Comunicano

ShoZu Directors Comment on Acquisition by Critical Path

‘Successful outcome for both companies;’ ‘start of next phase of growth’

 

LONDON, January 5, 2010 – ShoZu, issued the following statement in conjunction with news of today’s acquisition of the award-winning social media hub by Critical Path, Inc., a leading provider of messaging applications and enterprise solutions:

 

“We’re delighted to have found the perfect home for the ShoZu brand and service in Critical Path,” said Chris J. Wade, Chairman and CEO.  “We couldn’t be more pleased with the seamless fit of our combined technology and approach to serving the market and the opportunity for our outstanding engineering team to continue to make important technical contributions to Critical Path going forward. We strongly believe in the roadmap for our future together serving Critical Path’s traditional customers, as well as new users attracted by the power of our combined applications.  The acquisition of ShoZu by Critical Path really is a beneficial matchup for both companies — resulting in a powerful capability for elegantly sharing, communicating and collaborating on information that’s at the core of personal and business relationships.” 

 

Nigel Pilkington, ShoZu Board Director from SEB Venture Capital UK, said: “We are very pleased with the transaction and delighted with Chairman Chris Wade’s role in creating and completing this agreement. Chris came in on a day-to-day basis at a critical juncture when he took on the additional responsibilities of CEO in June 2009 and very quickly managed the company to a successful outcome for us.”

 

Chris Wade concludes, “I also can’t speak highly enough about the support from the team at SEB Venture Capital UK, the lead investors in ShoZu, as well as the significant contribution from our communications agency, Comunicano, and its CEO, Andy Abramson.”

 

#   #   #

 

About ShoZu
ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung.

 

About Critical Path, Inc.
Critical Path’s Memova® suite of applications and services are chosen by leading service providers and enterprises around the world to enable millions of people to communicate, connect, share and organize while providing industry-leading safety and assurance.  With offices around the globe, Critical Path supports companies with their deployments of Memova solutions to drive revenue, boost loyalty, streamline operations and reduce costs. More information is available at www.criticalpath.net.

 

Note to Editors: Critical Path, the Critical Path logo, Messages that Matter, The World is Mobile, AppLink, Memova and the Memova logo are the trademarks of Critical Path, Inc., registered in various jurisdictions. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

 

Media contacts:

Critical Path, Inc.
Hotwire
Annette Leach
+44 (0)207 608 2500
criticalpath@hotwire.com

 

Susan Smart
pr@criticalpath.net

 

ShoZu
Sue Huss, for ShoZu
sue.huss@comunicano.com
+1 619-379-4396

 

Touchnote’s Award Winning Postcard Fulfillment Library Integrated Into ShoZu

LONDON (21 Dec. 2009) – Touchnote, the photo postcard company, has seen its award winning ‘Touchnote This’ postcard fulfilment library go live through ShoZu’s application in the Apple App Store. The library enables ShoZu users to send real postcards to friends and family anywhere in the world.

ShoZu is the leading provider of mobile social media services that connect mobile consumers with their online social networks, personal blogs, photo storage sites and other Web 2.0 properties from the handset.

Raam Thakrar, CEO of Touchnote commented, “There are specific benefits to both parties using each other’s technology. ShoZu gets a new revenue stream and customers get a physical postcard at their doorstep; meanwhile Touchnote enjoys access to ShoZu’s incredible technology, which improves the speed of upload and delivery of users images.”

ShoZu Chairman and CEO Chris Wade observed that, “ShoZu customers will welcome ShoZu’s partnership with Touchnote. As mobile data networks get more congested, the ShoZu platform will ensure the revenue-generating Touchnote Photos get delivered with reliability.”

‘Touchnote This’ recently won Best Services Award at Mobilebeat2009. The library can be integrated into any iPhone application allowing users to create physical postcards of captured or manipulated images which are sent anywhere in the world within 24 hours. Developers who integrate the service share an ongoing revenue stream with Touchnote through the sale of the postcards in their application. Raam added, “This represents one of the best opportunities for app developers to generate revenues whilst also providing a value add service.”

