ShoZu introduces MMS you pay for once

ShoZu (coverage) recently added a new dimension to its multimedia messaging service--the ability to post photos and video clips to a preset cadre of destinations, while only paying for a single data transfer.

On the Web site, ShoZu users select from 30 popular sites their multimedia submissions will auto-update each time they upload an image or video. The sites include Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, plus the usual trove of blog hosting sites like TypePad, WordPress, and LiveJournal. Also fair game are personal e-mail and FTP addresses.

The new service also incorporates a tagging architecture that lets users assign tags to photos uploaded into a common group, like a pile of vacation or birthday pictures.

There are two main benefits to ShoZu's new MMS upload system. The first is simplicity--after choosing the recipients for auto-updating, you just MMS or e-mail ShoZu's processing e-mail, go@m.shozu.com, any time you want to publish. With minor tinkering, you can convert the address into a contact for a quick-launch, and if you're not sure how, ShoZu has even created a ready-made contact for you.

The second benefit is monetary. Since your MMS merely tells ShoZu to push media to your prechosen upload package, you only pay for one message total. The setup is similar to Utterz, which also supports voice and text pushes.