Buy PC for Rs 10,000, laptop for Rs 30,000

<div class="section0"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">BANGALORE: In 1989, a mind-blowing offer was made by a little-known PC manufacturer in India. Billed People''s PC, an 8086 Intel processor-based computer was up for grabs for Rs 10,000. It was a boon for all those Peter Norton fans, for an 8086 XT machine then cost over Rs 25,000.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Sixteen years on, it''s a throwback to the Rs 10,000-level PCs again.Kolkata-based Xenitis Infotech is offering a PC for about Rs 10,000 plus local taxes. If you''re adventurous, you can build a PC under Rs 10,000 all by yourself. An AMD machine with a 20 GB hard drive, 128 MB RAM minus the monitor can be built for as little as Rs 9,000. Or throw in a refurbished monitor for Rs 2,000, and run it on a free OS such as Linux.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The catch: you should hunt for the components and risk tinkering around a bit.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Or you can pick up big brand — an HCL or an Acer — for Rs 15,990 plus 4 per cent tax. For Intel-based machines, shell out Rs 5,000 more and run Windows. A Notebook PC can be had for Rs 30,000 in Bangalore.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">If you''re among those who paid Rs 50,000 for a Pentium IV, then listen. Intel is unveiling a blitzkrieg in suburban India by tying up with nationalised banks for PC loans and targeting D- and E-class cities.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">(With inputs from Srikala Bhashyam)</span><br /></div> </div>