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iNabling Tech unveils new e-mail device

Our Bureau

BANGALORE, Oct. 29

THE Bangalore-based iNabling Technologies' new baby, a device that can be used to send and receive e-mail without a PC ``anywhere and anytime'' has won the support of the Karnataka Government.

The Chief Minister, Mr S.M. Krishna, who launched the product, iStation, and the associated service, iConnect, on Sunday, has offered to take it up in any one district on an experimental basis. ``We are not looking at the elite as far as IT is concerned, '' he said. ``Our immediate and ultimate concern is to create a nexus between the rural people and IT and all that IT can provide.''

iStation (which costs Rs 6,990) and iConnect (for a subscription of Rs 100 per month) form a package that allows people to send and receive mail without owning a PC or going to a cybercafe.

Mr B.V. Jagadeesh, angel investor, and Chairman of iNabling, said that the company's offering was in line with his own goal of helping to spread Internet use in India. ``We are trying to initiate a new movement to identify opportunities for the Indian ma rket where Indian VCs can fund ideas from Indian entrepreneurs,'' he said.

iNabling's product has been developed specifically for the Indian market. ``Products and technologies like this are not going to be addressed by American companies,'' he said. The product will be manufactured in India.

Targeted at the home user, PCOs, the SOHO segment, and institutions, the product will be commercially available in Bangalore by mid-December. In the next one year, it will be open to all major metros, followed by second-tier cities.

At present, e-mail (text only) can be sent in English, Hindi and Kannada. The service will cover other Indian languages too. In 6-9 months, the company plans to support voice over its network, which is expected to drive its popularity in rural areas.

Starting as a mail service only (80 per cent of Internet use is to send and receive mail, said Mr Jagadeesh, quoting surveys), it will be upgraded to offer chat, infomining, banking and simple e-commerce transactions.

The product will be available through a variety of channels including dealers of consumer durables, computer peripherals, cell phones and through direct marketing.