Live It All… With HCL Beanstalk 2007 Range

Gone are the days when PCs were considered the tools of the techies only. These days, the concept of convergence is on the rise. Today, even a simple mobile phone acts as your phone diary, MP3 & FM Player, camera and, of course, as a communication medium (calling/sending SMS). Keeping in mind all these trends, HCL Infosystems has unveiled “HCL Beanstalk 2007 Collection”. Unleashing a range of four new HCL Beanstalk digilife-enablers, this engaging and futuristic range endeavours to transform a personal computer from being a workstation to being the epicenter of “digital lifestyle” in one’s drawing rooms. 

HCL Beanstalk 2007 Range 
The new range includes four new models, namely, HCL Beanstalk Nano, HCL Beanstalk Lyfestyle, HCL Beanstalk Dominator and HCL Beanstalk Slim. 

HCL Beanstalk Nano, a 42 mm high ––“small” computing powerhouse, with its “big” functionalities, is aimed at redefining “portability” for desktops. With a super light weight of close to just1.3 kgs, it promises superb mobility. It may act as a single entertainment hub – video recorder & player, a media jukebox, a gaming device, a digital album and a complete TV Web Browser and stereo system. One can even connect your HCL Beanstalk Nano to a high-definition TV and 5.1 speaker system to create a home theatre environment and with instant switch on/off, personal video recording and digital imaging storage medium, it is indeed a plush world of digital content. Further, it comes with MoDT (Mobile on DeskTop) technology – enabling you to save electricity cost and work quietly with its low noise emissions. So much in such a small PC – enough to give you a big edge. HCL Beanstalk Lyfestyle – featuring a complete 10 foot wide digital user interface is a composite entertainment enabler. It gives yet another dimension to PCs – a DVD look-alike, with its sleek contours, complete digital display, thrilling Altec Lansing stereo speakers, which would transform your drawing room to a “digital media confluence & lifestyle” room! 

HCL Beanstalk Dominator – with constituents like Nvidia chipsets & graphics, Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor X6800 and a pre-loaded set of compelling games – including the multiplayer role playing game Ragnarok, is designed to delight both gaming enthusiasts and die-hard connoisseurs. Also, HCL has tied up with Level Up – to offer pre-loaded MMPORG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role playing Game) games such as Ragnarok and Gunz Online – on a PC platform. Comprising three distinct configurations to suit users gaming appetite, the HCL Beanstalk Dominator series also comes equipped with ergonomically designed keyboards, offering gaming comfort and featuring multimedia keys and programmable hot keys. It has been enhanced for game-play banter as well as standard PC functionality and Windows shortcut keys. Other accessories include a high precision mouse to enable easy manoeuvring, a trendy Joy Stick that converts every war into fun, a Game Pad that helps you win, and Altec Lansing speakers for 27 watts of pure, crisp stereo. 

HCL Beanstalk Slim - designed to attain new heights with its ultra-slim cabinet and the TFT LCD monitor. Powered with genuine Microsoft Windows XP Media Centre, it also dons the multiple avatars of a TV, a DVD player, an MP3 player, a Game station, an FM radio, a Digital Video Recorder and whatever else you want to make of it.

Mr. Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman & CEO, HCL Infosystems Ltd., said, “Continuing further on our endeavour to enable ‘true’ digital lifestyle, we are proud to write yet another chapter in the future of PC technology – and offer a range, which is capable of perhaps being called as ‘global first’ in its category. This launch, besides meeting and exceeding the demands of today’s tech-hungry families, also reflects HCL’s continued commitment to sustain its leadership in desktops and pioneer path-breaking technologies. Though we never have been ‘small’ in the Indian PC industry, the HCL Beanstalk 2007 collection definitely announces our ‘Big’ conquest.” 

He further added, “The new PCs are also based on Intel Viiv technology. Intel Viiv technology is designed to enhance and help manage the enjoyment of digital entertainment in the home. With Intel Viiv technology-based PCs, consumers can not only connect to the TV, but also create music, play games and showcase home photos and videos making it a ‘one-stop shop’ for entertainment.” 

Go-to-Market Strategy 
There are three ways HCL is targeting the market. One is through an innovative web launch. The second is by announcing an X-mas Carnival and, last but not the least, by announcing finance (EMI) facility on the newly launched products. With this range, HCL Infosystems Ltd. would also be aiming to create a marketing history in the Indian hardware sector – by becoming the first-ever PC brand to be pre-launched on select websites – before hitting the shelves of various stores nationwide. Sharing the details of–the exclusive web launch initiative, Mr. Rajendra Kumar, Executive VP, HCL Infosystems Ltd., said, “The HCL Beanstalk 2007 collection has been designed for the new-gen lifestyle and technology customers – and thus adopting the medium of internet to exclusively reach out to these audiences, seemed to be an exciting fit. To complement our marketing initiatives, we have also commissioned a new advertising campaign, which would make any other ‘big’ player look ‘small’ in its offerings for the customer.” 

Because of the ongoing festive season, HCL is organizing X-mas carnival to attract more and more customers at the HCL outlets. Elaborating, he added, “This is a very simple and common tool used by any vendor. But the difference here is that the time of launch is aligned with the festive season; so all the HCL outlets have a big X-mas tree decorated and small gifts to attract children. And thus parents will be briefed about the new lunch and their various benefits.” 

As far as the pricing is concerned, HCL Beanstalk Nano, HCL Beanstalk Lyfestyle, HCL Beanstalk Dominator and HCL Beanstalk Slim are priced at Rs.64K, Rs.54K, Rs.49K and Rs.30K, respectively. In order to ease the burden on the buyer’s pocket, HCL has tied up with Bajaj Auto and ICICI Bank.

Finally...
The complete range of HCL Beanstalk PCs comes with HCL’s “Best Assured” promise of India’s largest service and support network to ensure that even if you take a break at times, your own “digital lifestyle” does”not. To call off the year 2006, HCL Infosystems has done it with a bang with these launches. Now, what is in store next is how these products are able to increase the market share of HCL in the New Year 2007.