CNBC Awaaz: Microsoft to play a big part in Digital India

In an interview, Karan Bajwa, MD, Microsoft India, said, “Microsoft is the only global multinational company that has set up local cloud datacenters in India, which is a very important move from our side. We have already made that investment and today those 3 data centres are alive in Mumbai, Pune and Chennai. We are going to continue scaling those people who wanted to have local data centres before they adapt the cloud. There is no connectivity in remote villages, so we have created a technology ‘TV White space’ through Microsoft research which will provide internet to everyone.”

CIO: Windows 10 adoption rises with Steam users: 25 percent have jumped to the new OS

Windows 10 hit a milestone in the PC gaming world last month: The operating system is now installed on more than a quarter of all computers running Steam. Valve’s monthly Steam hardware and software survey shows that 26.63 percent of users were running 64-bit Windows 10 in October. Another 1.01 percent were running “Windows 10,” which presumably refers to the 32-bit version, for a grand total of 27.64 percent. The survey was first spotted by WinBeta.

NDTV: Skype gets a new share button for websites

Microsoft’s Skype team on Wednesday introduced a new share button for websites, which would make it easier for users to “engage in richer conversations about the content immediately.”The Skype blog post adds that they have teamed-up with MSN.com website, where the Skype share button would reach first in the world. In India, Skype has collaborated with Sify.com for its share button. It can be seen on the two websites. The share button would reach other websites soon.

The Hindu: Microsoft picks Varanasi for experimental Internet pilot

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s plans for the ambitious Digital India programme include an experimental technology pilot in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency of Varanasi.The software giant has chosen the pilgrim town in Uttar Pradesh as the venue for a project to fund local entrepreneurs aiming to build devices that can overcome India’s bandwidth crunch, according to Mr. Nadella.

Economic Times: Jharkhand in Microsoft mission to empower citizens

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella today said Jharkhand would be in its mission to empower citizens through technology. “The mission of Microsoft is to empower the citizens through technology and Jharkhand would certainly be in its priority given its unique potential,” an official release was made available today quoting Nadella’s Boardroom discussion in Mumbai. State’s Information Technology Secretary Sunil Kumar Burnwal represented the state.

Business Standard: Nadella uses personal phone to iterate Microsoft’s productivity

Redmond-based technology major Microsoft’s Indian-born chief executive Satya Nadella on Thursday showcased company apps on his personal Microsoft Lumia 950 XL to emphasise productivity enhancement via his company tools and services.The chief executive, who is on a one-day visit to India to meet chief executives of other companies and key policymakers, while delivering his keynote address at ‘Microsoft’s Future Unleashed’ event in Mumbai being held on the ocassion of the company’s 25th anniversary, praised the energy, enthusiasm of Indians.

Economic Times: Microsoft to provide $120,000 Azure credits to startups working on smart cities

Microsoft has launched an initiative to help local startups working on solutions for smart cities, for which it will provide $120,000 worth of Azure credits, CEO Satya Nadella announced at the American technology company’s ‘Future Unleashed’ event in Mumbai. “We will work together with startups, each will provide the building blocks of the solution and we will provide the cloud framework. It helps in the process that governments see us as providing the glue. So we help startups access a large market where we have relationships,” said, Ravi Narayan, Director at Microsoft Ventures

Economic Times: Will launch Surface Pro 4 in January, Lumia 950 in December – Satya Nadella

“We will bring the Surface Pro 4 and the Lumia 950 to India in January and December, respectively,” Chief Executive Satya Nadella announced. He added, “At Microsoft, we strive to empower every citizen and every business and government organisation to achieve more. With the newly launched Microsoft Cloud and with Surface Pro 4, our customers have the digital technology they need to seize incredible new growth and opportunity on a global scale.”

BGR: Microsoft, Maharashtra government team up to build 50 smart villages by 2016 end

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that he was looking to build 50 smart villages starting with Arinsal by the end of 2016. ”We are not only looking at building smart cities but smart villages. Our first such project is the Arinsal village where Microsoft will help us. We are looking to build 50 smart villages by the end of 2016,” Fadnavis told Microsoft India chairman Bhaskar Pramanik.