###

About Touchnote

Touchnote is an online and mobile service that lets you design and create your own photo cards.  Touchnote for Mobile was the first cross-platform mobile application that enabled customers to create and send a personalised physical product directly from the mobile phone.

Since its launch online in November 2008, users have been able to create customised photo cards from their own digital images. In just a few clicks, you can have a personal card that Touchnote will print and post for you. In May 2009, Touchnote brought their online expertise to the world of mobile, with the launch of its application for the Nokia Ovi store and the iTunes App Store, so that it has never been easier to capture and share that memorable moment with friends and family, wherever you are. For more information visit www.touchnote.com/all-about/mobile-home/

About ShoZu

ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem.

ShoZu Launches App Store, Bringing Its Award-Winning Social Media Hub Directly to BlackBerry, Nokia, iPhone and Windows Mobile Users Worldwide

 

LONDON (Oct. 13, 2009) – ShoZu Ltd (www.shozu.com), the award-winning social media hub, today announced the official launch of the ShoZu App Store, where smartphone owners can purchase the ShoZu app for most major operating systems (Oss). The direct-sales initiative complements ShoZu’s recent expansion of its sales channels, which currently include Apple’s App Store, Nokia’s OVI store and Research in Motion’s BlackBerry App World.  

The ShoZu App Store (www.shozu.com) currently offers the ShoZu app for BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Nokia smartphones, as well as iPhones, with support for additional models and Oss to be announced. The ShoZu App Store sells the app for the same price as the third-party app stores.

The ShoZu App Store recently finished a highly successful soft launch, where paid downloads exceeded sales through third-party app stores. As a direct sales channel, the ShoZu App Store also provides the company with a safeguard against any problems that arise at third-party stores. 

The ShoZu App Store furthers the company’s strategy of focusing on app sales rather than providing free apps and then selling ad space. Announced in June 2009, the strategy is designed to provide ShoZu with a steady revenue stream, ensuring stability for the company and helping fund next-generation features for the ShoZu service.

“The ShoZu App Store is a one-stop shop that provides smartphone owners with a fast, convenient way to purchase the award-winning ShoZu app,” said Chris Wade, chairman and CEO of ShoZu. “Users can visit the ShoZu App Store and immediately find the version designed for their specific smartphone model. The ShoZu App Store is a win-win for our customers and our company.” 

The company also offers several additional free ways to access the ShoZu service, including through picture messaging/Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), mobile e-mail, desktop e-mail and with free software that works on both Macs and Windows PCs.

About ShoZu

ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

###

CONTACT:

Sue Huss

Comunicano

+1 619-379-4396

ShoZu Named One of 16 Finalists For the BlackBerry Partners Fund™ Developer Challenge 2009

Winner Will Be Announced At BlackBerry Developers Conference Nov. 10 

LONDON (Oct. 8, 2009) – In another testament to its popularity as a unique and compelling mobile application, ShoZu has been named one of 16 finalists in the BlackBerry Partners Fund™ Developer Challenge 2009.

ShoZu enables mobile users to upload photos and videos to more than 50 different destinations, as well as update status on Twitter and Facebook and view comments and posts on those images. The BlackBerry Partners Fund was looking for applications like ShoZu: those that have potential product and market leadership; competitive differentiation; strong management leadership; and a clear revenue and cost model.

“We are honored to be among the finalists for this prestigious contest, and we believe that one of the reasons ShoZu made the cut is because we exceeded all of the criteria that the BlackBerry Partners Fund was looking for when making its decision,” says ShoZu Chairman and CEO Chris Wade.  “The judges were looking for a compelling service, a clearly defined value proposition, a viable business model and technical execution, and ShoZu clearly impressed them at all levels.”

A key to the challenge is that each finalist must give a presentation at the BlackBerry Developer Conference on Monday, Nov. 9, which is being held at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. After each presentation, the final selection and announcement of the winner will be made on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Each of the 16 finalists receives a prize package valued at $5,000, which includes one week on the BlackBerry App World Featured Application Carousel; one BlackBerry Developer Conference pass; one BlackBerry smartphone; and participation in the BlackBerry Sweet 16 Demo Event at the 2009 BlackBerry Developer Conference.

