Medio launches on-device portal

Medio Systems Inc. launched an on-device portal designed to give users one-click access to content on the wireless Web.
The offering uses predictive text and a single universal search box to help users find real-time information as well as downloadable content. The Medio ODP is available on T-Mobile USA Inc.’s t-zones service and is embedded on Nokia Corp.’s 6263 and Motorola Inc.’s Razr2 handsets; other devices are expected to offer the software later this quarter.
“While smartphones are popular, it is easy to forget that 89% of U.S. subscribers are still using feature phones,” said Medio Systems CEO Brian Lent. “For these feature phone users, finding content on their device has often been a frustrating process. Now . consumers can quickly find exactly what they are looking for and discover personalized content driven by our recommendations technology.”
On-device portals are increasingly gaining popularity among media companies and Internet destinations as a simplified path for consumers to access the mobile Internet. Alltel Corp.’s Celltop, Yahoo Inc.’s Go and Apple Inc.’s iPhone are all ODPs to one degree or another, and The Wall Street Journal Digital Network this week unveiled an ODP for Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Mobile-enabled devices.