Mobile Content Russia

i-Free, a leading provider of mobile value added services in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, has teamed up with animation specialist Aeroplan Productions to launch the mobile version of Boltoonz (?hattererz) card service. Boltoonz is a vastly popular service that enables Internet users to design and mail personalized "talking cards." It takes only a few minutes to make an original 3D video with a character that will say whatever the user wants him to say. Various gags can be attached automatically, turning the animated greeting into a full-feature cartoon.

So far, the service has been available at boltoonz.ru website only, so its audience coverage was limited before Aeroplan joined forces with content provider i-Free to set up a mobile version of Boltoonz, titled Talking Cards.

"The mobile version of Boltoonz, which was made possible by our collaboration with premier Russian content provider i-Free, will significantly expand our audience and make Boltoonz more popular," said Sergei Ilyinsky, Boltoonz project manager. "As a next step, we plan to enhance Boltoonz' functionality. Our users will soon be able to enjoy the new features."

i-Free is strategically committed to designing new, high-tech products for the broadest audience. The company's current focus is UGC, a technology that enables users to design their own content. Talking Cards are the latest addition to i-Free's UGC portfolio.

Similarly to Boltoonz, Talking Cards lets the user create a video with his own sound. The user starts by calling the i-Free voice portal at 0878 and then follows the prompts.

Once the user identifies himself by entering his password, the system will offer a number of characters and moods to choose from, then prompt the user to record the voice message he wants the character to deliver.

A few seconds after the video is ready, the user will receive a text message with a WAP link to download his talking card. The user can share the link with his friends.

"We want our users to enjoy more possibilities that come with new, better kinds of content we design," said Elena Papchenko, head of voice services at i-Free. "A service like Talking Cards cannot go unnoticed as it enables users to generate their own personalized content of great sentimental value."