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SAN FRANCISCO - Google's quest for devotees in the booming world of mobile online services continues with its purchase of a startup company that streamlines sharing pictures, messages and more via smart phones.
The news comes as the leading Internet search firm vies with Yahoo, Microsoft and America Online to win the loyalty of people accessing the Internet on the move.
"Google has acquired certain assets and technology of Zingku," the California-based firm said Friday in reply to an AFP inquiry.
Google added that it expects the acquisition to help it "provide people worldwide with direct access to Google applications, and ultimately the information they want and need, right from their mobile devices."
Zingku's website says it launched in 2005 after its founders "noticed that teenage/twenty something's and their friends were engaging in rich media conversations drawing upon the full reach of mobile text messaging."
Zingku says its technology makes it easy to share messages, pictures, "mobile flyers," or other creations using mobile devices, according to the firm.
"Our service integrates your mobile phone with a personalized web site so that you can easily move (zing) things back and forth between the web and your mobile as well as...connect with friends," Zingku's website says.
Zingku will not register new members while the deal is pending and informed existing users that they can cancel their accounts or have them transferred to Google.
- AFP /ls
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