Microsoft, HCL Technologies unveil strategic initiatives, cheapest Windows-powered laptop

According to a HCL official, the companies will create a joint center of excellence (CoE) for development of vertical specific customized solution frameworks for India. Over 500 software professionals would be employed to create, design and deploy Microsoft technologies-based solution framework across various industry verticals which include Telecom, BFSI, Power, Defense, Retail, eGovernance, Media & Entertainment, and Microsoft based horizontal solutions in Health, Railways and Airports, he said.

In addition, the companies will also collaborate to train and certify 50,000 students on Microsoft technologies, over a period of three years, across 100 HCL Career Development Centers that would be set up by HCL. The centers would create a sustained supply of skilled and certified manpower to address the demands of the IT and ITeS industry, the official said.

The laptop, which will be marketed under brand name MiLeap, weighs a mere 0.98 kg and is powered by the Intel processor and Intel 945 GU Express chipset, the official said. It comes with a 7-inch swivel TFT color screen that can be rotated and folded to form a writing pad. Users can write on the screen with the stylus and convert it to text, he said.

Other features include a 1.3 mega pixel webcam, touch screen panel, and 1 GB DDR2 RAM. In addition, the laptop includes a built-in touchpad with two click buttons for left and right click operations, scroll, directional pads, dedicated softkeys for launching the media player and built-in speakers. The Windows-ready laptop, which has a 30 GB hard disk space and connectivity options of Wi-Fi and integrated LAN, will be priced at Rs.16,990 ($425) in the local market, he added.

"For over 22 years, Microsoft and HCL have partnered with each other to promote the use of information technology in India. We are delighted to reinforce this association and empower Indian consumers and businesses with the latest and best that technology has to offer," said Kevin Turner, COO, Microsoft Corporation.

"India is a very important market for us and this partnership will show the commitment that we have towards this market in terms of increasing the penetration of IT," Turner said.

"India is the fastest growing market for Microsoft. We intend to be aggressive in this market and want people to understand our technology," he added.

According to Ravi Venkatesan, chairman, Microsoft India, "All three initiatives announced today are very significant to our continual efforts at partnering the Indian industry in its quest for success by leveraging the power of IT and enabling the uptake of IT across India."

Speaking about the MiLeap, which is installed with Windows XP (Home Edition), Ajai Choudhry, chairman and CEO, HCL Infosystems, said, "This has been launched on the feedback from customers. We asked Microsoft if they can introduce an OS that will fit this product. Microsoft has thus tweaked its OS in such a way that it can be used in these portable leaptops."

"HCL and Microsoft have always brought value to each other, while jointly working towards propelling wider acceptance for IT amongst the masses. Both HCL and Microsoft are key players in the Indian market, and this alliance has brought value to the Indian customer with over three decades of innovation, passion and defining of markets. I am sure that this alliance will further enable overall development in our country with IT as the key enabler," he added.

The financial details of the deals were not disclosed.