Microsoft backed technology Zumobi has finally launched today in beta form. Zumobi started life as ZenZui back in the Microsoft research labs. Zumobi is now a seperate startup company but still has strong roots to Microsoft. Zumobi offers a zooming web interface across a broad range of devices like Apple's iPhone, RIM's Blackberry and Microsoft's Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices. Zumobi does not offer the full web but custom tiles from 3rd parties.
Although the beta is currently US only (you need to supply a US cell number) I have downloaded and used the Zumobi service today on my HTC TyTN II device. Although this is beta, the service seems a little slow and the zooming features aren't always very responsive compared to other Zooming technologies that Opera uses for example. The tiles are excellent and rich in content, I'd love to see them fully support touchflo for Windows Mobile in the future.
Setting up tiles within Zumobi is fairly straight forward as they are pushed to the service and available within an inbox to add to the main wall of tiles. Even though this is early stages, the technology looks promising. Multi platform services like Zumobi are exactly what the industry needs right now and the amount of partners that are getting behind Zumobi (amazon, MTV etc) shows that this could be popular technology.
Screenshot: Zumobi - Main Screen
Screenshot: Zumobi - Inbox for tiles
Screenshot: Zumobi - 1 Level Zoom in
Video: Brief Tour - Neowin
Video: Zumobi Beta Launch - Range of devices
View: Sign up for Zumobi Beta
Although the beta is currently US only (you need to supply a US cell number) I have downloaded and used the Zumobi service today on my HTC TyTN II device. Although this is beta, the service seems a little slow and the zooming features aren't always very responsive compared to other Zooming technologies that Opera uses for example. The tiles are excellent and rich in content, I'd love to see them fully support touchflo for Windows Mobile in the future.
Setting up tiles within Zumobi is fairly straight forward as they are pushed to the service and available within an inbox to add to the main wall of tiles. Even though this is early stages, the technology looks promising. Multi platform services like Zumobi are exactly what the industry needs right now and the amount of partners that are getting behind Zumobi (amazon, MTV etc) shows that this could be popular technology.
Screenshot: Zumobi - Main Screen Screenshot: Zumobi - Inbox for tiles Screenshot: Zumobi - 1 Level Zoom in Video: Brief Tour - Neowin Video: Zumobi Beta Launch - Range of devices View: Sign up for Zumobi Beta
You didn't even HINT at what it does or what its for.
Last edited by creamhackered on 14 Dec 2007 - 15:29
So it's a web browser?
So it's a web browser?
You might call it that, it's for browsing web content that is produced by 3rd parties in the form of a tile within the application. You can't simply surf to address it has to have a tile and one that is downloaded into your wall of tiles. I guess the implementation is a little complicated but it's fairly simple to use.
Yeah really. What is the hold up. You would think with the iPhone and OperaMini 4 that Deepfish would be top priority.
Ry Jones
Zumobi
No Symbian support = Stupid.
Symbian has the most marketshare. Period.
No Symbian support = Stupid.
Symbian has the most marketshare. Period.
No, Microsoft is trying to develop software for their platform. Developing this for Symbian would be stupid.
Ry Jones
Zumobi
I will stick to Nokia for now.
Ry Jones
Zumobi
Microsoft needs to get back to basics and start focusing on form and design, from which function will naturally follow.
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