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Tag: instant-messaging

  • Yuuguu Extends Instant Collaboration To Include Skype


    Yuuguu has expanded its screen sharing cross network application to include Skype.

    The Yuuguu for Skype Beta enables Skype users to screen share and collaborate with one or more contacts.

    Yuuguu can also use the VOIP calling feature of Skype.

    The application also allows users to combine their contacts on a variety of instant messaging services such as Google Talk, MSN, AOL, Yahoo and AIM into one place.

    Each month, Yuuguu is free for 100 minutes with a maximum of five participants in a session.

    Users can upgrade to Yuuguu Plus for USD $15 per month, which includes unlimited screen sharing and web conferencing usage.

    Co-founder and CEO of Yuuguu, Anish Kapoor said the Yuuguu for Skype Beta is the simplest and quickest way for Skype users to instantly screen share, and collaborate in real time with one or more of their contacts on Skype.

    "Our product developments over the last 18 months have been geared to strong customer demand for instant real-time collaboration tightly integrated with their instant messaging services," he said.

  • Nimbuzz Strikes Deal With Spice Mobile


    Nimbuzz has agreed a distribution deal with Indian telecoms company Spice Mobiles.

    As a result Spice Mobile handsets will now have the Nimbuzz application pre-installed.

    Nimbuzz is a mobile instant messaging, (geo) presence and VoIP provider whose software allows users to chat, message and send files on the go.

    The deal also includes Spice Mobiles becoming a major distribution partner to join Nimbuzz’s global Manufacturer Affiliate Program.

    Spice Mobiles has approximately 25,000 retail outlets.

    Nimbuzz CEO, Evert-Jaap Lugt, said they had subscribers in over 200 countries and were growing at a rate of 20,000 new users per day.

    Nimbuzz CEO Evert_Jaap Lugt

    The Spice Mobiles deal is a global contract. In addition to India, pre-installed Spice Mobiles devices will be sold in other APAC territories.

    "This deal ensures significant market penetration for Nimbuzz across the APAC territories and we will be working closely with Spice Mobiles to encourage future shipment of new handsets,” said Lugt.

    Gartner expects India’s mobile user base of around 300 million to reach 737 million by 2012.

    Price Waterhouse Coopers reports the Indian mobile VAS market will reach USD $2 billion by the end of 2008 and expect it to account for 18 per cent of operator revenue by 2010.

    Spice Mobiles CEO, Kunal Ahooja, said the Indian market was experiencing soaring mobile usage and penetration.

  • AOL messaging comes to Blackberry

    RIM partners with AOL to bring AOL Mail, AIM and ICQ to the Blackberry

    AOL’s email and instant messaging applications, AIM and ICQ, are to be embedded in Blackberry smartphones.

    While all three of the AOL features will only be available in the US initially, they are to be expanded to other markets shortly.

    RIM and AOL have developed native BlackBerry applications for both of the IM clients to ensure they work effectively on the Canadian-made handsets.

    AOL Mail for BlackBerry is built on the “push e-mail” architecture that RIM’s smartphones are already equipped with.

    Once installed on a BlackBerry device, AOL Mail will offer the same features as the desktop version, synchronizing data and content with the users’ online account.

    For those with BlackBerry OS 4.5 or later, emails can be viewed in HTML format and Microsoft Office attachments downloaded.

    Kevin Conroy, executive vice president at AOL, said he was thrilled to be collaborating with RIM.

    “By integrating our AOL Mail, AIM and ICQ services with the BlackBerry platform, users will have an exceptional mobile communications experience anytime, anywhere,” he said.

    Mark Guibert, vice president, corporate marketing at Research In Motion, said the BlackBerry platform offered unparalleled email and messaging capabilities for mobile customers.

    “We are very pleased to be working with AOL to enable a rich mobile experience on BlackBerry smartphones for the tens of millions of people who use AOL Mail, AIM and ICQ.”

    BlackBerry users can download both AIM and ICQ from the BlackBerry official website.

    Meanwhile, Nokia is looking at RIM’s business appeal by expanding the number of devices automatically capable of accessing Microsoft corporate e-mail.

    The Finnish company has said it will embed Microsoft Exchange Activesync on all Nokia phones that use the S60 Symbian operating system.

    This will mean 43 different models of Nokia phones will have easy access to Microsoft corporate email.

    Nokia will also add the Microsoft Exchange support to all new N-Series and E-Series phones that hit the market in the future.
    Prior to this announcement Nokia offered Microsoft email support as a download for only a handful of devices.

    But the feature wasn’t well publicized, and it was somewhat difficult to download.

    The enhancement is significant, especially in the US, where Nokia has not made inroads in a smartphone market dominated by BlackBerry devices.