Microsoft Invests in Move Networks

Microsoft made an undisclosed investment in Move Networks, a company that supplies streaming video technology, in an attempt to boost its online video presence.

The companies already have a relationship, struck in March, that makes their Internet technologies compatible. Move Networks' customers like ABC and the CW Television Network that use Move's technology to stream video online can also use Microsoft's Silverlight to include interactive elements such as branding and navigation in the videos. Silverlight is Microsoft's browser plug-in and development runtime for adding multimedia and video to Web-based applications.

Both technologies are also being used to deliver Internet video coverage of the Democratic National Committee, currently happening in Denver, on the convention Web site.

In addition to the Microsoft investment, Move also said that it will support Windows Server-based encoding, Microsoft codecs and Silverlight Digital Rights Management.

The investment could help Microsoft better compete online with Flash, Adobe's dominant technology widely used across the Web by developers to build multimedia Internet applications. Silverlight, introduced last year, is Microsoft's response to Flash.

Other big-name investors backing Move through investments announced in April include Cisco and Comcast Interactive Media.