Microsoft thinking of some phone-PC integration after all

I complained last week that Microsoft is not giving Windows users enough reason to use Windows Phone, but it seems the eggheads in the Microsoft Research Division are at least doing their bit to make Windows Phone more attractive to Windows users.

One of their bright ideas is Newport, a way to let phone users use their PC as a side channel for data sharing.

In their example, a PC would detect via Bluetooth that you are on the phone with one of your contacts, and would offer collaboration tools using your PC. 

As the research paper notes:

“We also designed Newport to bridge a gap between phones and computers, inspired by frustration that mobile phones and computers with complementary functions are often used in isolation, even when both devices are available.”

Sounds like a pretty inspired idea, and would make for a more fluid and natural teleconferencing.

Mary Jo Foley, who uncovered the research, also points to Courier (no, not the cancelled one), which would allow users to use their phones to move PC content from one location to another.

Now of course what I would like to know is why none of these bright ideas ever make it into products at Microsoft.  Who knows, maybe Windows Phone 7 will mark a chance in this waste of talent.

Read more at the AllaboutMicrosoft blog here.