UKash European Expansion

Currently issued in the UK, Ireland, Spain and Germany, Ukash is now available for the millions of consumers in 16 additional countries across Europe who don't have or don't wish to use credit or debit cards online. Now cash consumers in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden can get Ukash at their nearest bank branch by completing a simple paying-in slip. They will then receive an email or SMS message with their unique and secure 19-digit Ukash voucher number. This voucher number is used when they are asked to pay at any of the hundreds of web sites that accept Ukash. If they have a bank account but don't want to give out their details online, they can make a bank transfer, either at their bank, or using internet banking, and receive their Ukash voucher by email or SMS direct to their mobile. In the UK, Ireland, Spain and Germany, consumers can get Ukash vouchers from thousands of stores such as convenience stores, newsagents and petrol stations.
http://www.finextra.com/fullpr.asp?id=14284

Buy a stuffed animal get an online account at Webkinz

Great idea! " Once Jake used the secret code that came with his store-bought bulldog to create an online version at Webkinz.com, he committed to feeding and shopping for the pup regularly while interacting with other kids and their virtual pets on the Internet. "You have to play it mostly every two days or every day, because if you don't, then their health meter goes all the way down and they'll get sick," Jake says matter-of-factly. "I do it just about every day because I just really, really like it." Webkinz.com is one of a growing number of social-networking sites aimed at the teen set ...Ganz makes more than 40 Webkinz and about 25 smaller versions called Lil' Kinz. Each comes with a year of online access, though that can be renewed when kids buy another toy - if they can find them.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/bal-te.bz.kids05apr05,0,3748195.story?coll=chi-bizfront-hed

Stardoll in 5 languages and Mobile BIlling in Multiple Countries

... the launch of the French, Italian, and Spanish language versions of www.stardoll.com, an online celebrity dress-up and community site for everyone who likes fashion and celebrities. In addition to the German version launched before the holiday season, these newly localized sites dramatically increase the potential audience for Stardoll.com in each language market.

Stardoll.com CEO, Mattias Miksche, said, “We started with an English version and built a tremendous audience. Now we have an opportunity to extend our community to an even larger global audience. Our membership base has grown from 3.5 million to 5.5 million in just three months and we anticipate that significant growth will come from the localized sites.”

About Stardoll.com

At Stardoll.com, users can create their own virtual doll to style and interact with or choose from the always-growing collection of celebrity dolls and dress them up in virtual fashions.

Clothes and accessories for the personalized dolls and their rooms are paid for with Stardollars, a virtual currency that is bought with real money via credit card or premium SMS payments. Stardoll.com investors include Index Ventures, whose track record includes Skype and Infospace, among many others, and Sequoia Capital, whose track record includes Yahoo, Google, and YouTube, among many others.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070320005090&newsLang=en