Net devices for Rs 5,000 on the anvil

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Related Articles

Nokia unveils phones, services for emerging mktsSNIA India plans major initiatives for storage exp...Techies develop car with a mileage of 250 km/litre...Zensar chief new chairman of Nasscom

The country’s tehcnology majors are now working towards providing low-cost Internet devices with prices as low as Rs 5,000 aimed at bridging the digital divide. Called Netbooks and Nettops these devices would be built on Intel’s Atom processor and could have various technology players like Acer, HCL, Lenovo, Wipro, Zenith among others bringing them to the market.

“We have already developed a prototype of the device and plan to launch in four months,” said Prakash Bagri, director, marketing, Intel, South Asia. This breakthrough product is being developed as a part of Intel’s “Connected Indians” initiative. Launched on Thursday, industry players, government and associations have come together for the cause of connecting a billion Indians. With a population of 1.1 billion, India has less than 50 million Internet users while the number of Broadband users is even less than 5 million.

These products will be compact mobile devices, which can be used for basic computing applications, listening to music, e-mailing and web surfing. They will also allow users to use social networking sites and making phone calls over the Internet.

According to sources close to the development, telecom service providers could provide bundling offers with broadband connections. Meanwhile, players like Google who have also pledged their support to the cause could enable maximum access to information in all languages. For selling the product in the market, Intel will use its dealer network. “Other players will buy the processor from Intel like for other products, assemble it at their own facilities and sell it through their own networks,” said Sandeep Aurora, director, sales and marketing, Intel South Asia.