Qualcomm to launch affordable internet devices

NEW DELHI: Mobile chipset maker Qualcomm on Thursday said it is in talks with laptop manufacturersand original equipment makers to launch low-cost internet-based devices in the country by 2009.

"We are working with laptop manufacturers andOEMs to bring to the market low-cost internet-based devices at an affordable price," Qualcomm Vice President and country Manager of Technology Sandeep Sibal told reporters.

In the Indian market, the commercial launch of such a device (powered by Qualcomms technology) is likely in the first half of 2009.

The price would be half of that of a traditional laptop, Sibal said.

While a laptop usually measures 15 inches or more, the device on the Snapdragon platform would be mostly in the range of nine to 12inches. There will be pocket devices also.

According to Sibal, from users' perspective, the new device would be all about connected computing. That is internet connectivity would be built into the device, unlike a traditional laptop.

Besides lower price and smaller size, it would also have a long-lasting battery life, he said.

"Snapdragon is designed to add expanded functionality to future generations of consumer electronics from gaming or portable entertainment devices to pocket computers and beyond by delivering ubiquitous mobile broadband access, together withunsurpassed processing performance and battery life," the company said.

Analyst tracking the sector feels that the market is likely to see a deluge oflow-cost internet-based devices in various form -- starting from small notebooks to handhelds devices -- with chip makers working on technologies to bring down the cost of chipsets.

Recently, world's largest chip maker Intel had said it would launch internet-enabled devices based on atom processor,starting from Rs 5,000, in the next few months.