Users of Microsoft's Live Communications Server will be able to access this enterprise instant messaging platform from mobile devices. Microsoft last week said it is developing a client front end to LCS that will go into beta testing in the second half of this year and that will be based on the Windows Mobile operating system. The mobile front end's user interface will be based on LCS' new PC-based client, Microsoft Office Communicator 2005, formerly called Istanbul. The mobile client will be designed to run over a variety of wireless networks and will feature an API for third-party developers. The mobile client will run on Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition and Windows Mobile 5.0. Three types of devices will be immediately supported: the Pocket PC, Pocket PC Phone Edition and Smartphone.

Attachmate last week said it was being bought by the investment group that recently purchased rival WRQ, and the two companies plan to merge. Under the deal, Financial Francisco Partners, Golden Gate Capital and Thomas Cressey Equity Partners will acquire Attachmate. Details were not released. Some layoffs are expected, but the company said it was too early to say how many. Attachmate has about 650 employees, while WRQ employs about 300 people. Both companies make software that enables host application connectivity. Upon the transaction closing, Frank Pritt will retire from the company he founded in 1982. Jeff Hawn, chairman of WRQ since January, will become the new CEO of the combined company.

Internet browser company Opera has added features for tighter security and the ability to surf the Web with voice commands in the latest version of its browser, Opera 8 for Windows and Linux. The desktop browser gives extra information about the identity of Web sites, automatically activating an information field that gives a level of security from 1 to 3 and listing the certificate owner of the site when the user visits a secure Web site. The browser also can identify the origins of pop-up Web sites, the company said. The Opera browser can be downloaded for free, although that version comes with sponsored banner advertisements. A banner-free version is available for $39. Along with improving the speed of Opera 8, the new version comes with voice-recognition and text-to-speech software, enabling a computer-generated voice to read out text the user highlights. It also adjusts Web content to fit a variety of screens or window sizes.