WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

Microsoft is buying cellphone smartphone software maker Danger, strengthening its position in the consumer mobile space.  Danger is best know for providing the software and technology behind the SideKick.

With the acquisition of Danger, Microsoft will benefit from the company’s nearly 10 years of expertise with mobile consumers. The Palo Alto, California-based company provides services that allow people to keep in touch, stay organized and keep informed while on the go through real-time mobile messaging, social networking services, web browsing and personal information management applications. Combining these services with Microsoft’s connected entertainment and mobile technologies will provide Microsoft with the tools to accelerate its work to create industry-leading entertainment and communication experiences for consumers.

In addition to the acquisition of Danger, Microsoft highlighted its partnership with Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB to make Windows Mobile phones, announced extended reach of Windows Live and MSN Direct services around the world, and demonstrated how the increased adoption of Microsoft software is giving consumers more control over digital content. Businesses including Brightstar Corp, Cbeyond, MTS (Mobile TeleSystems OJSC), Omnifone Ltd, Orascom Telecom Holding, TechData, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Wind Greece and Wind Italy unveiled plans today to tap Microsoft for its latest mobile innovations.

Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division President Robbie Bach announced the news today in a keynote address at Mobile World Congress 2008 as he articulated a comprehensive vision for the capabilities that Microsoft and its mobile partner network plan to deliver.

“We believe wherever you go, your phone should bring your world with you,” Bach said. “Microsoft will build upon our current offerings to business users by delivering a whole new range of experiences to mobile consumers. And we have the broadest partnerships, the finest people, and the best software and services to get us there.”

Today’s announcements build on Microsoft’s current partnerships with nearly every device maker and mobile operator in the world. With yesterday’s addition of Sony Ericsson, Windows Mobile alone runs phones from 50 device makers used by 160 mobile operators. Microsoft software and services including Windows Mobile, Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and Windows Live Spaces, the world’s most widely used weblogging service, are also used by device-makers including HTC Corp, LG Electronics, Motorola Inc, Nokia, Palm Inc, Research in Motion Ltd  and Samsung.

Creating New Experiences for Mobile Consumers

Part of Microsoft’s focus to help more people worldwide take advantage of increasingly powerful mobile technology is to enable new entertaining, informative and interactive experiences.

At 3GSM 2007, Microsoft unveiled PlayReady, a new content access technology that enables content owners and service providers to deliver and manage virtually any type of digital content using a wide range of business models. In just one year it has gained significant industry momentum, including a recently announced collaborative effort with Nokia to build support for PlayReady technology into the Nokia S60 and Series 40 mobile device platforms.