Microsoft raises price of admission to Xbox Live
September 03, 2010
Source: REUTERS

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft on Monday announced it is raising the price of admission to its Xbox Live online community where people can play videogames or watch movies using Xbox 360 consoles.

The cost for a full-access Xbox Live Gold one-year subscription will jump 10 dollars to 60 dollars in the United States in November, according to Microsoft.

Monthly subscriptions in Britain and Canada will increase to six British pounds and 10 Canadian dollars respectively while the prices of annual subscriptions will not change.

Year-long Xbox Live Gold membership in Mexico will climb 100 pesos to 599 pesos.

Xbox Live subscription prices are not set to change in the more than 20 other countries or territories where the service is offered, according to Microsoft.

"Since launching Xbox Live in 2002 we have continually added more content and entertainment experiences for our members, while keeping the price the same," Microsoft said in a blog post.

Live has been growing from an arena where Xbox 360 users can play with or against each other online to a venue for online social networking, television shows, movies and music.

"Prices didn't need an increase they were fine," an Xbox Live member with the on-screen name xTye said in a Microsoft chat forum about the price hikes. "Don't you guys make enough money?"

Kaspersky to invest $2 mn in its Indian operation
September 03, 2010
Source: New York Times

HYDERABAD: Kaspersky, Russian anti-virus and IT solution provider, will invest $2 million (approximately Rs 10 crore) in its Indian operation during 2010-2011 to enhance is network in sales and marketing.

Talking to media persons here today Gun Suk Ling, Managing Director (South Asia) said the Indian anti virus market both in consumer and enterprise is about $200 million and Kaspersky's share is 15 per cent and less than 5 per cent respectively.

She said presently company has around 800 partners, which we plan to double by the end of the next calendar," adding that the company was studying various cities in the country to set up an R&D and a call centre to cater to its customer base across South Asia.

She said Kaspersky during the last three years sold about 2 million licences in India and is expecting to grow by 130 per cent in 2010. The company which has its Asian Hub in Hyderabad has city based-Zoom Technologies and Pune-based Sankri IT solutions as its exclusive distributors and the relationship with them will continue, he said.

Ling said we have launched the 2011 anti virus for the consumer section and will be launching a new anti-virus product targeting the enterprise segment in India very soon. We are in the process of talking directly with the enterprises and also approaching the various State Governments and Education Departments for its products," she added.

SAP, TCS bags IT deal from HPSEBL
September 03, 2010
SOURCE: ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd (HPSEBL) on Monday said it has partnered with software solutions provider SAP, along with TCS to manage resources across its organisation.

SAP and TCS together, have secured the contract for fulfilling the HPSEBL's IT requirements of improved customer resource utilisation, increased productivity and better financial management, the company said in a statement.

SAP will build and manage a centralised management information system at HPSEBL, using enterprise resource planning software. The 18-month project has been awarded to TCS and is expected to go live by October 2011.