Reuters inform: “Microsoft Corp. introduced on Sunday phones, headsets and other devices to work with its software that aim to replace the traditional office phone and deliver e-mails, instant messages and phone calls over the Internet. The new hardware products will be unveiled at this week’s Microsoft Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in Los Angeles.”

“The new products include an Internet Protocol phone from NEC that connects to a computer’s Universal Serial Bus and a Bluetooth headset that connects via wireless technology to the Office program made by LG-Nortel, a joint venture of LG Electronics Inc. and Nortel Networks.”

“Other hardware manufacturers working with Microsoft are ASUS, Plantronics Inc., Polycom Inc., Tatung Co. Ltd. and Vitelix.”