Airtel, Microsoft announce combo offer

Bharti Airtel and Microsoft announced a partnership, wherein consumers in the country can get discounts on purchase of Xbox games and Airtel high speed broadband connection. 

As part of this combo offer, consumers buying an 'Xbox 360 4GB Kinect' console or taking a new Airtel high speed broadband connection can save up to Rs 15,500, a joint statement by the two comapnies said. 

This combo includes 10 Xbox 360 games, 12-month free Xbox LIVE gold membership and up to Rs 4,888 offer on the existing or new Airtel broadband connection, it said. 

The Xbox is a video game console manufactured by Microsoft. 

The promotional offer is valid till June 30, 2013 and is available across Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai, it added. 

"Consumers can now enjoy a smooth Xbox LIVE entertainment experience which includes the best multi-player action that Xbox is so well known for on an Airtel broadband," Microsoft Corporation India Business Group Lead (Interactive Entertainment Business) Anshu Mor said. 

"We are confident that our-tie up with Microsoft... deliver a much-awaited and enhanced experience for gaming lovers," Bharti Airtel CEO (Homes and Office) Najib Khan said.

Amazon to launch Apple TV rival: Report

Amazon.com will release a set-top TV box later this year that will stream video over the internet, challenging Apple Inc's Apple TV device and a similar gadget sold by start-up Roku, Bloomberg Businessweek reported. 

The box will plug into TVs and give viewers access to Amazon's digital video content, which the company has been expanding, BloombergBusinessweek said, citing three unidentified people familiar with the project. 

An Amazon spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Amazon's video content is already available on other set-top devices, including Roku. Building its own gadget will help Amazon put the content more directly in front of consumers and give developers another reason to create apps for Amazon's digital platform, Bloomberg Businessweek said. 

The set-top box is being developed by Amazon's Lab126 division, based in Cupertino, California, near Apple's headquarters. It's being run by Malachy Moynihan, a former vice president of emerging video products at Cisco Systems, Bloomberg Businessweek added.