Speculation is again surfacing that Microsoft has reached an agreement to acquire email innovator Xobni. Self-proclaimed technology entrepreneur Laurent Féral-Pierssens is reporting on his blog:

Yesterday, Xobni finally came to an agreement with Microsoft to be acquired. An official announcement with the details has yet to be made.

Unfortunately, Féral-Pierssens offers no source for his information, and refutes claims of misinformation with a hollow, but dismissive "We’ll have to wait for the official details".

Of course, a Microsoft buyout isn’t out of the question: Xobni is a Microsoft Startup Accelerator Program member, and obviously has generated excitement inside Microsoft, leading to Bill Gates’ enthusiastic demo of Xobni in his opening keynote at the Office Developers Conference in February.

Does anyone else out there know anything more?