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Microsoft Agrees To License ActiveSync To Google

Posted by kdawson on from the kitchen-sync dept.

JacobSteelsmith writes "Microsoft agreed today to license ActiveSync to Google. Google is using ActiveSync as part of Google Sync, which enables the synchronization of data between mobile devices and, presumably, Google Calendar and your contacts stored at Google. 'Microsoft's vice president of intellectual property and licensing, Horacio Gutierrez, said in a statement that the Google license 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."'"

3 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. Re:woopee by Constantine+XVI · · Score: 4, Informative

    We do. It's called SyncML. Google now supports it as well (though calendar sync isn't 100% together yet)

    --
    "I think an etch-a-sketch with an ethernet port would beat IE7 in web standards compliance."
  2. Re:moar plz by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 5, Informative

    Cool, can you point us to all the other examples?

    Sure. You might want to look at the current list of specs covered by the Open Specification Promise (that means no licensing fees, royalty-free, and a patent non-enforecement guarantee) for a start.

  3. Re:Hah! That's a joke by nxtw · · Score: 5, Informative

    What Google has just done is to license PPP from Microsoft. Nice job.

    Don't believe me? Read this. [handhelds.org]

    All the "Activesync Protocol" is, is good old PPP.

    No. Google licensed Exchange ActiveSync, a protocol runs on top of http(s) to provide calendar and contacts synchronization and push email for mobile devices. It only requires an internet connection - unlike BlackBerry, which requires special network support.

    On the client side, Exchange ActiveSync is implemented by the iPhone (since firmware 2.0), Windows Mobile devices, and some Sony Ericsson and Nokia devices. Microsoft Exchange is the most popular server, but other closed- (Zimbra) and open-source (Z-Push) implementations exist.