Microsoft chairman Bill Gates will inaugurate the Digital Lifestyle event here Dec 9 that will showcase new technologies and products.

Gates, who will visit Bangalore next week during his four-day trip to India from Dec 6, will also launch his company's latest computing platforms - SQL server 2005, Visual Studio 2005 and BizTalk server 2006 at the MS developers' forum the same day.

This will be Gates' second visit to India's hi-tech capital. It comes three years after he came calling in November 2002 to sign a pact with the Karnataka government on setting up an online portal to provide public utility services.

The digital lifestyle show, organised at the Bangalore Palace grounds by the Manufacturers Association of Information Technology (MAIT) and Trade Fairs and Conferences International (TFCI), will be the first event of its kind in India, where domestic and overseas firms will display their latest technologies and products.

"The three-day event aims to bring consumers face-to-face with the latest in digital technology, including video, photography, music, internet, wireless technologies, games and home entertainment," a MAIT statement said.

Among the leading exhibitors and sponsors at the event will be Microsoft, Lenovo (IBM), HCL, Canon, Intel, Sony, Kodak, HP, Hitachi, Dell, Apple, Toshiba, Onkyo and Sansui.