Funambol and Laszlo Systems team up on open source mobile-web messaging
The web and mobile phones are getting hitched. That’s evident in a deal being announced today between start-ups Funambol and Laszlo Systems.
Funambol, based in Redwood City, Calif., makes mobile messaging software based on open source software. The messaging software has contact synchronization software and push email features. Laszlo Systems, meanwhile, makes a web-based communications suite that includes email, contacts, and calendar. Laszlo is based in San Mateo, Calif.
Now the two companies are integrating their products so that users can access the same email and other data from the web or mobile phones. Cell phone carriers can thus have a new option for integrating communications software into their phones, beyond mobile offerings from Google, Yahoo, AOL and Hotmail. Both Funambol and Laszlo say their offering is competitive with suites of those vendors.
The companies say that carriers can offer the integrated products to users for free and generate ad revenue as a result. Funambol says its software is available to 1.5 billion mobile phone users, though it doesn’t say how many users it has. The integrated software is available at either company’s web site.
In March, Laszlo raised $6. 6 million in a third round of funding from existing investors including: WI Harper Group, General Catalyst Partners, Sofinnova Ventures, Mitsui & Co. Venture Partners, and other private investors. Funambol raised money in 2007 and its investors include Walden International, HIG Ventures, and The Golden Mouse.
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About the Author, Dean Takahashi
Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.