Ultra portable PCs from HCL

Indians created the world’s cheapest car. Have they also created the cheapest laptop computer?

‘I think we have!’, says Ajai Chowdhry, Chief Executive of HCL Infosystems, unveiling what the company called , ‘the future of computing’ earlier this week, with the launch of two ultra portable, but full-function computing platforms.

‘It looks like it,’ agrees Ramamurthy Sivakumar, Managing Director (Sales and Marketing) of Intel South Asia.

HCL has launched two models, both with 7-inch LCD screens and a full keyboard: the MiLeap X Series touted as the PC platform that will finally take computing to the masses in India, uses a Linux operating system but does away with all moving parts, replacing the conventional hard disk drive with a 2 GB internal Flash module and dispensing with an optical ( that is CD/DVD) drive. However WiFI and LAN ports as well as slots to connect wireless data cards from providers like Tata and Reliance make this a fully functional PC — in spite of an aggressive pricing of Rs. 13,999, said Mr. Chowdhry. The model has been specially ruggedised to make it ‘student’ proof — since a key market segment, in addition to the home and the travelling professional, is school children.

The other model, the MiLeap Y Series, is similarly sized — and much lighter at 960 gm. A better processor allows the machine to port Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, while the storage is a 2.5 inch 80 GB hard drive. The display is a touch screen version that can be swivelled and used like a Tablet PC and incorporates a 1.3 Megapixel camera. The Y Series will sell for just under Rs. 30,000 — but HCL executives claimed at the launch event that even at this price the machine costs about half of comparable ultra compacts sold globally.

Both machines will be available across HCL’s country wide marketing chain from January 26.

The two offerings come almost 30 years to the day when HCL launched India’s first indigenous microcomputer in 1978.