The grand prize winner receives $75,000 cash, as well as a prize package valued at $25,000, which includes: one-year Elite BlackBerry Alliance membership; one-day mentoring session with RIM, providing analysis, review and insights into how best to improve the application on BlackBerry; press release and featured Interviews with the media; two weeks on the App World Featured Application Carousel; and a potential investment offer from The BlackBerry Partners Fund.

Additionally, one runner-up winner receives $10,000 cash, as well as a prize package valued at $15,000, which consists of: one-year Select BlackBerry Alliance membership; one-day mentoring session with RIM, providing analysis, review and insights into how best to improve the application on BlackBerry; a press release; and one week on the App World Featured Application Carousel.

“We have an outstanding opportunity in just being able to present ShoZu at the BlackBerry Developer Conference Challenge in November, and we believe that ShoZu will definitely stand out from the competition at that time,” Wade says. “The fact that every finalist is honored with prizes for strengthening their application further underscores why ShoZu continues to go the extra mile to make its application one that stands out for our customers and in the developer community.”

 

About The BlackBerry Partners Fund™

The BlackBerry Partners Fund™ is focused on investing in mobile commerce applications, vertical and horizontal enterprise applications, location-based and location-aware applications and services, communications, social networking, media and entertainment, and lifestyle and personal productivity applications for the BlackBerry® and other mobile platforms. The BlackBerry Partners Fund™, was established to deliver superior returns on the compelling investment opportunities present in the applications, services and supporting infrastructure for mobile platforms.

 

About ShoZu

ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

 

###

ShoZu Responds To User Requests With Exciting Upgrades, New Features

Award-Winning Application Increases Video Upload Capabilities,

Facebook Features, App Store Availability, More  

LONDON (Sept. 16, 2009) – In response to overwhelming customer demand, ShoZu has added a number of significant capabilities to its award-winning social media hub over the past several weeks.

One of the most requested upgrades is for ShoZu video users, who now have greater upload capability. With just one click, video users can upload 60MB of video from iPhones and 50MB of video from other mobile phones to all of the upload destinations configured on their ShoZu account.  Previously, video uploads were limited to 10MB.

ShoZu users also have asked for and received significant new Facebook features, which enable them to add a wall feed, post comments to feeds, upload videos and post notes on Facebook.

“We want our users to know that we are listening, and we are working diligently to provide them with the services that are important to them,” says ShoZu Chairman and CEO Chris Wade. “We pay close attention to our feedback forums, which is why we’ve recently added the ability for users to further customize their experience.” Users can now decide whether they want the ShoZu logo on their blog post, specify the size of the images on their blog, whether they want their posts to be private, and the ability to decide whether to place the ‘posted by ShoZu’ footer on uploads. “We truly want ShoZu to reflect what our users want,” explains Wade.

Also key to ShoZu’s continued popularity is the number of ways the application can be downloaded. Today, ShoZu can be downloaded from iTunes, Apple App Store, Nokia’s Ovi Store, and BlackBerry’s App World, all of which can be accessed at www.shozu.com and its mobile site at m.shozu.com. Other download venues will be added as customer demand warrants it, says Wade.

 

About ShoZu
ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

ShoZu Wins Coveted IBC2009 Innovation Arena Award

Award-Winning Application Enables Broadcasters to Transform Passive Audiences into Interactive Communities, with the Promise of New Revenue Opportunities  

AMSTERDAM (Sept. 12, 2009) – IBC, the leading international forum for the electronic media industry, today awarded ShoZu an IBC2009 Innovation Arena Award in the Consumer Oriented Innovation category. IBC’s judging panel was made up of leading editors, journalists, analysts from around the world, and included the head of the Consumer Electronics Association and representatives from the mobile and social networking world. 

As broadcast audiences continue to shift their viewing online, broadcasters are seeking opportunities to further monetize audiences beyond simple online advertising. ShoZu enables broadcasters to directly engage their previously passive viewing audiences into interactive communities of like-minded users who share content-related photos and videos. This presents broadcasters with opportunities to push programming and community engagement closer to people’s lives, to exploit the gap in hyper-local news coverage, to enrich media with interactive elements, and to capture viewers who’ve untethered from their TVs and PCs and have gone mobile.

