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Monday, June 6, 2005

Intel may even design new processors for platform aimed at emerging markets in South Asia

Intel plans to establish a platform definition center in Bangalore, India, to define a new PC platform appropriate for the Indian market and other emerging markets in South Asia, it announced Monday.

“Just as the Centrino was a platform we developed for the global market, we are developing, though on a smaller scale, a new platform for markets in India and the rest of South Asia,” said a spokeswoman for Intel. The design for the platform will be done from the ground up, and Intel may even design new processors for the platform if it is required, she said.

The Santa Clara, California, company has already started similar initiatives in Cairo, Egypt, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, according to the spokeswoman.

A number of vendors have indicated that they are introducing computing technologies specially developed for emerging markets such as India.

Via Technologies, a hardware vendor in Taipei, plans to introduce a range of low-cost computer designs aimed at users in emerging markets. The company’s Terra PC project aims to bring to market three different devices using Via processors and chipsets, Via’s country manager for India Ravi Pradhan said last month. The products are likely to be priced at between $100 and $250, and will be introduced first in India in September, he said.
Story found here.