Watch: Microsoft ready with Windows 7

The software has been given to some organisation and families for testing.

Wall Street bets on Google's next big business ideas

Google Inc made its fortune on Internet search ads, but Wall Street is increasingly eager for signs that the company's other money-making bets will pay off.
"Even though paid search is 95 percent of the business, I think everybody's looking for that next trick," said John Lutz, a senior research analyst at Frost Investment Advisors, which owns Google shares.
Google will brief investors in a Webcast on Wednesday about search and monetization, though Google spokeswoman Jane Penner said the event would focus more on the monetization of search than on businesses like YouTube.
The Internet giant has myriad initiatives, including a display ad business, mobile Internet products and YouTube, the world's top video Web site.
But none have demonstrated the kind of financial horsepower typically associated with Google, which generated nearly $22 billion in revenue last year.
The Mountain View, California, company has been tight-lipped when it comes to the financials of non-search businesses, though there are signs it is opening up a little.
In July, Google lifted the covers slightly on YouTube, revealing that YouTube is monetizing billions of video views every month and that it expects YouTube to become a profitable business in the not-too-distant future. Executives wanted to dispel reports that YouTube, which it acquired for $1.65 billion in 2006, does not have a credible business model.
New formats
Brigantine Advisors analyst Colin Gillis said new ad formats that incorporate videos and graphics could prove key to Google's future growth, as the company courts advertisers like Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble.
"Google's got to give them a good format to convey emotion. This is going to be the next major area," said Gillis.
Google sought to bolster its display ad business with the 2008 acquisition of ad network DoubleClick for $3.1 billion. But rivals Yahoo Inc, Microsoft and Time Warner Inc's AOL still dominate that market.

Google launches Android in China

Google's Android mobile phone operating system is set to make its legal debut in China in June when China Mobile launches specially adapted handsets.
Taiwan-based handset manufacturer HTC said China Mobile would start selling a customised version of the HTC Magic, a handset based on Google's Android operating system, through its stores.
Analysts believe that a successful launch of a high-end handset for China Mobile subscribers could help remove hurdles to the entry of similar handsets such as Apple's iPhone into the country, the world's largest mobile market.
Apple has negotiated for months with China Unicom, China Mobile's smaller rival, to introduce the iPhone to China, but industry executives say regulators have sought to hold back an agreement until China Mobile has a device that will allow it to compete for 3G customers.
Android-based handsets and iPhones have long been available in China through "grey imports" - consumers can buy the G1, a phone custom-made for Deutsche Telekom by HTC, and the iPhone in any electronics retail chain.
But none of these sales are strictly legal as China bans WiFi handsets from its market unless they are also compatible with WAPI, a local wireless standard.
Also, consumers cannot get these handsets directly through their mobile operators, and the operators cannot subsidise them.
The Chinese government hopes to balance the big three mobile operators - China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom - against each other as they roll out 3G services following the issue of licences in January.
Although China Mobile dominates the market with its 483 million subscribers, it has lagged behind its competitors in picking up new users in recent months.
That is partly because it must use TD-SCDMA, a homegrown 3G technology, while China Unicom and China Telecom were awarded licences under WCDMA and CDMA2000, the standards used in European and US markets.

Microsoft to launch new Zune this year

Microsoft Corp plans to launch a new version of its Zune portable media player later this year in the United States, incorporating high-definition video, touch screen technology and Wi-Fi connection.
Microsoft said on Tuesday the new Zune, its answer to Apple Inc's popular iPod digital music player, will also come with an Internet browser and a built-in HD radio receiver that offers higher-quality sound than traditional radio. It did not give a price or a specific date except to say it was due in the fall.
The company added new features to Zune's music service last year, enabling users to download music wirelessly and buy songs they hear on the device's built-in FM radio.

Facebook receives $200 mn investment from Russian firm

Social networking site Facebook has received a USD 200 million investment from Digital Sky Technologies
, an internet investment group, in exchange for a 1.96 per cent stake in the company. Digital Sky Technologies (DST), which has significant stake in Eastern European and Russian internet businesses, has picked up 1.96 per cent in Facebook, valuing the enterprise at USD 10 billion, the company said in a statement. In addition, DST has indicated plans for an offer to buy at least USD 100 million of Facebook shares from existing shareholders to facilitate liquidity for current and former employees' vested shares in the company. However, consistent with Facebook's practice with other recent investors, DST would not be represented on the Facebook board or hold special observer rights, the statement added. "This investment demonstrates Facebook's ongoing success at creating a global network for people to share and connect," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "A number of firms approached us, but DST stood out because of the global perspective they bring-– backed up by the impressive growth and financial achievements of their internet investments," Zuckerberg added. DST's main assets account for over 70 per cent of all page views in Russian-speaking internet and its social networks are market leaders in more than 13 countries