LightSurf

LightSurf Technologies, Inc.

Type	1998-2005: Private 2005-Present: Subsidiary of VeriSign
Founded	1998
Headquarters	Santa Cruz, California
Key people	Philippe Kahn, Founder Sonia Lee, Co-Founder
Industry	Wireless
Website	www.verisign.com

Philippe Kahn and Sonia-Lee founded LightSurf in 1998 shortly after Kahn created the first camera phone solution sharing pictures instantly on public networks in 1997^[1][2]. LightSurf was formed to take advantage of the explosive convergence of wireless messaging technology, the Internet, and digital media.^[3]

LightSurf's core technology, the LightSurf 6 Open Standards MMS Platform, is a suite of hosted and managed MMS services that allows users to capture, view, annotate, and share multimedia messages with any handset or e-mail address, regardless of device, file type, or network operator.

LightSurf's products include the first mobile picture messaging solution in North America (GSM and CDMA), the first mobile picture messaging solution on a GPRS carrier network, the first commercially deployed inter-carrier MMS solution in North America, the highest volume of picture and video messaging in North America and over 400 million media messages shared on Sprint’s network (powered by LightSurf).

In 2005, LightSurf was acquired by VeriSign. LightSurf is currently (Summer 2008) being offered for sale as a part of a group of "Messaging Assets" purchased and developed by VeriSign.

See also

• Philippe Kahn, Founder
• Sonia Lee, Co-Founder

Notes

1. ^ Parks, Maney, Agger, Krey
2. ^ Kanellos
3. ^ LightSurf Press Release

References

• Maney, Kevin (2007-01-23). "Baby's arrival inspires birth of cellphone camera — and societal evolution". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kevinmaney/2007-01-23-kahn-cellphone-camera_x.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-25. 

• Wong, Amy (2007-05-18). "Camera Phone Pioneer Ponders the Impact". Associated Press. http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=AP&Date=20070518&ID=6922790. Retrieved 2007-05-18. 

• Johnson, Colin (2007-11-12). "MEMS breed a new batch of consumer-pleasing devices". EE Times. http://www.eetimes.com/rss/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=202804275&cid=RSSfeed_eetimes_newsRSS. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
• Kanellos, Michael (April 2007). "News.com, Who invented the camera phone? It depends.". http://www.news.com/2102-1041_3-6172586.html?tag=st.util.print. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
• Parks, Bob (October 2000). "Wired Magazine, The Big Picture - Borland International Inc.'s Philippe Kahn". http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.10/kahn.html. Retrieved 20 April 2006. 
• Krey, Michael. "Borland Founder Kahn Focuses On Sending Photos Over Cell Phones". Investor's Business Daily. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-6996492_ITM. Retrieved 2006-04-21. 
• Agger, Michael. "The Camera Phone". slate.com. http://www.slate.com/id/2157736/. Retrieved January 18, 2007. 
• "Fullpower Technologies". Fullpower.com. http://www.fullpower.com. Retrieved November 11, 2007. 

External links

• Philippe Kahn NPR interview on the camera phone and mobile phone

• VeriSign press release on acquisition of LightSurf.