Zed Launches Ad-Funded SMS Service

Mobile content provider the Zed Group is launching an SMS service called Zed Free SMS, which uses a unique advertising model.  Anyone can join by signing up for free at the Zed community Web site, which enables them to send up to five SMS messages per day at no cost.  Here’s the catch: Users can type up to 100 characters per message, leaving 60 characters for the advertising portion. The Zed Group claims to be the first to use this advertising format and will promote Zed Free SMS through Web sites like MSN and Google.   

ZVUE 260 MP3 Video Player at Holiday Price with Free Music Videos

ZVUE, a digital entertainment company, announced a holiday price on its ZVVUE 260 MP3 video player along with a holiday gift.  This is ZVUE’s first deal on its 260 model, pricing it at $84.95, down from $99, and allowing each buyer to download – for free – up to 50 top music videos from http://www.zvue.com.  This offer is only available with devices purchased at the http://www.zvueplayers.com Web site.  “The offer demonstrates the value and synergy we can create as both the product supplier and online distributor,” said Jeff Oscodar, president and CEO of ZVUE.

3 UK Launches Unlimited 24-Hour Music

Mobile operator 3 UK has launched its new Nonstop Music service for mobile devices.  For 49 pence the service grants users access to 24 hours of nonstop music on eight stations.  Each station is programmed on four-hour loops, with stations being updated weekly. 

Happy (Digital) Holidays! Cellyspace Intro’s Mobile Greeting Card Creator

Want to send holiday greetings, but just don’t have the time or money to buy and send off cards?  Or perhaps you’d rather a more ecological-friendly solution to the traditional paper Christmas greetings that are usually tossed away in the trash every year?  Either way, Cellyspace has introduced its MMS Composer for users to send their seasonal messages of joy digitally to mobile devices.  The Web-based app lets users create customized messages that are optimized to fit the receiver’s mobile phone format.  Users who register at Cellyspace’s site can run through the tutorial for creating their greetings, which is free to use. The site charges four Cellyspace Credits per message to send. Registered users can purchase credits at five cents each, making the total cost to send these merry messages 20 cents each, far cheaper than the cost of a stamp, never mind the actual card. Messages can include audio, video and images in addition to text.  

Google Loves Mobile Devices

Google is reportedly encouraging its software engineers to spend 20% of their time working on applications for mobile devices.

Dave Matthews Band, Van Halen to Offer Ringtones Via AT&T

The Dave Matthews Band and Van Halen are the latest rock artists to jump aboard the ringtone bandwagon. Both have made agreements with AT&T to distribute ringtones from their popular recordings for a limited time.  Specifically, Dave Matthews is planning on releasing several of the band’s live recordings as ringtones while Van Halen will be making its most popular songs available for fans as a way to promote their upcoming reunion tour.   

Until now, AT&T has been rather low-key with its music ringtone partnerships.  Competitor Verizon Wireless has signed deals with AC/DC and Led Zeppelin and is currently in the midst of a legal dispute between Universal Music Group and the estate of Bob Marley over the matter of digitally distributing ringtones from the late legend’s music.

Opera Takes on Microsoft

Tiny Opera Software, which developed the Opera Web browser and Opera Mini mobile browser, has filed a complaint with the European Commission against Microsoft. The suit alleges that the software giant illegally ties its own Internet Explorer browser to the Windows operating system, according to Reuters. Opera also claims that Microsoft is “hindering interoperability by not following accepted Web standards.” The Opera complaint brings back memories of a decade-old US suit in which a judgment was made against Microsoft in favor of Web browsing pioneer Netscape. Of course, Microsoft still managed to turn IE into the dominant browser.

Mobile Media Minigrams

Buzzwire
Buzzwire, which provides streaming audio, video and radio to mobile phones, has secured $8 million in second-round financing led by Sequel Venture partners. Prior investors Matrix Partners and Spark Capital also participated. Sequel’s Ron Bernal is joining Buzzwire’s board as a result of the investment.

QD3 Entertainment, Helio
Urban content producer and aggregator QD3 Entertainment and Helio are partnering to launch a QD3 branded channel that will be part of Helio’s new Music Mix premium video package. The QD3 Channel will offer content like artist interviews, music news, video and will base content under five categories: Classic Clips, Uncut, BEEF, Comedy and Originals to the MVNO’s customers.

Airborne Entertainment, Al Ovadia & Associates
Mobile entertainment provider Airborne Entertainment has inked a deal with Al Ovadia to bring the Spanish-language satire “Huevocartoon” to mobile. “Huevocartoon” is a Web-based, Flash-animated comedy that features a group of outspoken eggs and their partaking in the cultural and social aspects of life.

ROK Entertainment, FoneWorx
ROK Entertainment Group, the UK-based mobile entertainment development company, said that its subsidiary ROK Africa has signed an agreement with telecommunications service provider FoneWorx to distribute mobile technologies and services to mobile operators across Africa.

Jambo Mobile, Lavalife Corp.
Mobile media company Jambo Mobile and online dating site Lavalife have partnered to allow Lavalife to become the primary text and content partner for the Canadian and US markets.