India has unveiled the prototype of a $35 basic touchscreen tablet computer aimed at students, which it hopes to bring into production by 2011.
As you can expect, the device runs Linux, and it doesn’t have a hard drive – memory cards will be used for all the storage. The tablet is/will be made to enable word processing, web browsing, video conferencing and there will even be a solar power option to enable using of the device in rural, off-the-grid areas.
In an interview with the Economic Times, human resource development minister Kapil Sibal simply said: “This is our answer to MIT’s $100 computer.”
If you remember, India rejected the $100 OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) project, saying it’s too expensive.
The problem now is to find a manufacturer willing to turn a $35 tablet idea into a physical product. At that price, it won’t be easy for major OEMs to make money out of manufacturing the device.
What’s more, the government of India plans to further subsidize the device to bring the purchase price down to around $20.
It’s ludicrous and I love it! 🙂
[Via: AP]