Dell's new 'easy-to-use' laptop launched

Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, Apr 22 (UNI) Computer giant Dell today launched its latest 'Dell 500,' an easy-to-use laptop computer, designed especially for customers in emerging countries like India and China.

Developed with the aim of delivering affordable mobility to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), education sector and Public Sector Undertakings, 'Dell 500' laptop computers offered simple and enhanced mobile computing configuration, starting at Rs 24,500.

Talking to newspersons here, Company President Paul Henri Ferrand said ''Dell has decided to focus on laptops world-wide as a strategic growth priority and the start of laptop production in India is an important part of our plan.'' Company Vice-President (Asia operation) Simon Wong said the unit, set up at an investment of 30 million US Dollars, would produce one million laptops during the current fiscal.

The portfolio of products, being manufactured here, now included the entire range of laptops-- from the premium XPS models to the entry level 'Dell 500' as well as all platforms of desktops.

He claimed that ''this is the only laptop which comes as the entry-level product with an on-site warranty. It also comes up with a card-reader, wi-fi catcher and direct multi-media playback.'' Speaking on the occasion, Dell Vice-President and General Manager Rajan Anandan said the SMEs, education sector and the PSUs were among the fastest growing sectors for India's IT industry and with the launch of 'Dell 500,' these customers would now have an affordable easy-to-use laptop.

''Dell 500 is the company's first product designed for the specific needs of Indian customers, targeting especially the first-time PC users in education and SME segments,'' he said.

The new laptop offered the choice of pre-loaded MS Windows XP, Ubuntu-Linux full application suite, on-site next-business-day warranty in over 600 cities and features such as eight-in-one card-readers and direct multi-media playback buttons.

UNI SNR SJ 1808