Fring adds radio to mobile VoIP platform

Mobile VoIP/IM company fring has added a music radio add-on to its client, the first of a bunch of "experience" projects produced by third-party developers that are expected to appear in 2009. O-kayyy...

Fring users will be able to launch a "mobile-optimised" version of Last.fm inside of the fring client, enabling them to tune and listen to streamed music channels, including their own Last.fm library. They can also tag favorites, ban tracks they don't like, view album artwork, and do a social mashup of everything by sharing the music and seeing what their friends are doing.

The company is spinning the announcement as (yet another) "rich, dynamic, and compelling mobile internet experience" and the next step in evolving fring into a platform for social media on mobile devices.

However, fring is competing with scads of other me-to mobile VoIP/IM players to be The Client on the world's mobile phones. There's also the question as to how much money fring has left in the bank. Back in late November, the company cut 10 people from its 50 person staff and said it had raised another venture round - but provided no details on the amount or where the cash was coming from.

For more:
- fring press release [1].