hi5 Mobile Launches Worldwide in 26 Languages

International social networking site expands reach to mobile consumers across the globe San Francisco, CA; August 26, 2008 — hi5 Networks, one of the world's largest and fastest-growing social networks, today announced the availability of hi5 Mobile. The rapidly growing global social networking site is now available on mobile phones in 26 different languages. hi5 Mobile sets a new precedent for the globalization of the mobile web and provides access to the millions of international users who primarily use mobile devices, instead of a personal computer, to stay connected with friends, family and colleagues.

With hi5 Mobile, users can easily send and receive messages, update status, view friends' profiles, share photos, find out who is online and add new friends. hi5 Mobile has been optimized for performance and display on the most popular phones, including the Apple iPhone, Nokia, Motorola, Blackberry, LG, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson.

Growth of the mobile Internet market has been dramatic. Market research firm IDC estimates the total number of mobile Internet users worldwide will reach 546 million in 2008, nearly twice as many as in 2006, and is forecast to surpass 1.5 billion worldwide in 2012.

"Mobile use represents a huge opportunity for social networking and this functionality is particularly relevant to hi5's international user base who are more advanced than their U.S. counterparts in terms of mobile device usage. We are providing the tools for users to connect and share information with their hi5 network from almost anywhere in the world," said Ramu Yalamanchi, CEO of hi5. "In addition, as we see the number of users accessing hi5 via their mobile phones increase, it will open up the opportunity to roll out hyper-localized advertising."

hi5 is focused on serving the needs of the global social networker, going beyond translation to true localization and understanding the nuances of how people in different cultures use social networking to communicate, share information, and discover content. Consequently, it was critical that the hi5 Mobile service support the full breadth of languages of the parent service from inception. No other social network offers mobile support in as many languages as hi5. This extensive in-language support represents a significant market opportunity for the company.

Many users in other countries prefer to use their mobile phones to communicate over a computer. This service now allows them the in-language experience they require with the immediate access and convenience they have come to expect.

About hi5 Networks Headquartered in San Francisco, hi5 is one of the world's largest and fastest growing social networks. Our focus is to empower our users to build and maintain culturally relevant connections between friends and family online. With over 56 million unique visitors every month, hi5 is a top 20 website globally and the number one social network in 26 countries across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The service is available in 26 languages, delivering localized content and applications to users worldwide.

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