Buffalo, Rochester and…
TexTango pays users for texting
A company called TexTango thinks there’s untapped market for mobile advertising in SMS. Like we already don’t find it annoying to receive sponsored text messages, they decided to bring that [horrible experience] to a whole new level. TexTango’s pitch is simple – allow users to make money by texting their friends and spread the word…
NAVTEQ’s LocationPoint mobile ad network launched in China
Nokia-owned mobile location-based service enabler NAVTEQ, which BTW is in the midst of re-organization to better work with Microsoft, launched its mobile ad network NAVTEQ LocationPoint in China. NAVTEQ’s ad network is already embraced by a number of companies, including Appello, Co-Pilot, NAVIGON, Poynt, RIM, Samsung and Telmap — all of which will be able…
iLoop Mobile’s SlingShop adds new twist to local deals
A company called iLoop Mobile is preparing to launch a novel service early this summer. Dubbed SlingShop, the mobile app/service combo was developed for small and mid-sized businesses as a much needed alternative to current “deal-a-day” services. iLoop Mobile says their baby combines the best features available in loyalty programs, mobile keychain applications and group…
ScanLife Barcode Jackpot rewards users to scanning Coke and Pepsi cans
As part of a plan which seems envisioned to get more users to scan barcodes, ScanLife is organizing a neat campaign, rewarding users for scanning Coke and Pepsi barcodes. In order to participate, you’ll have to download the ScanLife app on your phone and then scan UPC codes on a 12 oz. can, or a…
PayPal to process $2 billion in mobile payments this year
During eBay’s first quarter earnings call, the company said that its transaction arm PayPal expects to process more than $2 billion in mobile payments in 2011, which is nearly three times the amount it processed last year. According to eBay’s CEO John Donahoe, mobile payments offer strong growth potential for PayPal particularly since it doesn’t…
SparkQuest raises $2.5 million to connect deal redemption with point-of-sale systems
Atlanta-based Sparkfly recently secured $2.5 million in institutional capital for its “mobile engagement platform” – SparkQuest. Using Sparkfly’s solution merchants and brands can offer personalized and ongoing promotions and experiences to customers beyond one-time deals. SparkQuest works by connecting consumer deal redemption with merchant point-of-sale technology, addressing a key pain point for location-based marketers, which…
OpenFeint hits China through The9 Game Zone
OpenFeint is going to China in partnership with the online game operator The9. Together the two companies launched The9 Game Zone, a mobile social gaming platform for Chinese gamers and a new distribution channel for mobile game developers looking to expand to ever growing Chinese market. The9 Limited is one of the earliest providers of…