Zumobi has launched the beta version of its Zooming User Interface and mobile widget platform. Users who want to test the Microsoft spinoff's new product can download the beta for free from the company's Website.
Zumobi promises content from more than 75 mobile widgets or tiles, including content from launch partners such as Amazon.com, MTV Networks, AccuWeather.com, Traffic.com, FlightStats.com and more.
"The Zumobi team has been working for over a year to make this product a reality, and we're very excited to launch the first version of our public Beta today," said Zumobi CEO Eric Hertz, in a statement. "Our partners who have created Zumobi Tiles for the initial Beta have delivered an excellent portfolio of news, entertainment, travel content and more."
Zumobi hopes to revolutionize the way people access, retrieve and share Web-based content on their mobile phones. Its tile-based interface allows users to "bounce" in and out of snack-sized bits of the entertainment and information. The company also hopes that advertisers will find its platform a better way of connecting to customers through their mobile phone.
The first beta version of Zumobi is available for phones running Windows Mobile 5 and 6. Beta's running on BlackBerrys and selected J2ME compatible-handsets coming early in the second quarter of 2008. A data plan is required, and unlimited data plans are strongly recommended.