“Broadcasters are starting to recognize that smartphone applications such as ShoZu represent an entirely new way to engage—and further monetize—their audience,” says ShoZu Chairman and CEO Chris Wade. “The emergence of smartphones enables broadcasters to become closer to their audiences. Now everyone with a smartphone is a potential content contributor to broadcast news and programming, such as instant reporting of unfolding events.”

As Frank Kelcz, ShoZu Board Member told IBC2009’s judges during his presentation, “The opportunity for broadcasters is obvious; you can now convert audiences to communities and

serve them however and wherever they are.  Think mobile interactions.”

About ShoZu

ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides: fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from mobile devices to the Web; full-resolution delivery of photos and videos without compression; an emerging suite of services that push content to mobile phones; the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped; and other unique features that simplify the process of sharing photos and videos.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

ShoZu Announces New Custom Edition Client for BlackBerry Smartphones Available on BlackBerry App World

LONDON (August 11, 2009) –ShoZu Ltd., the award-winning social media hub, is poised to enhance social networking on BlackBerry® smartphones with the introduction of a new, highly integrated client, available on BlackBerry App World™.

The new ShoZu client takes the ShoZu service on BlackBerry smartphones to a higher level of functionality – beyond just uploading to multiple social networking sites simultaneously. It provides two-way interactivity with a variety of social networking sites mobile users want to interact with on a daily basis through one easy to use interface. 

“It's now easier than ever to communicate with your favourite online communities, blogs and social networks from a number of BlackBerry smartphones," said Shozu Chairman and CEO Chris Wade. "Whether you're uploading photos, blogging or using other social media features to keep up with your online social life, Shozu brings together all the information you are sending and receiving from different sites and allows you to manage it and respond broadly from one application."

The new mobile client provides two-way interactivity with a host of social networking sites on BlackBerry smartphones, including the ability to receive updates from multiple sites to one integrated spot directly on the handset, read and reply to comments in real-time, update status, upload images and video, add tags, titles and descriptions before or after uploading, and much more. The mobile client also offers the ability to edit, add, and remove destination sites to/from a user's account, making it even easier to stay connected.

The ShoZu client is available for free on a trial basis on BlackBerry App World (www.blackberry.com/appworld) and allows users to upload up to five photos or videos and use social networking features such as status updates for an indefinite amount of time. A full version of the client, available for $4.99, offers users unlimited use of photo and video uploads.

The service is initially available on all BlackBerry® Curve™, and BlackBerry® Pearl™ series smartphones, as well as the BlackBerry® Bold™ with support for the BlackBerry® Tour™ and BlackBerry® Storm™ smartphones coming soon. A complete, frequently updated, list of supported handset models is available at www.shozu.com and m.shozu.com.

The ShoZu mobile client is part of the ShoZu social media hub service. The ShoZu social media hub service will remain free for both existing and new users through the recent introduction of new ways to access the ShoZu service, including through picture messaging/(MMS), mobile e-mail, desktop e-mail and ShoZu Desktop, based on the Adobe Air platform, that works on both Macs and Windows PCs.

About ShoZu
ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.

-XXX-

Media Contact:
Sue Huss, on behalf of ShoZu
Comunicano
+1 619-379-4396
sue.huss@comunicano.com

ShoZu Announces New App Available to Millions of Nokia Users

LONDON (29 July 2009) – ShoZu Ltd., the award-winning social media hub, today announced the availability of its mobile application for download in the new OVI Store by Nokia, offering millions of Nokia device users around the world the option of two-way interactivity with a variety of social networking sites with just one click.

ShoZu has brought its highly successful Symbian-based application into the world's largest mobile app store. Praised for its consistent layout, intuitive content acquisition process and multiple payment options, Nokia's OVI Store is available to millions of Nokia users in more than 100 countries, with new countries continually coming online. 

"It's now easier than ever for the millions of Nokia users to communicate with their favourite online communities, blogs and social networks, whether they're uploading photos, blogging or using other social media features to keep up with their online social life," said Chris Wade, Chairman and CEO of ShoZu. "Our goal is to make it as convenient as possible for consumers to find and pay for our apps. Leveraging the OVI Store is part of that strategy."

