Microsoft Office coming to Nokia smartphones

Microsoft and Nokia, in a challenge to Research in Motion's Blackberry, announced Wednesday that Microsoft Office software will be available on smartphones made by the Finnish company. The software and cellphone giants said that starting next year, Nokia would include Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile on its smartphones, followed by other Office applications. "It's the first time Microsoft will develop rich Office Mobile applications for another smartphone platform," Stephen Elop, the president of Microsoft Business Division, said in a conference call with reporters, adding that the two companies have identified several other areas for future joint collaboration. Microsoft and Nokia said the agreement will allow Nokia smartphone users to view, edit, create and share Office documents and use such popular Microsoft programs as Word, PowerPoint and Excel. However, Microsoft and Nokia both stressed their commitment to their rival mobile telephone operating systems, Windows Mobile and Symbian.