Apparently  the two companies announced yesterday that

Microsoft’s new “Smooth Streaming” technology will be bundled with a new Akamai service offering called “AdaptiveEdge Streaming for Microsoft Silverlight.”

But forget about how it works… as if i would ever understand anyway… think about what this could mean. Will Richmond of VideoNuze hits the nail on the head;

“Users expect TV-quality video when they go online; anything less just doesn’t make the grade anymore.” Especially in the HD era, premium video providers are recognizing that quality is king and as a result are accelerating their shift to more robust delivery infrastructure. And the payoffs are clear: higher-quality video drives longer viewing sessions, greater engagement and improved monetization opportunities.”

Check out the demonstration for yourself here http://www.smoothhd.com/