Microsoft exhibit Windows 8 in Malawi, donate laptops to schools
Microsoft official have been in Malawi to exhibit the latest hardware in the tech industry – Windows 8 – which is set to launch globally in October.
Officials of the world’s largest software maker met with business leaders at St Andrews International School in Blantyre where they demonstrated some of their products and services through speeches and video clips.
John Nielsen, general manager of Microsoft’s Europe, Middle East and Africa Customer Service and Support, said Microsoft 8 will make the world no longer the same as it will bring the kind of innovations never seen before – more so when it is considered that Windows 8 tablet will serve as a prototype for future, products of this nature.
Nielsen said the prospects of the release of Windows 8 unto the market on October 26, 2012 gives them ”a lot of excitement.”
Justin Zarb, Microsoft’s principal premier field engineer, explained that Windows 8 has two user interfaces: One is the familiar Windows desktop (without certain Windows 7 features, such as transparent windows).
The other, a touch-friendly design “Modern UI Style,” resembles the interface on a tablet or smart phone, with a mosaic of large, rectangular tiles, one for each app (or accessory). You can run each by touching its tile or clicking on the tile with a mouse.
Zarb described Windows 8 as a kind of novelty set to revolutionise the world completely.
Donation
While in the country, Microsoft employees presented a donation of 40 laptops to Jacaranda School of Orphans and St Andrews International.
Jacaranda, which runs free primary and secondary schools for orphans, received 20 laptops while St Andrews, received the remainder.
Marie Da Silva, president of Jacaranda foundation said she was dumfounded with the gesture.
“Last year, Microsoft has been assisting the institution and the initiative has since helped them link up with international schools through Skype and other such facilities,” she explained.
Christopher Scutt, the director of E-school at Saints, said it is his vision that whether a student comes from a rural village or underprivileged background,they should be “equally empowered with the knowledge and tools to access ICT through these computers.”
Microsoft employees also provided ICT training to teachers from various secondary schools in Malawi as well as boot camps for girls aspiring to embrace digital technology and ICT as career.
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