In the News

Following the success in Kolkata and Ahmedabad, Microsoft Devices has partnered with WWF-India to launch the 2014 edition of “Create to Inspire” Fellowship. The program provides a platform to young people to use their creative arts to build innovative social action projects under the guidance of established mentors from various fields of art. Speaking at the launch, P. Balaji, Managing Director, Nokia India, said “We are very happy to launch the second edition in Delhi, a city that has long been known for its rich culture and ethnicity. With all the creative inspiration the program aims to bring among the youth, we are looking forward to some great talent from this culturally rich city.”

It’s only the second day at Computex 2014 and Microsoft unleashes two never-heard-before Windows devices as part of its keynote presentation. Microsoft’s VP of OEM partners Nick Parker showcased two innovative devices from the house of HP and Toshiba called Pro X2 612, a 2-in-1 device and 7-inch tablet respectively. e HP Pro X2 612 is a 2-in-1 device “designed from the ground up for business”. It has full HD cameras at the rear and front. It comes with a stylus using the Wacom digitiser, and enterprise security built-in. The second device under the brand of Toshiba is a 7-inch tablet that apparently sports “champagne gold” finish.

Priced at Rs. 3, 329 Microsoft Devices announced the launch of Nokia 225, a device which according to the company is a part of its initiative to allow internet access to all the mobile phone users across the country. The Nokia 225 allows internet access through the cloud-powered Nokia Xpress Browser. Sari Harju, Head of mobile phones, Nokia India Sales said, “Offering a rich media experience and simple functionality combined with Nokia trust and quality, the Nokia 225 enables us to bring the affordable mobile phone experience to consumers across the spectrum. It is a true testimony of our commitment to connect the next billion to the internet”.

Microsoft Devices has partnered with WWF-India to launch the 2014 edition of ‘Create to Inspire’ fellowship. The program provides a platform to young people to use their creative arts to build innovative social action projects under the guidance of established mentors from various fields of art. This year’s edition will focus on Urban Biodiversity. Under the fellowship, 50 young creative people in the age group of 18 to 25 years will be selected and mentored by 5 renowned artists and 2 subject matter experts for a period of 4 months. Speaking at the launch, P. Balaji, Managing Director, Nokia India, said “This will help create a new social context in the city with the aim of encouraging people to preserve its biodiversity.”

When Microsoft’s new CEO, Satya Nadella, took the stage at the Code Conference in Southern California, he really needed to make a good impression in front of the high-powered crowd full of fellow tech ex¬ecutives, investors and opinion-havers. So Nadella rolled out a catch phrase. He said he believed we had entered the “post-post-PC era”. He said you’re no longer married to any one device, and that apps and services should be built for all devices.

The article is an interview of Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President and Manager for Windows Phone, Microsoft wherein he spoke about Windows Phone, Nokia and Moto E. He said, “There are a number of things I’m really excited about. I’m excited to see the effect on the available apps that will happen as the net volume of this new platform ramps up. I’m also excited to see what happens with dual-SIM. You know it is a meaningful gap for a lot of people in countries like India and I’m excited to see how that will affect the perception of Windows Phones.”

With the Nokia Lumia 638, Microsoft has delivered two key features under a single roof – Dual SIM card slots and 4G LTE. Usually, you’d find separate variants for each of these attributes like the Lumia 630 that supports two SIMs and the 635 that’s an LTE-specific model.

Asus is taking convergence to a new level with what the company says is the world’s first five-mode laptop. It features a Windows and Android laptop and tablet as well as an Android smartphone. A 5-inch smartphone docks into the 12.5-inch screen tablet that can be attached with a full QWERTY keyboard and touchpad to turn into a laptop. The Transformer Book V runs both Windows 8.1 and Android 4.4 KitKat. It includes a dedicated hardware button to switch between the two operating systems.

Microsoft Corp. named Jeff Teper, a former Office software vice president who helped guide that unit’s transition to Web-based products, as head of corporate strategy to work in areas such as acquisitions and development. Teper was promoted last month, and the company hasn’t announced his replacement in the Office group, said Peter Wootton, a spokesman for Microsoft. Teper reports to Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood.

Ever since Satya Nadella stepped in as Microsoft’s CEO, the tech giant is all geared up on its mobile-first-cloud-first vision. His first step was to make Office available on Apple’s iPad. The latest is that Microsoft joins hand with long-time rival Salesforce.com to integrate the latter’s apps into its Windows and online Office platforms including Office 365, Outlook Microsoft Azure and Windows Phone. The new development is expected to further strengthen the company’s position in mobile devices and the cloud.