National Semiconductor to launch CRTpad

BANGALORE: National Semiconductor India Pvt Ltd, part of the US based $2.1

billion National Semiconductor Corporation, is planning to launch CRTpad, a new

Internet access device based on National's Geode

technology. The company plans to install these CRTpads in PCOs all over India.

The CRTpad is built around National's Geode GX processor and 15-inch cathode ray

tube (CRT) color monitor. The CRTpad, with a keyboard and a mouse, provides

users with access to email, online applications, chat, shopping and search

engines.

Speaking about the product, National Semiconductor Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

director ASEAN Region and Operations Jayant Bhat said, "The current method

of accessing Internet content and applications via a PC is too complex and is

also costly. National's Geode processor technology, based on the x86

architecture, enables smooth downloads of Internet plug-ins and applets as well

as a rich, full Internet experience without the cost and complexity of a PC. We

want to make this CRTpad low-cost and affordable. I have been told that there

are about 170,000 PCOs in India. We are targeting these PCOs for CRTpads."

The company is launching this pad by the first quarter of 2001, priced at around

$200 in India.

Along with this, National Semiconductor is planning to introduce the concept

of thin-clients for the educational sector. Currently, the company is in talks

with the Government of Tamil Nadu to introduce thin-clients in government

schools in Tamil Nadu. "Using information appliances such as thin clients

is the optimal solution for schools. Students and teachers simply don’t need

complex, expensive PCs to access the Internet, communicate via email or work on

writing projects," said Bhat.

National, which makes the Cyrix MediaGX and other computer chips for thin

clients, is planning to have a tie-up with 2-3 vendors for this project.