It sounds like Google and Microsoft are coming closer! Yes, the Silicon Valley search company on Monday announced a beta version of Google Sync software, in which Google has used Microsoft's ActiveSync technology, for iPhone and Windows Mobile phones.

What does that mean? Google and Microsoft are in collaboration? Well friends, they are just using their intellectual properties for more than simply developing products for their own customers.

In a statement on Google's new software, Microsoft stated that the new software was has come up by a license from Microsoft. In a statement, the deputy general counsel and VP of intellectual property and licensing at Microsoft, Horacio Gutierrez stated that 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."

Gutierrez said, "Google's licensing of these Microsoft patents relating to the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol is a clear acknowledgment of the innovation taking place at Microsoft. This agreement is also 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. This open approach has been part of Microsoft's IP licensing policy since 2003 and has resulted in over 500 licensing agreements of the last five years."

Calling the software "a particularly handy improvement for people who regularly use Google tools,” Google explained that Google Sync facilitates synchronizing Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar events across the Web, computers, and mobile devices.

In a blog, Google mobile engineer Bryan Mawhinney, wrote, "For iPhone and Windows Mobile devices, Google Sync allows you to get your Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar events to your phone. Once you set up Sync on your phone, it will automatically begin synchronizing your address book and calendar in the background, over-the-air, so you can attend to other tasks. Sync uses push technology so any changes or additions to your calendar or contacts are reflected on your device in minutes. The connection is always on so you don't have to manually sync your phone after Sync has been set up."