Mobile Marketing Watch has picked up on a press release that has huge implications for the future of mobile advertising:

The planned $750M acquisition of AdMob by Google announced earlier this year is stuck in limbo as two consumer groups today began to lobby the FTC to block the purchase, claiming it is anti-competitive and raises privacy concerns.

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With $22 billion in expected revenue this year, the deal, which could help Google become a monopoly in the mobile advertising space in time, needs to be carefully scrutinized by the FTC and anti-trust groups, however, it may still pass. This greatly concerns many involved in the space.

“The mobile sector is the next frontier of the digital revolution. Without vigorous competition and strong privacy guarantees this vital and growing segment of the online economy will be stifled,” wrote John M. Simpson, consumer advocate at Consumer Watchdog and CDD Executive Director Jeffery A. Chester, in a statement.

Head over to Mobile Marketing Watch to read more.

Another day, another SMS marketing success story. Of note, this one involves one of the decade's best personal branders:

HairTech International is using mobile marketing to promote the launch of Paris Hilton's huge new line of hair and beauty products.

The campaign, which kicked off in late November, already has budding socialites and fans opting-in to receive product information and giveaways via mobile from Ms. Hilton. Velti is powering the campaign.

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The mobile program is focused around a certified, Velti-powered short code (text keyword PARIS to short code 72747) that enables fans to log on to a mobile Web site to learn about Ms. Hilton's new line, sign up for giveaways and get text alerts about upcoming promotions.

As a call to action the short code has a powerful media schedule behind it including social-media initiatives - with tweets to Ms. Hilton's 1 million Twitter followers and communications to her 140,000 Facebook friends.

For the large (and growing) group of developers who have hooked their own apps up to Ez Texting's Group SMS API, we've got some great news. Our new Developer Center is now open for business! We've added lots of new code samples, a partner showcase, a community forum, and more.

If you haven't worked with Ez Texting's group text messaging API in the past, we've got some news for you as well. Our own development team has put together an easy to follow, five step getting started guide. Follow the guide and you'll be sending out messages through our SMS gateway in minutes!

Whether you're an independent developer or you work on a team at Fortune 500 company, we're here to provide you with the right tools and the support you deserve. Ready to partner with us? Visit the Ez Texting Developer Center.

What is SMS Marketing? We get this question a lot at Ez Texting. It's actually a really simple concept, so let's jump right in. We all know what text messages are. SMS Marketing are advertisements delivered via text messages. That's the basic definition. Is there more? Definitely - but nothing too complicated:

• Mobile Coupons - Deliver a coupon code as a text message to your customers.
• Sale & Event Reminders - Make sure your customers know about upcoming events at your store.
• Mobile Contests & Mobile Polling - Your customers can text in Keywords to a short code to vote or join a contents. When the event is over, you'll have collected their information so you can contact them in the future.
• And...anything else you can imagine that you can express in 160 characters!

Leare more about SMS Marketing at Ez Texting.

Or, if you're really interested, we suggest you check out our white paper, Mobile Marketing with Text Messaging.

There's a texting-themed trend piece over at the New York Times today, that goes from funny to not so funny, when divorce trials come into play:

Text messages are the new lipstick on the collar, the mislaid credit card bill. Instantaneous and seemingly casual, they can be confirmation of a clandestine affair, a record of the not-so-discreet who sometimes forget that everything digital leaves a footprint.

This became painfully obvious a week ago when a woman who claims to have had an affair with Tiger Woods told a celebrity publication that he had sent her flirty text messages, some of which were published. It follows on the heels of politicians who ran afoul of text I.Q., including a former Detroit mayor who went to prison after his steamy text messages to an aide were revealed, and Senator John Ensign of Nevada, whose affair with a former employee was confirmed by an incriminating text message.

Sounds straightforward so far - cheaters cheat, and they got caught by SMS. But there's more:

Proving adultery is not the only value of a text message to a divorce lawyer. Last year Mr. Karpf, the lawyer from Miami, represented a husband whose wife was seeking sole custody of their child. The wife claimed the husband had left her and the child. He countered, saying he left because she was physically abusive. She denied it until Mr. Karpf produced several text messages the wife sent her husband apologizing for her inappropriate behavior. “She set up the whole case for me,” Mr. Karpf said.

Robert Stephan Cohen, the lawyer who represented Christie Brinkley in her divorce from Peter Cook, said a spouse’s finding out about a cheating partner by reading their personal text messages would have a profound effect on how such cases were played out, both in court and among friends and family. Mr. Cohen predicted that the battles in even the most routine divorces would become uglier with more text messages as evidence.

“It’s much different than rumor running around about a husband at dinner with a babe in the back booth,” he said. “It’s in the spouse’s face. They read it over and over again. It’s harsh and hurtful.”

Read it all at the New York Times

We'd like to take a few moments of your time to announce the launch of the new TellMyCell, now powered by Ez Texting. A little bit about TellMyCell:

At TellMyCell we call ourselves The Mobile Marketing Company, because we've spent the last six years helping hundreds of brands launch affordable enterprise-class mobile marketing campaigns.

With six years of experience in the mobile marketing business we're confident that we can offer an unparalleled enterprise-class platform at an affordable price. Whether you're looking to hook your application up to our SMS gateway using our robust API, or you're getting ready to launch an inexpensive mobile text message marketing campaign, TellMyCell can help you get started.

Visit TellMyCell and learn more!

SFGate's Tech Chronicle reports on Google's innovative attempt to disrupt yet another market:

The Mountain View Internet colossus said it will send out window decals to more than 100,000 U.S. restaurants, shops and hangouts that have proven popular on Google's search engine and map service. The stickers will proclaim the businesses a "Favorite Place on Google," helping to lure customers in much the way "Zagat Rated" signs or framed newspaper reviews have done for years.

But Google being Google, there's a technology twist.

Each decal will include a unique bar code that consumers can scan with the cameras on their mobile device -- like iPhones or Android-based handsets -- to find reviews and coupons or eventually submit their own feedback.

Users may have to download a so-called QR-Code reader application for this to work.

Google explained in a blog post: "This launch is part of our overall effort -- online and offline -- to provide you with the best local business results whenever you're trying to figure out where to go, whether it's a trendy Cuban restaurant in Philly, a comics shop in LA or a hip hotel in NYC."

And just how do you qualify for this program? By adding verified data to Google's small business listings, which helps Google enhance the quality of a notoriously difficult to cleanse set of data:

The company said that business owners who want to be identified as a "Favorite Place" must unlock their local business listing at its business center. They can't pay for the privilege of receiving a coveted sticker, but can improve their odds by ensuring the information about the business is accurate and adding content like photos, videos, menus and coupons, Google said.

Read more at SF Chronicle.