Microsoft spins out mobile browser firm ZenZui

Microsoft on Tuesday said it was launching a new company, ZenZui Inc., to market and develop technology designed to help people use cellphones and other mobile devices.

The software lets people navigate functions and features in cellphones and other information devices more easily, Zenzui says.

The new mobile browser will let people zoom in and out or pan across a grid of 36 customizable objects or "tiles" that are constantly being updated.

People can navigate around the six-by-six tile zooming user interface, or "Zoomspace," to quickly find and share the content that is relevant to them, Microsoft said.

For example, a person might select feeds from a photo-sharing site such as Flickr, a local transit schedule, a weather forecast and news from CBC in their tile selections.

They could display all four tiles on the screen at the same time for summary information like the current temperature or a headline, zoom in on one for more detailed information like a full picture or news story, or zoom out to switch to a different set of tile clusters.

The company will use technology patented by Microsoft in its software.

ZenZui plans to support the content available through the tiles with context-relevant ads.

It is expected to be available this week on devices that use Windows Mobile,with versions for other platforms to come, RCR Wireless News reported, citing John SanGiovanni, ZenZui cofounder and vice-president of products and services.

The startup has secured $12 million US in venture financing from Oak Investment Partners and Hunt Ventures with the aid of Microsoft IP Ventures, which manages licensing of technology from the software firm's research division.

The company's chief executive is Eric Hertz, who was previously chief operating officer at mobile communications company Western Wireless Corp. Tom Huseby of Seapoint Ventures an Oak partner will serve as chairman of the board.

Companies developing tiles and content for ZenZui's trial phase include travel planning site Kayak.com, interactive marketing company OTOlabs, traffic information service Traffic.com and web design firm Avenue A | Razorfish.