Intellisync launches unified messaging service

Wireless messaging and mobile software supplier Intellisync this week announced what it claims is the world's first unified messaging platform, and threw down a challenge to rivals in the mobile data market such as Microsoft.

Coming in the same week as the announcement of a joint strategy from Microsoft, Palm and US mobile operator Verizon, Intellisync, a close partner with Verizon, is anxious to get clear ground between itself and the competition.

"The capabilities of our platform go beyond what you will see in [the Microsoft-Palm-Verizon combination]," said Al Canal, sales director of channel marketing at Intellisync. "The deal doesn't affect us in a negative way," he said.

Intellisync Unified Messaging works with "any type of mobile communication" including email, voice, text or IM, claimed Canal, so that they are accessible from a single interface on any device in any location.

"IM is overlooked sometimes," said Canal, "but we are very strong here with links to all the IM systems. It is really powerful to be, say, in Brazil and accessing translation services on the Web, talking to someone on the phone and making queries with IM."

Intellisync has also announced support for the Nokia 9300 that Canal described as "ideal" for the Intellisync software. The company is in partnership with major US mobile networks, including Sprint and Nextel — as well as Verizon — and European carriers such as Orange and others.