Microsoft India has launched a new Website that called NextWeb. This is their second attempt to clarify the markets and customer segments that Microsoft India would address. Why I said second attempt, their first attempt was the reinvent of their Hotmail product, the “Cool Hotmail” that allowed an Indian user to get a unique email ID that reflect her own personality. Cool Hotmail was launched in last month and I did not covered this product when it launched partly because I think the email ID ends with mumbairocks.in, clubsrk.in, Iamgod.in, ilioveyoga.in is not really that cool. Paradoxically, the formerly “ordinary” product is becoming fully cool, while the cool product that I first saw on the Web is becoming run out of cool.

Both the CoolHotmail and NextWeb, recently launched by Microsoft, is their latest resolve to extend their technology coverage beyond the operating system segment, or corporate IT professionals to encompass computer hobbyists, designers, and the younger generation people. This move led to Microsoft India’s rearticulation of its business model. Prior to this, many people perceived Microsoft India as a desktop technology provider, but now Microsoft India saw their opportunities in some of their Web products and begins to create greater value for their end users there. They recognized ways to improve their Hotmail product by providing choices of personalized email ID, and now with the building of this NextWeb Website, they showed their Indian users how they will have a compelling experience by using their Web technology, i.e. Silverlight in building a Web platform.