FunMobility acquires InfoSpace Media Studios

Mobile community and media services provider FunMobility announced its acquisition of mobile content and applications provider InfoSpace Media Studios. Financial terms were not disclosed. Formerly known as Moviso, InfoSpace Media Studios was formed in 2003 after InfoSpace (now concentrating on mobile search solutions) acquired the unit from media conglomerate Vivendi Universal. Following completion of the deal, InfoSpace Media Studio will be fully integrated into FunMobility's Pleasanton, California headquarters and renamed FunMobility Media Studio; Ken Nowak was named VP and GM.

Per terms of the agreement, FunMobility will license InfoSpace's Mobile Data Services Platform to deliver mobile storefront capabilities for media content downloads. "This acquisition is complementary to FunMobility's strategy of providing end-to-end mobile media solutions to our carrier partners," said FunMobility CEO Adam Lavine in a prepared statement. "We're also very excited about the InfoSpace Media Studio team, who are veterans of the mobile media industry, and bring a tremendous amount of experience and energy to FunMobility."

In related news, InfoSpace announced the formal launch of its mCore mobile services platform, a suite of customizable mobile infrastructure services created to help carriers offer subscribers a seamless content search and discovery experience. According to the mobile search solutions providers, the mCore platform delivers end-to-end infrastructure to help carriers reduce ongoing maintenance costs, improve customer service, increase opportunities for revenue and simplify the end user experience.

"Both carriers and mobile users are tired of dealing with multiple technologies and interfaces when it comes to information and content on the mobile phone," said InfoSpace mobile business unit executive VP Steve Elfman in a prepared statement. "mCore resolves those issues for the industry by delivering a solution that is intelligent for the users and easy for carriers to integrate."

For more on the FunMobility/InfoSpace Media Studios deal:
- read this release

For more on the mCore launch:
- read this release

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