Village Gamer

Toronto’s Omnego™ has announced the launch of the Omnego enterprise platform for mobile marketing, rewards and commerce tied to a mobile card. The Omnego platform replicates the traditional, branded physical cards used in retail, hospitality, travel and other industries with a digital card and gives businesses a versatile enterprise tool for delivering mobile ads, messages, coupons, rewards, updates and other branded content directly to a consumer’s smartphone.

The Omnego mobile card and marketing solution consists of two parts. The back end is a web-based, enterprise platform providing easy mobile card and marketing management. The consumer face of Omnego is Walgo™ (wallet on the go), a consumer mobile wallet application available for all major smartphone operating systems (iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Symbian).

Together, they form an enterprise solution that allows retailers and other businesses to complement physical cards, coupons and other marketing offers with a branded mobile card and marketing solution that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from any smartphone. It is the most comprehensive mobile card (loyalty, ID/membership, gift/prepaid, etc.) solution with additional features that include mobile ads, coupons, rewards, offers, and one-click access to mobile web pages, video, commerce and any mobile web applications.

Omnego eliminates the time and expense required to develop and maintain cross-platform applications for different smartphone systems. All the work is already included in the Omnego platform; all that’s left is for businesses or their marketing groups to add branded mobile content.

“Omnego offers retailers, hospitality, sports/events and travel companies, consumer brands and other businesses a convenient, cost-effective mobile solution for engaging with their customers,” said David Thomas, CEO, Omnego. “Omnego provides the most complete enterprise solution for rapidly developing and implementing mobile card and marketing programs. And with more than half of all retailers planning to deliver mobile coupons during the next 12 months (Going Mobile research study from IHL Group and Retail Connections, Nov. 9, 2010), there’s a huge market opportunity that will grow quickly as companies begin to tap into the full power of mobile marketing.”

Kobo has announced the Kobo online Gift Guide – just in time for the Holiday season. Available in early December, and only from Kobo, the gift guide will provide an assortment of great eReading gifts for holiday shoppers who want to give the gift of eReading. The Kobo gift guide offers an assortment of enticing holiday gifts; from the new Kobo Wireless eReader, eReader accessories, eBooks for everyone, and brand new gifting features that make gifting an eBook quick and easy! For an early preview of recommended eReading gifts, holiday shoppers are encouraged to browse online, where users can also sign up to be notified when gifting is available.

New this holiday season Kobo offers the ability to gift an eBook. Customers can browse the Kobo store which offers over 2.2 million eBooks, from the latest new releases, New York Time bestsellers, suspense, romance, thrillers, and much more – then select and purchase an eBook and send it to a friend or family member electronically with a personalized Kobo Holiday email and have it delivered on the date they select . An easy and stress- free way to send a thoughtful gift to keep in touch with loved ones during the holidays.

Kobo is also offering eGift Cards, available to purchase and send electronically in the US and Canada. Customers can define the amount they would like to gift, choose the Kobo holiday themed gift card, and send their gift card electronically.

Gift givers can schedule when they want their gifts to be delivered, so they will be waiting as a surprise gift in their in-box.

Kobo gift recipients can choose to read their gifted eBooks on all platforms on which Kobo content is available, from the Kobo Wireless eReader, the iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, PC, MAC and other emerging devices. Plus, they can read from one device to the next and pick up where they last left off with Kobo’s synched bookmark technology.

“eReading is this season’s hottest holiday gift giving category and the introduction of online gifting and gift cards for the Kobo book store makes giving the gift of eReading easier than ever,” said Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo. “Kobo gift recipients have an advantage because they can read on any device by downloading a free Kobo eReading app. Kobo is the perfect place to do the holiday shopping. In addition to all of these great gift guide recommendations – Kobo offers a selection of more than 2.2 million eBooks as well as the most popular newspapers and magazines. There is truly something for everyone.”