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News >> Technology >>
MS launches low-cost Windows XP
By agencies
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Thursday, 02 June 2005, 19:30 IST
BANGALORE: Targeted at first-time home PC users, Microsoft India today rolled out a low-cost feature-limited version of its flagship operating system Windows XP, offering Hindi user interface, with the base model available at a monthly installment of Rs 399.
India joins Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil where the company has made the Windows XP Starter Edition available in local languages.
"Microsoft has partnered with HCL and Intel to develop PCs with Windows XP Starter Edition. The emphasis is to provide low-cost alternatives to people who are new to computers," Microsoft India Director (Business and Marketing) Rajivjit Singh said.
Microsoft had announced its intention to launch the Starter Edition in India in September 2004.
The Starter Edition offers Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Media Player and Word Pad and allows users to create spreadsheets, view and edit digital pictures besides other features.
However, the most popular software from Microsoft stable-Microsoft Office-has not been bundled with the product and users will have to buy it off the shelf.
To begin with, Microsoft is offering 4 configurations under its EMI scheme spread over 48 months that requires 20 percent down payment. The Starter Edition PC with Celeron 2.4 GHz is available for EMI of Rs 399 and sports an MRP tag of Rs 18,900.
The Home edition comes with Pentium IV 2.26 GHz at Rs 527 EMI or retail price of Rs 24,990 while Media Center Edition PC with Pentium 1V 2.26 Ghz is available at EMI of Rs 808 and has an MRP of Rs 38,270.
The top-end Media Center edition PC with Pentium 1V 3.0 Ghz HT is available for Rs 1034 EMI. It can be purchased at a retail price of Rs 48,990.
The Starter Edition has customized support in Hindi; pre-configured settings such as automatically enabled Firewall that make it easy for users to get started using their new PC.
The low-cost version has certain limitations as well. It can only run three windows, of any three applications at a time. Also, there is lack of support for higher resolutions, home networking and multi-user profile capabilities.
Singh, however, said as users get accustomed to the product, they can upgrade to the more powerful versions of the operating system.