Funambol, a provider of Mobile 2.0 messaging software powered by
open source, and Laszlo Systems, a Rich Internet
Application (RIA) software and developer of the OpenLaszlo open source
development platform, announced that they are integrating the
commercial versions of their award-winning Mobile 2.0 and Web 2.0 messaging
solutions.
The joint offering combines Laszlo Webtop, a unified web-based
communication suite that includes email, contacts and calendar, with
Funambol’s push email and PIM sync software, which is deployable across 1.5
billion mobile phones. The combined solution enables service providers to
rapidly transform their email operations into a compelling new way for
consumer and business users to access email, contacts and calendars over
the Internet and on mobile devices. The offering also enables service
providers to leverage an ad-based model for online and mobile users,
providing an important new revenue stream.
“The Funambol-Laszlo solution fills an important void in the market,”
said Fabrizio Capobianco, CEO of Funambol. “Service providers are facing a
build vs. buy vs. outsource email decision. Many are competing, directly or
indirectly, with Web 2.0 email and mobile offerings, from Google, Yahoo!,
AOL and Hotmail (LiveMail). The Funambol-Laszlo solution enables service
providers to upgrade their email systems to be state-of-the-art and to
compete on a level playing field with Web 2.0 and Mobile 2.0 offerings.”
Service providers need to make some difficult choices about their
messaging services. Upgrading their internal systems requires extensive
time and resources, and developing Web 2.0 and mobile messaging
applications, which are now de rigueur, is not their core competency. Most
commercially available systems are not competitive in terms of their user
interfaces and breadth of mobile capabilities. Outsourcing also does not
provide the breadth, depth and rich interface of messaging and mobile
offerings from the top portals and search engines. The Funambol-Laszlo
solution provides service providers with a world-class Web 2.0 email,
contacts and calendar interface, and a push email and PIM sync solution for
1.5 billion devices. The joint solution easily integrates into a service
provider’s infrastructure and enables service providers to generate
incremental revenue from online and mobile advertising.
"As users move from desktop to mobile devices, they will expect a
richer Web 2.0-like experience on cell phones,” said Antony Campitelli,
Vice President of Marketing at Laszlo. “The Funambol-Laszlo solution
combines Mobile 2.0 with Web 2.0 to satisfy this need, and in the process,
creates a new compelling revenue generator for service providers.”
The Funambol-Laszlo solution is available immediately. For more
information, please visit the Funambol website at http://www.funambol.com
or the Laszlo website at http://www.laszlosystems.com.