Airtel

The Airtel Net PC is powered by Microsoft and Nivio Companion. It runs a customized build of Windows XP which connects to a backend Linux-based server and provides access to various applications and storage through Nivio Companion. The Airtel Net PC will be available at Airtel outlets for Rs. 7999 for Airtel broadband customers in Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida. It comes with 10 GB online storage and Microsoft Office Premium.

Airtel Net PC Plans:

Airtel Net PC : Rs. 7999
Airtel Net PC Without Monitor: Rs. 4999

It comes in 3 flavors:

Home – Rs. 699 / month
- 256 Kbps Broadband
- 3 GB data transfer cap
- 10 GB online storage
- Microsoft Office Standard

Professional – Rs. 899 / month
- 256 Kbps Broadband
- 3 GB data transfer cap
- 10 GB online storage
- Microsoft Office Standard with Admin rights

Business – Rs. 1199 / month
- 256 Kbps Broadband
- 3 GB data transfer cap
- 10 GB online storage
- Microsoft Office Premium with Admin rights

In my opinion, all the 3 plans are total bullshit! A 3 GB data transfer limit is just ridiculous. When all your data is in the cloud, 3 GB can vanish into thin air in a matter of days, even for the most basic users. Airtel seriously needs to roll out some Unlimited plan if it hopes to make this a success.

More details to be updated soon.

BTW, Happy Birthday, Steve!

Great news for all those who were disappointed with Windows Vista and are bored with Windows XP – Microsoft is going to release Windows 7 Beta 1 officially for download on January 9.

You can download it directly from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7

It will be officially available only for the first 2.5 mn users. Finally something to play with.

Via: Windows Team Blog – Download Windows 7

WinWithSearch.com

After Live Cashback, here is one more attempt by Microsoft to get users to use Live Search.  This one is specifically for Indians.

Whenever you search for any term on Live Search, you have a chance to win Rs. 100 via Oxicash.in. You can then use your Oxicash balance to recharge your prepaid mobile account or pay bills, buy air tickets etc.

Just goto http://www.winwithsearch.com and search for anything you want to. On the top, you will see two dice rolling, if the total comes out to be 6+6=12, you Win Rs. 100. The contest restarts every 10 mins.

Keep Searching. Good Luck.

Do leave a comment here if you win something.

Here is the deal:

Under the terms of the proposed transaction, Microsoft would provide a $5 billion facility to the Miller and Levinsohn management team. The duo would raise an additional $5 billion from external investors.This cash would be used to buy convertible preference shares and warrants which would give it a holding in excess of 30% of Yahoo.The external investors would also have the right to appoint three of Yahoo’s 11 board directors. The talks with Yahoo involve Microsoft obtaining a 10-year operating agreement to manage the search business. It would also receive a two-year call option to buy the search business for $20 billion. That would leave Yahoo to run its own e-mail, messaging, and content services.

With Carl Icahn recently buying 6.8 million more Yahoo stock, it is obvious that there is something definitely happening behind the curtains. Keep watching this space for more updates.

Read more:

Techcrunch – Reports Of New Microsoft-Yahoo Search Deal Hard To Believe

VentureBeat – A new, elaborate $20 billion deal for Microsoft to buy Yahoo Search?