Emerging markets are where most new PC buyers are, but many in these parts of the world cannot afford their own computer system. Software companies are already grappling with the problem of how to tap into this growing market, and Microsoft, the world’s biggest software maker, is ready with FlexGo, a scheme that allows people to pay for services that they use on their PCs on the go. So when you download a digital photo, create a Word document, or use any other software feature, you pay a few pennies (or rupees) per hour of use, until you have paid Microsoft in full for the package. The idea has already been tested in Brazil, and plans are reportedly being firmed up for Russia, India, China and Mexico as well. The goals and targets of FlexGo will obviously be different in different geographies, but its real test may still lie in beating piracy, which, in India, accounts for 70 per cent or more of software in use.

Nike+iPod

Are digital product makers getting ahead of themselves when it comes to innovation? Running shoes from Nike that can send data about the wearer’s performance to an Apple iPod using a new wireless system called Nike iPod is the latest rage running down the cool tech course. The Nike+iPod Sports Kit, expected to go for about $29, will tell the time, distance, pace and calories burned through iPod nanos. The Nike+iPod system will let runners tune into songs instantly during their workout, while a voice will detail their progress.

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