Tuesday, 2 October 2007

Google Buys Mobile Social Network 'Zingku'

Google’s interest in social networking sites is known. It acquired Orkut two years ago and later acquired YouTube. Perhaps the number of people that visit these sites was an attraction. Now aiming to capture the mobile audience and in its...

Google’s interest in social networking sites is known. It acquired Orkut two years ago and later acquired YouTube. Perhaps the number of people that visit these sites was an attraction. Now aiming to capture the mobile audience and in its endeavour to provide more services through mobile devices, Google acquired mobile social network, 'Zingku'.

Some view this move as an important part of Google’s imminent launch of a phone Gphone.

Zingku was started in 2005, and is a mobile social network that typically targets teenagers and 20-somethings, helping them to share photos, send invites, and conduct polls through mobile phones for free.

There's also a 'shameless commerce' aspect to the network, which enables businesses send access code to customers to help them download and share 'mobile flyers'.

'Zingku' deploys standard text and picture messaging on mobile phones, and browsers on the Web, sans installation of special software.

With the acquisition, the network has frozen new account sign-ups. Its Web site says that existing accounts will be transferred to Google unless cancelled by Oct 4.