HERE’S taking the seam-less web-to-mobile experience up another notch.

While websites are usually developed for those using desktop computers, there are now mobile versions for users who surf the Internet using their handheld devices.

In the Philippines, where people who own mobile phones easily outnumber those who own computers, the decision to focus on “Internet on-the-go” makes sense.

It helps, too, that Internet usage rates have become more affordable compared to, say, a couple of years ago. Today, one can go online using one’s mobile phone for as low as P10 for 30 minutes.

And although the country is ranked one of the highest in terms of Internet social networking penetration, there is not one social networking site created and developed by Filipinos that has garnered a significant amount of followers.

One step up

This changed with the recent launch of Sandbox (http://www.
mysandbox.com), considered to be a step up from the usual social networking site.

Actually, Sandbox is the country’s first web and mobile portal developed by Filipinos that seamlessly unites social networking, online media content sharing and downloading, and other web services.

One user described Sandbox as “Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, and Multiply combined and a lot more.”

The difference is that users don’t have to undergo website-hopping for that “complete digital experience.”

“We’re very confident about the success of Sandbox, being that Filipinos are generally very open to trying out new things and experimenting on new concepts,” said Rezza Custodio, senior manager, wireless consumer division of Smart Communications, the visionary company behind Sandbox.

According to her, Sandbox is Smart’s biggest project for 2009.

Sandbox can be accessed using a computer or mobile phone. But unlike others, the platform was developed with mobile phone users in mind. This means all information from the website may be readily shared with PCs and mobile phones.

In essence, the “complete portal” has redefined the concept of mobility by allowing every one who’s constantly on-the-move to have anything they need at a touch of a button.

“Sandbox is an expansive one-stop homepage that fuses all the elements of the digital lifestyle – both on the web and on the phone,” Custodio said.

More than just content site

“We are more than just an online content site, more than just a social networking site,” said Orlando Vea, Smart’s chief wireless adviser. “The exciting thing is that we are the frontier of digital harmony, on the web and on mobile.”

Fueled by an avalanche of user-generated content building on the web, logging on to Sandbox lets users create a profile, update status, upload and view photos and videos, write a blog, and join forum discussions.

Once registered, users can also send and receive e-mail messages, chat live, download music and games, and watch select live specials and popular TV episodes.

“Truly, there’s no need to visit different sites to get everything. All one needs is to register at Sandbox. This is another step to achieving Internet for all, without sacrificing mobility,” Vea said at the recent Sandbox launch held at Bureau in Makati City.

Sandbox couldn’t have come in a timelier manner, Vea said, considering how Filipino users nowadays can’t seem to part with their mobile phones.

With the help of television ads and word-of-mouth (both online and offline), Custodio expects the present 35,000 users and 120,000 user-generated content to double in no time.

“Because Sandbox caters to so many interests, any one from high school who wants to chat with friends, to any 65-year-old blogger, may find it very interesting,” she said. “Not only that, anyone (not just Smart subscribers) with access to the web can visit and browse the Sandbox portal and register as a user.”

The good thing about downloading content from Sandbox, is that one does not need a credit card to do so, Custodio said. Since content is delivered straight to the user’s mobile device, the cost of any requested music, game, or video is automatically charged to his or her prepaid credit or may be billed to one’s postpaid plans.

Downloading and installation is hassle-free as well, she said. Among available games for download at Sandbox are “Assassin’s Creed,” “Asphalt 4: Elite Racing” and “Prince of Persia” – games that cost twice or thrice the price when downloaded from other websites paying through credit card.

Shopping at Digisoria

Another innovation at Sandbox is its unique online retail portal called Digisoria – a moniker derived from the country’s famed bargain shopping destination.

At Digisoria, entrepreneurs found yet another platform to sell their products online – further supporting the online shopping boom.

At the same time, shoppers get an easier time selecting what they need from a streamlined collection that catalogs products and retailers according to their niche such as Bikes, House & Home, Timepieces, Hair and Clothes.

“With Sandbox, we’re not forcing anyone to purchase a ringtone or a dress or a game,” Custodio said.

At the end of the day, she said, the goal is to link Filipinos to their loved ones and to make the Internet experience more enjoyable for them.