TechBeat 14: The problem with Microsoft

Tune into TechBeat, the podcast that bands together Malaysian tech pundits and bloggers to discuss the latest news in technology and digital media within an Asian context. Hosted by John Lim, this week’s episode features ZDNet writer Edwin Yapp, Text100′s Social Media lead for AsiaPac David Lian and blogger Paolo Delfino, who discuss:

1) The death of Microsoft Zune’s hardware division.

2) The launch of Internet Explorer 9 on Pi Day (March 14), and garnered over 2.3 million downloads in one day. Despite the positive reviews, IE remains a deadweight brand among many web-savvy users.

3) NFC technology faces a tough road ahead, says Erik Schonfeld of TechCrunch, but our panelists think it’s a matter of time before we have virtual wallets.

4) Piracy is caused by high prices of media products relative to earning power, says a three-year study by a US-based research group on piracy in emerging markets. Can the renting model shown by NetFlix prevent piracy from advancing?

5) There may not be one outstanding startup from the recent SXSW interactive festival, but they did exhibit a common thread in removing the barriers between the virtual world and the real world.

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