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: Two and a half years after failing to bridge the digital divide with a Rs 10,000 PC, Intel director of marketing, John Mcclure claims to be a wiser man. “Price alone can’t ensure a product will take-off,” he explains. And rest of the affordable computing bandwagon could not agree more. “We need to take an all-inclusive approach and offer ease of use and mobility of a cellphone,” echoes HCL chairman and CEO, Ajai Chowdhry.

As they get ready for the second round of affordable computing blitzkrieg, they candidly admit that the total cost of ownership of their 2005 PC was appreciably higher than the much-hyped price tag. John is quick to reel off the long list of “not-so-obvious” lessons—the desktop PC was too big for the small living quarters of the socioeconomic classes it was aimed at; consumed too much energy and needed a UPS. It may sound trivial but the noisy fan interfering with TV sound seemed to have deterred many.

Cut to 2008. PC for masses buzz sounds similar. Industry is as excited and users as expectant. Market is hotting up with action as new computing models roll out. HCL believes it has hit the nail with its Rs 13,990-MiLeap ultramobile PC and is planning even smaller versions and internet devices soon. Several more sub Rs 15,000 ultramobile PCs are learnt to be on anvil. Both Microsoft and Intel confirm that several PC vendors are working with them to ready similar offerings. Intel, in fact, is expecting another round of affordable products when it launches its low-cost 45-nanometre core architecture platform in July. Nicholas Negroponte’s much talked about laptop might not be reaching Indian shores but has done its bit in contributing to the affordable computing buzz. Action, however, is not limited to reducing hardware prices. Several other flavours are being tried out. Thin computing devices from IIT-incubated Novatium, which went live in October are expected to reach 1,00,000 consumers in eight cities by the end of the year.

The excitement is hard to miss. Even analysts like IDC feel the industry has learnt its lessons. “The low-cost didn’t work with desktops but I am more optimistic about portables. Whether the current products click or not, it signals the formation of a new category,” says IDC India research head, Kapil Dev Singh.