India to sell 100,000 tablets priced at $22

Kapil Sibal, India's telecommunications minister has said today that the government will sell 100,000 tablets at 1,100 rupees ($22 USD) in an effort to boost computer literacy.

The government will first buy the devices from DataWind for 2250 rupees ($46 USD) and then sell the tablets at a subsidized price to schools in the nation.

India will then purchase 10 million tablets over the next 5 years.

The country has one of smallest computer penetration rates, with only 4.2 for every 100 Indians.

Says one analyst (via Bloomberg):

It's going to increase the desirability of computing devices for people who wanted them but couldn't afford the price tag. People who are using this device are not going to get the seamless experience of an iPad or a Samsung. There's no comparison.

The Aakash tablet runs on Android, has a 366MHz processor, 256MB RAM, 2GB internal storage, two USB ports, Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity. Additionally, to keep prices at their extremely low point, the battery only has 3 hours of life per charge.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 5 Oct 2011 21:28

KillerBug

From the blurry image, it looks like the tablet is in English...while this might not help penetration, it would certainly help push people towards learning a language that they can use to steal american jobs...a good thing from India's point of view.

6.10.2011 00:43 #1

xtago

In india kids use a public street computer to get an idea of what a computer is let alone what it can do.

So while this tablet won't be an ipad killer it'll at least be some what affordable to some people in india.

I don't think Indians are all that fussed about the US for jobs, it has no money bugger all jobs and with a laughable min of $5 per hour and needing tips just to get by in life.

I will say they are probably eyeing off Australian mining jobs where you get more than $100,000 for 6 months work in the year and pretty much all expenses paid by the mining company.

Why bother with the US job market.

6.10.2011 02:55 #2

core2kid

You both are wrong. I've been to india 2 years ago, I'm from there. Every household has a computer. There are computer stores everywhere and their electronics are better than here (and much more expensive). Of course, the poor parts of India don't have this stuff but you don't see everyone in the US having a computer either.

Also for the most part, everyone knows how to speak English except for some of the public transportation drivers. Any store you go to, they'll know that you're a tourist and talk to you in English, they even noticed I was a tourist even though I'm Indian.

6.10.2011 05:15 #3

Xplorer4

"366MHz processor" - Wow...this thing is going to slow to a halt in no time. Thats not even considering the 2GB of storage getting full and slowing the thing to a crawl. I wouldn't even take that thing if you gave it to me free, unless I could turn around and sell it on eBay or something. I understand the concept but unless these are kept at school, for example, and locked down to where only school authorized apps could be used, this is going to fail imo.

Thermaltake Mozart TX Case - Core i7 860 - MSI P55-GD65 - 2x2 GB DDR3 G.Skill Ripjaws - Sapphire 4890 1 GB Vapor X - 2 Intel X25-M Mainstream SSDSA2M080G2R5 in RAID 0 - 1x1TB WD Caviar Black - 1x1TB WD Caviar Green - 1x2TB WD Caviar Black - 1x2TB WD Caviar Green - Corsair HX520 PSU

6.10.2011 23:23 #4

core2kid

Originally posted by Xplorer4: "366MHz processor" - Wow...this thing is going to slow to a halt in no time. Thats not even considering the 2GB of storage getting full and slowing the thing to a crawl. I wouldn't even take that thing if you gave it to me free, unless I could turn around and sell it on eBay or something. I understand the concept but unless these are kept at school, for example, and locked down to where only school authorized apps could be used, this is going to fail imo. See unlike people in the US, people in India actually have an active lifestyle and don't rely on technology. This will be just fine for someone there.

6.10.2011 23:29 #5

DVDBack23

^^ You don't need more than that processor and storage if you are using the tablet as a learning app with Internet access. Seriously. The people this is intended for won't be streaming Netflix, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and writing a doc in QuickOffice at the same time.

