Bangalore-based product developers Connoiseur Electronics have unveiled a new Net PC range that for the first time brings affordable High Definition graphics to the ultra compact form factors.

By a canny marriage of Intel’s Atom chip and the ION graphics processing unit from NVIDIA, they have managed to enable full HD ( 1080p) on aggressively priced NetTops and NetBooks which cost about the same if not slightly less than standard Atom-powered NetPCs in India.

Depending on whether you opt for a built in DVD writer or not, Connoi ION NetTop with full DMI graphics costs between Rs 14,000 and Rs 15,500 ( monitor not included). It is almost 1/30 of the standard desktop PC in size and uses about one third of the power.
The Connoi ION NetBook, also HD ready, with a GB of memory and 1650 GB of hard drive weighs just one kg and is priced at just under Rs 20,000. Both machines come with Windows Vista – to be upgraded soon to Windows 7.

3-D on desktop

Also launched, Wednesday, was Connoiseur’s 3-D desktop solution which for the first time enables Indian users to enjoy 3-D stereoscopic graphics ( with special wireless glasses and a 120 Hz monitor) on their home PCs.  The system with a  Intel Core 2 quad processor-based high end gaming PC and a 22 inch 3-D monitor and special glasses, costs around Rs 65,000.

NVIDIA's South East Asia Sales Manager Nishant Goyal, said this was the first integrated 3-D consumer solution based on NVIDIA graphics,  to flow from an Indian developer.

Connoiseur’s Director R.P. Harish Kumar says the products will be available India-wide from this week. 

( Oct 15 2009)