Messenger to Integrate with Xbox Live
Microsoft have plans to integrate their popular MSN Messenger service with Xbox Live, so that as long as you are signed into MSN, you will be able to receive reports of who on your Live friends are playing what Xbox 360 games.
The software giant is working on a system which would let players on its online gaming service, Xbox Live, send instant messages to a friend's mobile.
Microsoft UK mobility business manager Jason Langridge told the BBC the system should be live within six months.
It is part of Microsoft's strategy to connect its various online services.
'Very near'
In an interview with the BBC News website, Mr Langridge explained that a team at Microsoft were working on integrating Xbox Live with its instant messaging program, MSN Messenger.
Messenger is included as part of a compact version of Windows for mobile phones.
Around 18% of smartphones and PDas in Europe use Windows Mobile as the operating system, but by far the most popular software is Symbian.
"So on my device I sign in with my MSN account and it sets up Hotmail," explained Mr Langridge. "There is no service fee and you can do MSN messaging chats."
The alerts would be sent over the internet via Xbox Live and come to a mobile over the air as an instant message.
"It just pops up saying 'Dinky Dave wants to play Project Gotham Racing' with you," said Mr Langridge.
He said he could not say when the system would go live on the Xbox 360 console, but added: "It is six months or so. It is very, very near."
"You can see the integration that we are building with the Xbox 360, with phones and with PCs," he said.
