IBM Acquires Online Messaging, Collaboration Service Provider

The messaging service will become part of the IBM Lotus "Bluehouse" online social networking and collaboration project that's currently in open beta, IBM said. The company is expected to disclose more details at next week's Lotusphere conference in Orlando, Fla., about how the Outblaze assets will become part of IBM's online portfolio.

Details of the acquisition of privately held Outblaze, which is based in Hong Kong, were not disclosed. IBM said the company's hosted multilingual e-mail service currently supports more than 40 million users.

IBM said the acquisition would accelerate its ability to deliver Web-based mail services in a Software-as-a-Service model. The service lets users share files, chat and participate in online meetings.