AfterDawn News
AfterDawn Guides
AfterDawn Downloads
AfterDawn Hardware Section

6.10.2011 23:38 #6

KillerBug

There was a time, not too long ago, when a 366MHZ laptop with a 2GB hard drive and a three hour battery would have cost well over $10,000 ... and no one would have complained about being "forced" to use such a computer. We really have gotten spoiled.

7.10.2011 01:39 #7

core2kid

Originally posted by KillerBug: There was a time, not too long ago, when a 366MHZ laptop with a 2GB hard drive and a three hour battery would have cost well over $10,000 ... and no one would have complained about being "forced" to use such a computer. We really have gotten spoiled. Those computers would still work for me, except Flash seems to get more resource hungry after every update.

7.10.2011 01:54 #8

KillerBug

Originally posted by core2kid: Originally posted by KillerBug: There was a time, not too long ago, when a 366MHZ laptop with a 2GB hard drive and a three hour battery would have cost well over $10,000 ... and no one would have complained about being "forced" to use such a computer. We really have gotten spoiled. Those computers would still work for me, except Flash seems to get more resource hungry after every update.
That seems to be the case for everything except homebrew and early betas.

7.10.2011 08:22 #9

Mr-Movies

Twenty two is much better than $600-$800 for a tablet here that isn't even a full computer, talk about dumb.

My mom picked up a HP for $125, even though HP doesn't do a great job that is what a tablet is worth and how they should be priced.

7.10.2011 10:46 #10

core2kid

Originally posted by KillerBug: Originally posted by core2kid: Originally posted by KillerBug: There was a time, not too long ago, when a 366MHZ laptop with a 2GB hard drive and a three hour battery would have cost well over $10,000 ... and no one would have complained about being "forced" to use such a computer. We really have gotten spoiled. Those computers would still work for me, except Flash seems to get more resource hungry after every update.
That seems to be the case for everything except homebrew and early betas. True but at least I can avoid using the newest version of Office or Media player. I can't avoid the flash ad's in the browser.

7.10.2011 13:40 #11

cw888

Originally posted by KillerBug: From the blurry image, it looks like the tablet is in English...while this might not help penetration, it would certainly help push people towards learning a language that they can use to steal american jobs...a good thing from Indias point of view.

BTW, where do you think they got all the computer technologies from, not from India but from the US by having millions of their citizens working in the US taking jobs formerly occupied by US citizens. They take our jobs, steal our technology so they can build very cheap products to improve their country while our government and high power people here are advocating more H-1B visas so the big US companies can hire more of them. Whats wrong with this picture?

7.10.2011 17:51 #12

core2kid

Originally posted by cw888: Originally posted by KillerBug: From the blurry image, it looks like the tablet is in English...while this might not help penetration, it would certainly help push people towards learning a language that they can use to steal american jobs...a good thing from Indias point of view.

BTW, where do you think they got all the computer technologies from, not from India but from the US by having millions of their citizens working in the US taking jobs formerly occupied by US citizens. They take our jobs, steal our technology so they can build very cheap products to improve their country while our government and high power people here are advocating more H-1B visas so the big US companies can hire more of them. Whats wrong with this picture? The US didn't come up with computer technology idiot. They steal our jobs because unlike the lazy US, they actually have a work ethic. It's not their fault that they get hired. In the US, they work for the same exact pay as any American.

I'd appreciate it if you don't bad talk India, I guarantee that you've never been there.

7.10.2011 21:09 #13

Mr-Movies

Originally posted by core2kid: Originally posted by cw888: Originally posted by KillerBug: From the blurry image, it looks like the tablet is in English...while this might not help penetration, it would certainly help push people towards learning a language that they can use to steal american jobs...a good thing from Indias point of view.

