Talk about strange bedfellows: Google (NSDQ:GOOG) Monday licensed software from rival Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)'s Exchange ActiveSync protocol that will let Google users transfer data to iPhones and Windows Mobile phones.
Microsoft also said it recently expanded its Exchange ActiveSync Licensing Program, which includes partners and competitors Apple, Nokia, Palm, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, among others.
Google Sync, currently in beta, uses push technology that lets iPhone and Windows Mobile devices get Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar events to phones.
When Sync is set up on phones, it automatically starts synchronizing a user's address book and calendar in the background and over-the-air and allows changes or additions to transfers over devices in minutes. For example, when a colleague changes the time of the TPS report cover sheets meeting, it will let alert Sync users immediately.
As a security feature, data is automatically backed up to Google accounts, so information is stored even if a user loses their phone.
In addition, for devices that support the open SyncML protocol, Google Sync allows two-way contacts synchronization. For BlackBerry users, a version of Google Sync is already available.
"This agreement is a great example of Microsoft' s openness to generally license our patents under fair and reasonable terms so long as licensees respect Microsoft intellectual property," said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's deputy general counsel and vice president, Intellectual Property and Licensing, in a statement.
Microsoft also said it recently expanded its Exchange ActiveSync Licensing Program, which includes partners and competitors Apple, Nokia, Palm, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, among others.
Google Sync, currently in beta, uses push technology that lets iPhone and Windows Mobile devices get Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar events to phones.
When Sync is set up on phones, it automatically starts synchronizing a user's address book and calendar in the background and over-the-air and allows changes or additions to transfers over devices in minutes. For example, when a colleague changes the time of the TPS report cover sheets meeting, it will let alert Sync users immediately.
As a security feature, data is automatically backed up to Google accounts, so information is stored even if a user loses their phone.
In addition, for devices that support the open SyncML protocol, Google Sync allows two-way contacts synchronization. For BlackBerry users, a version of Google Sync is already available.
"This agreement is a great example of Microsoft' s openness to generally license our patents under fair and reasonable terms so long as licensees respect Microsoft intellectual property," said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's deputy general counsel and vice president, Intellectual Property and Licensing, in a statement.
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