Bizz Group, a Hyderabad-based start-up company backed by Rao's group of Educational Institutions, has launched Biz Book, an 8-inch tablet computer.

Available in two variants, the tablet PC weighs 520 gm with 1.2 GHz Telechips processor and comes with Android 2.3 Operating System.

The 3G variant is price at Rs 18,000 and the wifi one at Rs 15,000. “We are focussing on the five metros to begin with. We are planning to sell 5,000 pieces initially,” Mr Nidhin Rao Polsani, Chief Executive Officer of Bizz Group, said.

The wifi model, however, could support extern 3G dongles. But for this, all other features were the same in the two models.

Addressing a press conference after launching the tablets here on Monday, he said the company would set up a Rs 10-crore manufacturing facility at the Hardware Park here in the next one year. “We are in the process of acquiring land for the purpose,” he said.

With multinational companies focussing on tablet-phones, the start-up said it was not planning to offer replacement for a tablet phone. “Rather, we will look at replacement for laptop or a PC and target student community and businesses,” Mr Rao said.

The company would offer tablets at discounted price for students and on equated monthly instalments.