Motorola invests in Shaker for mobile social networking
updated 06:40 pm EST, Wed January 18, 2012
US launch planned for 2012
Motorola has confirmed that it has invested in Shaker, an Israeli startup that specializes in social networking experiences. Shaker last year won an award at TechCrunch's Disrupt conference for its Facebook game that enables users to socialize in a virtual bar and meet new contacts.
Visitors to the bar are represented as avatars based on their Facebook profile, enabling individuals to connect based on common interests, proximity or other considerations. Users also have control over the music playing in the room.
“Shaker is the next step in social networking online,” said Motorola Mobility Ventures director Mony Hassid. “Shaker’s innovative platform gives consumers the ability to not only interact with each other, but with brands in groundbreaking ways that could never before have been accomplished on a social network.”
Shaker's Facebook app is said to be currently limited to users in Isreal, however the company is planning a US launch in the first quarter of the year. Motorola has yet to disclose the amount of monetary investment in the startup.
