First Free International Text Messaging and Chat Service Unveiled - HeyWire(TM) Now Available for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac and PC

BOSTON, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting today, anyone with an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac or PC can text message with people around the world for free, and chat on the largest social networks. HeyWire™, created by MediaFriends, is the first and only Multi-Screen Texting and Chat Service that delivers free international messaging with a real phone number.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/heywire/46202/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100921/MM68170 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100921/MM68170 )

When using HeyWire to send a message to any mobile subscriber, the service connects 1.6 billion people in 114 countries through 360 mobile operators; and is scheduled to reach 193 countries, 4 billion subscribers and 850 mobile operators around the world by the end of 2010.  

Bringing the world even closer together, the service also enables HeyWire users to text each other worldwide, anywhere, and supports all major languages, including character based ones, so people can communicate in their native tongue.  When combining global language support with worldwide coverage, sending and receiving messages is truly an international experience made personal with HeyWire.

HeyWire is available through the Apple App Store and HeyWire for the Web PC/Mac Beta at HeyWire.com. HeyWire for Android, BlackBerry, and Google TV will be available Fall 2010. HeyWire for TV, gaming devices and e-Readers will be coming in 2011.

Worldwide Projections for text messaging in 2013 surpass 10 trillion text messages with international texting costs of over $5 billion for consumers in 2009, according to Portio Research. HeyWire enables users to realize messaging cost savings like never before.

More than Texting – Social Networking And Multiple Screens, Too

In addition to solving the problem of high-cost international texting, HeyWire simplifies an increasingly complex world of multiple devices and multiple ways to communicate via real-time messaging (SMS, Facebook Chat, Twitter and IM) by integrating these messaging types in one service and delivering it across multiple screens.  HeyWire enables a new generation of users to send and receive messages from any screen, using a real phone number as their personal identity; providing people with any type of real-time messaging anywhere, anytime.

At launch, HeyWire has integrated Facebook Chat, with the major IM services coming this Fall. Through HeyWire's unique, simple-to-use address book, text and chat messages can be sent out to Facebook friends and mobile address book contacts at the same time. Each reply ends up in a centralized message list so individual chat conversations can continue. When accessing HeyWire for Web through the PC or Mac Beta, the Facebook integration is complemented by the addition of Twitter and Instant Messaging from AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, and Windows Live Messenger.

"Messaging has quickly become the most popular way to communicate, akin to the world's favorite language, but until now it couldn't be used freely across borders and across devices due to high cost, incompatibility and inconvenience," said Meredith Flynn-Ripley, president & CEO of MediaFriends, Inc.  "With the proliferation of multiple Internet connected devices and messaging methods like SMS and Facebook Chat, HeyWire™ simplifies and unifies the messaging experience and links people and communities together everywhere on the device of their choosing."

MediaFriends patent-pending software platform builds a better bridge connecting mobile technology and IP to enable users to text and chat from a full range of devices and incorporates leading edge messaging interoperability from Sybase 365. HeyWire is ad supported and messages are sent and received using data connections, but will communicate through standard SMS protocols with mobile phones that are not running HeyWire...yet.

In addition to its HeyWire Service for consumers, MediaFriends is in market trials with large international mobile and wireline operators; helping them broaden their reach of devices and breadth of real-time consumer messaging services.

Note to Editor:

In the 114 supported countries not all mobile operators are connected to HeyWire and text message coverage will change as mobile operators are added. Please go to HeyWire.com to view country and mobile operator coverage list.

About MediaFriends, Inc.

MediaFriends allows the world to communicate more freely by breaking down barriers of cost and device compatibility through its patent-pending Mobile-to-IP and Multi-Screen Messaging software platform. Their newest service, HeyWire™, empowers people to connect with each other in better ways using Mobile Messaging, IM, Facebook and Twitter on virtually any Internet enabled device. www.heywire.com or Apple App Store

The company also designs, develops and implements Social TV and multi-screen community communication platforms for Mobile Operators, MSO's (Multiple System Operators) and Consumer Device Manufacturers, to build subscriber loyalty and generate new revenues.  MediaFriends is headquartered near Boston and backed by Lauder Partners LLC; a Silicon Valley based Venture Capital Firm investing primarily in information technology. www.mediafriendsinc.com

SOURCE MediaFriends, Inc.