Microsoft spin-off debuts 'snack-sized' browsing

Rather than being a traditional browser, Zumobi is based on the idea of "snack-sized" bits of information, targeted to the user's preferences, being distributed from various content providers.

Starting with a grid of 16 tiles, the user can then click on phone keys to zoom in and out of the content. This is done by first zooming into a block of four tiles, then the specific tile that the user wants to see.

Because the platform is theoretically open and device-neutral — although it only supports Windows Mobile at the moment — Zumobi hopes to attract web developers who want to target a broad range of handsets. Similarly, the company hopes that content providers will be attracted both by the proposed breadth of supported devices and what it calls "an attractive revenue-sharing model".

Compatibility with the BlackBerry and certain Java-enabled handsets should be coming up in the second quarter of next year, according to Zumobi.