Microsoft will be responsible for building an ubiquitous computing environment in the "City of the Future." The Redmond company announced that its technology would be at the heart of Songdo, a new South Korean city being built 40 miles southwest of Seoul. Microsoft Solutions will cover various technological aspects of the Songdo International Business District and will be made available to citizens, government, as well as for education purposes. Songdo is under construction in Incheon, South Korea and will cost an estimated $35 billion (U.S.). Gale International, the developer of Songdo, singed a partnership with Microsoft, and the Redmond company will get to place a complete technology infrastructure for the "City of the Future."

"Designing an entirely new city from the ground up provides a unique opportunity to create an ideal technological infrastructure in which access to digital capabilities and experiences is an inherent part of the living and working environment across people's lives," revealed Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. "Microsoft is pleased to join with Gale International, which is working closely with the governments of Korea and Incheon and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority to help turn this exciting vision into reality."

Bill Gates was present at the Government Leaders Forum - Asia in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he delivered the keynote address. Songdo will get a wide variety of Microsoft technologies, but the entire span of the project is yet to be determined. According to the Redmond company, the city's technological requirements will be determined in collaboration with the Gale International and the Korean government, but will feature a Windows Mobile capable interface for government services, the Microsoft Citizen Service Platform, Microsoft Surface and Virtual Earth.

"I am very glad to have Microsoft as one of the major technology partners for the ubiquitous connectivity of Songdo IBD, a part of the Incheon Free Economic Zone," said Heon-Seok Lee, commissioner of the Free Economic Zone Authority. "I am confident that Microsoft's technologies will successfully make Songdo IBD a cutting-edge technology-enabled city, which will accelerate Incheon Free Economic Zone's city development and investment promotion."