Intel to stop first generation pentium export

Since Celeron offers better value for low end class users, the first generation pentium would be phased out in the near future, Vijaykar said.

Intel has already stopped shipment of one micron chips and 0.5 and 0.35 micron chips which are being currently shipped would be phased out soon. The company would promote only 0.25 and 0.18 micron chips that would give better performance to users, he added.

Intel which commands 85 per cent market share in the Indian chip market would launch the 550 MHz speed processors of Pentium-III breed in the next quarter of the year. Thecompany had launched 450 MHz and 500 MHz speed Pentium-III processors on February 26.

Xeon processors in the Pentium-III breed would be launched in India along with the rest of the world later this month. This will be followed by mobile Pentium-III processors that can offer new technologies and better performance to notebook computers.

Vijaykar said that Intel had invested in the Indian internet company Rediff on the net,8217; and was talking to a few other companies on such investment plans. He, however, refused to name these companies.

He said the company has no plans to set up India specific venture capital funds and the Intel8217;s global venture capital fund would be offered to any Indian entrepreneurs who is looking for venture capital support. On the decline of market share of Intel in India following the entry of its competitors, he said the company was concerned about this decline, but welcomed competition.

Intel has worked out a strategy to fight the competition and reach out to the more number ofusers with value for their money, he said, the company has been working with a host of original equipment manufacturers in India.

He said personal computers prices are not expected to go down as the latest budget had offered nothing to the hardware industry or anything specific that could bring down prices.

He said the government did not take a holistic approach to bring down the PC prices in the budget. The 500 MHz Pentium-III with 9.5 million transistors that can be used even for net telephony was 93 per cent faster than the Pentium-II processors, he said.