The ShoZu app for the OVI Store provides two-way interactivity with dozens of social networking sites, including real-time status updates and uploading high-resolution images and video. Other benefits include: uploading via Wi-Fi (for devices supporting Wi-Fi) for free and fast service; automatically continuing uploads in the event of service disruptions; and reducing download size to save users money if their data plan isn't unlimited.

Users may download ShoZu's mobile social media hub application for a one-off fee of €7 for the life of the Nokia handset, in line with Nokia's commercial arrangement with content providers for the OVI Store. For those Symbian Series 60 users already using the application, ShoZu recommends they backup the application when they reset their device's firmware so they don't incur a fee to download the service again.

The service is initially available on all Series 60 Version 3 devices and the Nokia 5800 with support for the N97 device coming soon. A complete, frequently updated list of supported handset models is available at www.shozu.com and m.shozu.com.

The ShoZu mobile client is part of the ShoZu social media hub service. The ShoZu social media hub service is free for both existing and new users through picture messaging/(MMS), mobile e-mail, desktop e-mail and ShoZu Desktop, based on the Adobe Air platform, that works on both Macs and Windows PCs.

About ShoZu
ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

-XXX-

MEDIA CONTACT:
Sue Huss, on behalf of ShoZu
+1 619-379-4396
sue.huss@comunicano.com

ShoZu and MAXroam Partner to Free Mobile Users Worldwide from the High Cost of Multimedia Social Networking While Travelling

CORK, IRELAND, and LONDON, UK– 23 July 2009 – ShoZu Ltd (www.shozu.com), the award-winning social media hub, and MAXroam (www.maxroam.com), the global roaming provider, today announced a partnership that gives mobile users a fast, convenient way to minimise the cost of sharing photos and video clips while roaming in more than 139 countries. Available immediately and initially for unlocked Apple iPhones, the service is the latest example of how ShoZu is adding value for customers of its paid smartphone applications.

Under the agreement, iPhone users who have purchased the ShoZu application – available for $4.99 from Apple’s App Store – have access to MAXroam’s service, which provides data roaming discounts of up to 70 percent in 139 countries. Additionally, MAXroam users also have access to the paid ShoZu iPhone application. 

To sign up for MAXroam’s service, ShoZu users request a coupon code from ShoZu.com and then redeem it on the MAXroam Web site to receive a $4.99 credit toward MAXroam service. ShoZu users also must purchase a MAXroam SIM card, which is included in the MAXroam service bundles.

Additionally, iPhone owners who visit the MAXroam Web site will be invited to purchase the ShoZu application from Apple’s App Store if they don’t already have it. They then will receive a coupon code that will give their MAXroam account a $4.99 credit.

After activating MAXroam’s service, iPhone owners can use the ShoZu application to upload photos, videos and other content to multiple social networking sites simultaneously via ShoZu’s media hub service, eliminating the chore – and expense – of uploading to each site one at a time. Users pay only the initial $4.99 cost of the ShoZu’s iPhone application; there are no additional charges from ShoZu for using its media hub service.

“Smartphones make it easy it take photos and videos while travelling, but the steep cost of data roaming forces many users to wait until they get home to share that content,” said Chris Wade, chairman and CEO of ShoZu. “By partnering with MAXroam, ShoZu eliminates that financial penalty, so users can inexpensively and quickly upload their photos and videos to multiple social networking sites simultaneously, allowing friends and family back home to keep up with the travels in real time. ShoZu’s partnership with MAXroam furthers our goal of providing ShoZu customers with real savings and real value.”

“MAXroam is delighted to be involved with innovators such as ShoZu,” said Pat Phelan, CEO of MAXroam. “With MAXroam’s bespoke technology, ShoZu users should save up 70 percent over carriers’ standard roaming charges while enjoying near-global coverage and 24/7 customer support. MAXroam is perfectly poised to save money for ShoZu users.”

Later this year, the ShoZu app will be available through additional app stores, including Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Nokia’s Ovi and Research in Motion’s BlackBerry App World. The application also is available for the BlackBerry and Windows Mobile operating systems directly from ShoZu at www.shozu.com and its mobile site at m.shozu.com.

