Bharti ups ante in tablet space, launches cheapest tablet

Upping the ante in the tablet computer space, Beetel Teletech, a Bharti Enterprises group firm has launched a tablet computer priced at Rs9,999.

Bharti Enterprises is the firm that controls GSM service provider Bharti Airtel, India's number one telecom operator in subscriber terms.

The 7-inch tablet, branded Beetel Magiq, is cheaper than Reliance Communications' tablet, Reliance 3G Tab, which is priced at Rs12,999. The Anil Ambani group company's custom built tablet, launched last week, has been sourced from ZTE Corporation. (See:  Reliance Communications launches cheapest tablet PC)

Beetel Magiq runs on Google's Android operating system and supports both 3G and Wi-Fi networks, Beetel said in a statement.

Beetel, which is fixed telephone instrument-maker, has roped in China's Huawei as manufacturing partner for the tablet PC.

BlackBerry (PlayBook), Apple (iPad), Samsung Electronics (Galaxy), Dell (Streak), Motorola (XOOM) and homegrown telecom firms like Spice and Olive have others to have launched tablet PCs in India.