Joji Thomas Philip, New Delhi
The Economic Times (Kolkata edition)
Global chipset major Qualcomm, which largely owns the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and bulk of the patents associated with CDMA technology, has developed a low-cost PC, for developing markets including India.
The company said this low-cost PC alternative called ‘Kayak’ will be a portable gadget that does away with the need for telephone or cable-wire connections to connect to the internet while adding that the device will combine functions of a smartphone and a PC.
“This PC is designed to work around 3G connectivity as against the fixed line connection. We therefore, feel that this is best suited for the developing markets as this can be used to connect the rural population. "It can bring the internet to them despite the fact that they live in unwired areas,” said Bill Davidson, Qualcomm’s senior VP (global marketing and investor relations), during a recent interaction with ET in San Diego (California).
The US-based chipset major may also unveil a sample Kayak in New Delhi on Thursday during the Indian Telecom 2008. Davidson also pointed out that Kayak enjoyed the additional advantage since it had the ability to use the basic TV set as a monitor.
According to Davidson, Qualcomm will not be involved in manufacturing the Kayak, but would provide the design and associated software specifications to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). “This model will allow OEMs to design this PC specific to the needs of that particular market,” he added. At present, Taiwan’s Inventec has already begun making these devices, and Qualcomm has said the product will first be available next year on CDMA networks in Southeast Asia. Qualcomm now joins the likes of Intel, AMD, Microsoft and Professor Nicholas Negroponte, the co-founder of the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, all of whom are working towards providing low-cost PCs for emerging markets
0 comments:
Post a Comment