About ShoZu
ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

About MAXroam
Headquartered in Cork, Ireland, MAXroam is a brand name of Cubic Telecom. Cubic Telecom was established in 2006 and is a wholly Irish owned company. As a global mobile communications provider, Cubic brings the benefits of real competition to millions of global travellers. With our global cellular product, we enable travellers to stay in touch with home, office and family with a minimum of fuss. With its MVNE architecture, Cubic expects launch more than 100 virtual MVNOs before the end of 2010. Cubic has partners in USA, Hong Kong, Europe and Australia. For more information visit www.maxroam.com.

Media Contact:
Sue Huss
Comunicano
+1 619-379-4396
sue.huss@comunicano.com

ShoZu and Touchnote Partner to Unleash the Power of iPhone Micropayments

 Two award-winning app makers combine forces to achieve significant recurring revenue streams through the iPhone’s In-App micropayments

LONDON, UK– July 21, 2009 – ShoZu Ltd (www.shozu.com), the award-winning social media hub, and Touchnote Ltd (www.touchnote.com), the award-winning mobile print-on-demand service, today announced a partnership that gives users of ShoZu’s iPhone mobile application a fast, convenient way to print any photo and have it mailed to anywhere in the world in 24 hours by Touchnote. This partnership represents one of the earliest adoptions of Apple’s iPhone In-App micropayments.  The service demonstrates how ShoZu is adding value for customers of its paid smartphone applications, and how Touchnote can work with iPhone application developers to integrate their app with Touchnote’s fulfillment library.

Under the agreement, all users of the iPhone mobile app will have access to Touchnote’s service to mail personalized postcards to anywhere in the world straight through the ShoZu application. 

“We’re investing in our customers by constantly evolving the service to offer the newest, hottest technologies to our user base,” said Chris Wade, chairman and CEO of ShoZu. “Partnering with Touchnote allows ShoZu’s users to inexpensively and quickly mail their mobile photos as personalized postcards to recipients anywhere.”

The application will be available for the iPhone via Apple’s iTunes Store, and directly from ShoZu at www.shozu.com and its mobile site at m.shozu.com. Later this year, the ShoZu mobile app will be available through additional app stores, including Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Nokia’s Ovi and Research in Motion’s BlackBerry App World.   If and when any app stores support micropayments, ShoZu will roll out support for these other stores.

“There’s the potential of big money in micro-payments,” said Raam Thakrar, CEO of Touchnote, “which is why Touchnote’s mobile business model is focused on licensing its enabling library to other iPhone developers.  ShoZu is a perfect partner for Touchnote.”

About ShoZu
ShoZu is an intelligent social media hub currently used by people worldwide to enrich connections with the people in their lives by effortlessly exchanging video, pictures and commentary between mobile devices and favorite social networks, photo sharing sites and information resources. The company’s patented technology provides fast, easy, one-click uploads of photos and video clips from the mobile to the Web, full-resolution photo and video delivery without compression, an emerging suite of services that push content to the phone, the ability to work in the background even if a connection is dropped, and other unique features that simplify and enhance the user experience.  The company was founded in 2000 and has formed partnerships with some of the leading players in the mobile ecosystem, including Motorola and Samsung. For more information, visit www.ShoZu.com/AboutUs.

About Touchnote
Founded in London in late 2007, Touchnote is an online and mobile service that lets you design and create your own photo cards.  Touchnote for Mobile was the first mobile application that enabled customers to create and send a personalised physical product directly from the mobile phone.

Since its launch online in October 2008, users have been able to create customised photo cards from their own digital images. In just a few clicks, you can have a personal card that Touchnote will print and post for you. In May 2009, Touchnote brought their online expertise to the world of mobile, with the launch of its application for the Nokia Ovi store and a soon-to-be released version on the iTunes App Store, so that it has never been easier to capture and share that memorable moment with friends and family, wherever you are. For more information visit www.touchnote.com/all-about/mobile-home/

-XXX-

 

Media contact:
Sue Huss
Comunicano
619-379-4396
sue.huss@comunicano.com