Windows Live: coming to a mobile near you

Microsoft is having a stormer of a Mobile World Congress. After announcing its decision to buy the software company Danger, hot on the heels of its play for Yahoo, it’s dusting down its consumer effort for mobiles with Windows Live @mobile, where operators will be able to run Windows Live services – Hotmail, Messenger etc – either on a subscription basis, for a one-off payment or as an ad funded service.

And that’s not all, there’s the Windows Live Mobile Developer Program. According to Microsoft, the program will mean developers will be able to create mobile versions of its Windows Live services for mobiles, whether they run Windows natively or not.

It’s a pincer movement from Microsoft to try and take its products into the consumer realm – get a consumer manufacturer on your side with the operating system, with Sony Ericsson and then make sure you can your applications onto any other device with any operator. Clever moves from Redmond.