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NEW MODELS Mr George Paul, Executive Vice-President, HCL Infosystems, at a launch of first segment specific range `HCL Leaptops' in New Delhi on Thursday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Feb. 23

With an eye on the burgeoning notebook PC market in India, HCL Infosystems today announced its foray into notebook manufacturing with a range of products customised for various target groups including doctors, students, lawyers and consumers.

"The laptop market in India is growing rapidly at over 50 per cent year-on-year. Our strategy to enter into the mobile computing market is dictated by the voice of our customers demanding mobility," Mr George Paul, Executive Vice-President, HCL Infosystems Ltd said at a conference here.

The new `HCL Leaptops' range is being manufactured in Pondicherry facility, and designed as per the requirements of various target groups such as architect, doctors, info kiosks, women and defence segment.

For instance, the company has launched a rugged notebook, designed to work in adverse atmospheric conditions including rain, snow, extreme vibration, with an ability to withstand temperature between minus 15 degree and 65 degree.

For doctors, the company is offering a notebook solution that offers instant access to a patient's health records, and comes loaded with prescription writing software.

Another notebook is targeted at corporate users. The product offers security features such as biometric authentication and wireless lock, Mr Rajan Rahi, National Marketing Manager, Consumer PC, HCL Infosystems said. The company has also launched a mobile solution that would give lawyers instant access to High Court and Supreme Court judgements on day-to-day basis, besides enabling share of real-time information.

"The notebook for students offers pre-bundled licence of portals, where they can study the topics online and test their skills," he said.

HCL - which also has an ongoing distribution relationship with Toshiba - said it would continue to market the latter's notebooks through a separate division.

"We have a long and strong relationship with Toshiba. We have a separate division for Toshiba and will continue with our focus on Toshiba laptops, too. In my view the market positioning for Toshiba products is separate," Mr Paul said.

The company has introduced media centre that offers single interface to all audio visual functions through remote control, and has also launched a notebook powered by Windows Starter Edition.

Mr Paul, however, declined to divulge the projected sales for the new products.

Overall the sale of notebook PCs in India were up 94 per cent in the first half of the current fiscal (April-September 2005) to 1.53 lakh units, from 79,230 units sold in the same period previous year.

The notebooks are priced at between Rs 27,490 and up to Rs one lakh.

The company has tied up with Bajaj Finance for easy financing of notebooks, with EMI starting from Rs 699 per month.

HCL Leaptops come with an insurance coverage from theft and accidental damage, breakage and liquid spill. For enterprise users,

HCL would offer onsite support from 300 locations.

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