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Time to `lap' IT up
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It may soon be worth considering a notebook rather than a desktop model as your first PC
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THERE WAS a time - and not too long ago either - when bulky desktop PCs were all that the public could aspire for. Portable computing with laptops (also called notebook PCs) were for well-heeled executives on the move, whose machines were funded by the deep pockets of their company rather than their own. Not any more.
One of the interesting market trends in the personal computing business this year has been the sharp fall in the price of portable machines - much steeper than what is happening in the desktop arena. As a result, laptops are now being offered at prices only marginally more than desktop PCs of similar configurations. And what's more, these new 2004 prices have breached the lakshman rekha of Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 35,000.
The Indian scenario
Last week, the desi manufacturer, Zenith, best known for aggressively-priced desktops, launched a Magnificent Seven array of laptop models ranging between Rs. 35,000 and Rs. 90,000. The idea is to cater to various segments in the home and business fields. While top-end models such as Presidio come with an Intel Pentium M 1.5 Gigahertz (Ghz) chip and a 40 GB hard disk, entry-level models such as SalesPro II sport a cheaper 2.4 GHz Intel Celeron processor, with a 128 MB RAM and a 30 GB hard disk. The pricey models are mobile-enabled with Centrino Mobile Technology and in-built Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) capabilities. Mid-range models such as Performer and Analyst come bundled with 30 GB hard disks and an impressive 512 KB cache memory. Taiwan-based Acer has also been aggressively targeting customers in India, who may be looking for budget laptops for personal, rather than corporate use. In fact, it was Acer who first began offering laptops below the half-a-lakh rupee mark. They have a large number of models under their TravelMate and Aspire brands, all priced around Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 55,000, offering a choice of either Pentium or AMD processors. However, for the ultra-portable and super-light models, you still have to pay close to Rs 1 lakh.
One manufacturer that made name and fame through laptops is the United Kingdom (U.K.)-based Allied Computer Industries (ACi), founded by Hirji Patel. Recently, ACi slashed the price of its entry-level Ethos V to below Rs. 30,000. The company is able to achieve this price because it harnesses Taiwan-based Via Technology's Antaur chip, which was specially designed to fuel the worldwide market for budget laptops.
Brandlist
A recent survey by PC Quest magazine listed the lowest priced laptops available in India. Besides, the brands already mentioned above, the survey listed the Compaq Presario, Hyundai Mlife, Toshiba Satellite, Ingram Micro-Vesta, Wipro Little Genius, Pushpam Civil Note, IBM R40e, Samsung X05, and Apple iBook.
Some of the data would have changed since the survey was published but this is still a good checklist of brands available in India, if you decide to shop around.
With wireless hotspots popping up all over the country in public places, it makes sense to Wi-Fi enable your portable PC. Currently, notebooks where this facility comes pre-installed (usually with Intel's Centrino technology) cost Rs. 50,000 or more. But you can always buy a cheaper notebook and add-on the Wi-Fi feature with an extra wireless card.
Whatever be your personal strategy, this may well be the year when you say: "I want to roam free and wild with my notebook PC."
A. VISHNU
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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