Google is the third company this week to be involved in some type of mobile launch or application. Other companies that have launched mobile initiative include Yahoo with their Mobile Publisher service and Microsoft with their ZenZui’s Zooming User Interface, which looks to be a direct competitor to Apple’s iPhone.

Deep Nishar, director of product management, Google, said, "We’re pleased to work with LG to make it easier than ever for mobile internet users to have powerful applications and personalized information at their fingertips."

"Users around the world now have more options for accessing information while on the go through search and Gmail. With applications like Blogger, users are now free to express themselves from wherever they are in the world."

The new LG handsets will have one click access to Google search through an icon in the application menu. They will also offer Google Maps for mobile, Gmail, and Blogger Mobile that will allows users to upload/download images and text to blog from their mobile devices.

LG and Google will jointly market the LG-Google handsets. Google has other similar deals with Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Samsung Electronics to carry their search services.

LG will launch 10 new handsets in 2007 that will feature Google products and services. LG will be shipping the handsets worldwide through North America, Asia and Europe starting in the second quarter of 2007.

Paul Bae, Vice President of the Product Planning Team at LG Electronics Mobile Communications, said, "Building on our efforts to set new standards for wireless handsets, we are excited to partner with Google to offer extra value to consumers with enhanced mobile Internet experiences."

"LG’s mobile devices, combined with Google, will provide consumers with easy access to their favorite Internet services even without a PC and make it easy for them to stay connected while in motion."

First, let’s talk about what this company is, and then we’ll poke some fun.

The company, headed up by wireless industry veteran Eric Hertz, centers its business on ZenZui‘s Zooming User Interface, a mobile phone technology patented by Microsoft. It’s very cool-looking, too; a direct answer to Apple’s forthcoming iPhone.

The interface allows mobile phone users to zoom in on Web content much like what Steve Jobs demonstrated back in January. Users can sync-up social networks, sports and weather, traffic, and share digital content without all that annoying scrolling and clicking.

Here’s a YouTube demo:

“ZenZui’s compelling platform is already creating excitement among carriers, content providers, interactive agencies and major marketers,” said Hertz.

Kayak.com, OTOlabs, Avenue A | Razorfish and Traffic.com Inc. are all signed up for the initial trial.

Now, on to the name. The quick-actin’ folks at Waggoner Edstrom are looking into the origin of the name ZenZui for me, but so far haven’t found out. Excuse my Dixie priggishness as I tell this as sensitively as I can.

When I lived in Japan I had a buddy named Hiro, and I visited him and his family often to have dinner and hang out. Well, nature called one night, called ferociously, and when Hiro decided I’d been his bathroom too long, he knocked on the door and said, "Jake! Sen Zuri?"

This was his crude way of asking if I was, um, you know, enjoying myself. The phrase "sen-zuri" means "1000 strokes."

It will be interesting to see how the ZenZui product goes over in Japan, if they decide to launch there. I can’t help but to imagine a whole country covering their mouths in a fit of giggles.