Intel Corp to increase headcount by 500

Leading chip maker Intel Corporation plans to increase its head count in India. It will adding about 500 professionals in the first half of 2004.

Ketan Sampat, president, Intel India, said: "We had about 1,550 professionals in January 2004. Now the number stands at about 2,000. As our India development centre works on cutting-edge technology, we will be adding more and more people."

He, however, denied to reveal the exact figure or any time frame. The company today launched three chipsets and a range of microprocessors as a part of its $200 million digital home initiative.

PCs with these chipsets and processors would support high quality video and audio, making the PC an "all-in-one" entertainment device.

Additional features of these newly launched PCs include seamless wireless connectivity and multi streaming of video and audio.

This would enable users to chat, phone and listen music simultaneously from the same PC. Intel will market these products in partnership with HCL, Wipro, Acer, LG and several other companies.

PCs enabled with these advanced processors and chipsets would come at a price tag of Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000, said Jayant Murty, director-marketing, Intel India.

Under its $200 million global programme, Intel will fund the companies in the networked computer and consumer electronics segment, after a through evaluation. Intel had earlier created a similar fund to support wi-fi technology.