Smart Uzzap: IM, Email and a bucket of SMS

Smart yesterday launched a new PC and mobile IM app called Smart Uzzap (probably a Web 2.0 play on the Tagalog term “usap” or talk). The app/service seems to aim into the PC-to-mobile (and vice versa) messaging market.

The app can be downloaded/installed directly into your mobile phone and will run via a 3G connection to initiate the mobile messaging (can’t seem to make it work via WiFi of the phone). The catch — there’s no connection/browsing/3G charges at all, just a one-off time-based package pricing.

Smart Uzzap has a chat, email and SMS component and from now until July 20th, users can send 10 free SMS each day. Uzzap can also connect to your contacts on other popular messengers. It does not say which ones but I’m guessing Yahoo! Messenger.

After the promo period, you can top-up Php25 for 1 whole day of free service (plus 100 SMS), Php150 for 1 week (with 500 SMS) and Php400 for 1 month (with 2,000 SMS). All free SMS usage will have to come thru Uzzap though.

Update: Jim Ayson, Smart Product Manager for Platforms & Internet Services, adds that Uzzap can connect to your YM and MSN messengers as well a supports up to 4 clients (Nokia S60 2nd ed, Nokia S60 3rd ed, J2ME, and Windows XP/Vista. You can also login via your mobile phone’s wifi connection. And no, Uzzap wasn’t made to replace Chikka. See comment #20 below.)

Disclosure: Smart is an advertiser on this blog and several other blogs authored by me. Just click on the Uzzap flash banners (or text “UZZAP” to 7272) to download a copy of the app.