Top Four team of Windows AppFest organized by Microsoft in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra in March were showcased on the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Summit as part of the Apps for Asia initiative.

One of them was Path Finder, created with the idea of promoting public transport. It may be just what many Asian cities need. In fact, Priyank Raj Katariya and Vivek Sharma, founders of Pune-based HAMS Technologies which created it, say this mobile app will just use existing systems more efficiently to plot the best routes and waiting times for public buses. The duo accept that the experience in a city like Bangalore will be different from that in Pune as the latter has much better data on offer. The app also lets you choose the best route taking into account the time taken, the least amount of walking involved and so forth.

Another one was called Jeevan Pani. This offers a solution for water problems across the globe. Created by Abhijit Junagade, Sanket Khandare and Jagdish Chopde of Nasik-based Winjit Technologies Pvt. Ltd, it enables users to alert authorities about water wastage and also understand better the importance of using this increasingly precious commodity better. The app can show you your daily usage of water and analyse where you are wasting it. The app will go live in coming weeks and the first to use it will be the Nasik Municipal Corporation.

A third app, called Help-Me, by Ashish Agrawal and others from Infosys is a one-button access point to emergency services. Agrawal says India has multiple emergency numbers and often this confuses a person in the time of need. Their app informs the agency required adding the location. The person can provide additional information if needed, but if that is not possible there is a panic button to call for help right away. The app is activated by keying in vital information about the user and his family, so the agencies that respond to the calls for help have a good quantum of info even before they reach the spot. There is a backend to the app which helps the agencies, or a control room, keep tabs on calls and respond at the earliest. However, Agrawal clarifies that he does not want the app to become a parallel system.

The fourth one, the Tablet Observed Treatment System (TOTS) app, helps health-care providers ensure that patients are taking their medicines on time. Those using the app will need to take their pills on camera so that the doctor has a record of it. The app also alerts the user about his dosage times across multiple devices. All information is stored on the cloud for the doctor to access when needed. The app has been created by Sanket Shah and Prabhjot Bakshi.

Winning apps from Australia, Korea, Malaysia and Philippines were also showcased at the ADM Summit. In a release Bindu N. Lohani, vice president for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development, ADB, said Apps For Asia was a great showcase of the power of technology and the role it can play in fostering social and economic development. “With new technologies like cloud services and a range of mobile devices, apps can be developed quickly to reach more people in more ways,” John Cann, director, International Organizations, Microsoft added.

Microsoft has announced Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. According to official blog of Microsoft customers running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 will qualify to download Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99. The special upgrade price will be available to customers in 131 countries across the globe.

When you use Windows.com to purchase an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro, the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant makes upgrading simple by walking you through the upgrade process step-by-step from purchase to download and then of course installation.

The Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant will check to make sure your PC is ready for Windows 8. It will provide a detailed compatibility report that lets you know of anything you may have to address before or after the upgrade and outlines actions to take.

It will also inform you of any application or device compatibility issues. It will ask you what you want to keep from your current Windows installation. You will be able to upgrade from any consumer edition of Windows 7 to Windows 8 Pro and bring everything along which includes your Windows settings, personal files, and apps. If you are upgrading from Windows Vista, you will be able to bring along your Windows settings and personal files, and if you are upgrading from Windows XP you will only be able to bring along your personal files. Of course, if you want to start fresh, you can choose to bring nothing along. Or if you prefer to format your hard drive as part of your upgrade experience, you can do so as long as you boot from media and then format your hard drive from within the setup experience for installing Windows 8, not prior to it.

Once you purchase your upgrade, the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant kicks off your download. It has a built-in download manager that allows you to pause and continue your download at any time as well as a check to ensure your download completes successfully.

After your download finishes, you can choose to proceed with the upgrade (“Install now”) or install later either from your desktop or by creating your own media. If you choose to create your own media, you will be able to create your own bootable USB or .ISO file which can be burned onto a DVD for upgrade and backup purposes. If you prefer, you also have the option of purchasing a backup DVD for $15 plus shipping and handling.

If you prefer to buy your software the old-fashioned way, a packaged DVD version of the upgrade to Windows 8 Pro will be available for $69.99 at your local store. This upgrade promotion for Windows 8 Pro online and at retail runs through 31 January 2013.

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