BTW, where do you think they got all the computer technologies from, not from India but from the US by having millions of their citizens working in the US taking jobs formerly occupied by US citizens. They take our jobs, steal our technology so they can build very cheap products to improve their country while our government and high power people here are advocating more H-1B visas so the big US companies can hire more of them. Whats wrong with this picture? The US didn't come up with computer technology idiot. They steal our jobs because unlike the lazy US, they actually have a work ethic. It's not their fault that they get hired. In the US, they work for the same exact pay as any American.

I'd appreciate it if you don't bad talk India, I guarantee that you've never been there. You're totally wrong! Sperry was one of the first to build a computer. And our jobs being taken by people in India is also true, but they are not the only ones getting our work farmed out to them, China would be another Mexico too and there are more. Greed is killing us in the US as it does in other countries and throughout history.

You just are flat out wrong!

7.10.2011 21:34 #14

core2kid

Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Originally posted by core2kid: Originally posted by cw888: Originally posted by KillerBug: From the blurry image, it looks like the tablet is in English...while this might not help penetration, it would certainly help push people towards learning a language that they can use to steal american jobs...a good thing from Indias point of view.

BTW, where do you think they got all the computer technologies from, not from India but from the US by having millions of their citizens working in the US taking jobs formerly occupied by US citizens. They take our jobs, steal our technology so they can build very cheap products to improve their country while our government and high power people here are advocating more H-1B visas so the big US companies can hire more of them. Whats wrong with this picture? The US didn't come up with computer technology idiot. They steal our jobs because unlike the lazy US, they actually have a work ethic. It's not their fault that they get hired. In the US, they work for the same exact pay as any American.

I'd appreciate it if you don't bad talk India, I guarantee that you've never been there. You're totally wrong! Sperry was one of the first to build a computer. And our jobs being taken by people in India is also true, but they are not the only ones getting our work farmed out to them, China would be another Mexico too and there are more. Greed is killing us in the US as it does in other countries and throughout history.

You just are flat out wrong! Who me?

7.10.2011 21:39 #15

Mr-Movies

Yes you! Ya think? Wow....

7.10.2011 22:11 #16

core2kid

Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Yes you! Ya think? Wow.... Think logically, why are our jobs going there? If I was a company, I'd rather pay someone $2/hr instead of $8/hr.

And I don't call a 3 ton POS a computer. When I talk computers, I'm taking building hardware, not assembling them. The chips in your computer are NOT made in the US.

I really don't know why you're calling me out on being wrong. I was talking about people coming here and taking jobs and you're talking about jobs being outsourced. Completely different!

YOU, my friend, seem to be another pride shoved up your... American.

7.10.2011 23:04 #17

Mr-Movies

Originally posted by core2kid: Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Yes you! Ya think? Wow.... Think logically, why are our jobs going there? If I was a company, I'd rather pay someone $2/hr instead of $8/hr.

And I don't call a 3 ton POS a computer. When I talk computers, I'm taking building hardware, not assembling them. The chips in your computer are NOT made in the US.

I really don't know why you're calling me out on being wrong. I was talking about people coming here and taking jobs and you're talking about jobs being outsourced. Completely different!

YOU, my friend, seem to be another pride shoved up your... American. In the greed statement less labor cost would be assumed so your first point supports my point which goes against your point that India personnel get paid as much, not true.

Sperry built the first computer, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, and the OUTLET it was powered by! So your second statement is BS too.

Americans aren't losing jobs due to laziness again see my corporate greed statement.

I can see why you don't see a reason for me telling you that you are wrong since you seem to be totally confused and don't eve realize what you have said or wrote, again WOW!

You also seem to be the one throwing flames at Americans when I've not blamed India nor have I flame people from India, however I could if you want to get into that type of pissing match, I don't it's a waste of time and you are not worth it, besides you wouldn't understand anyway would you.

7.10.2011 23:14 #18

mac4life

mr-movies i think corekid is right. you have no idea what youre saying. i dont see anywhere where he said india personnel get paid much. i'm not indian but ive seen too many jobs being lost from lazyness.

RIP Steve Jobs :(

7.10.2011 23:23 #19

core2kid

Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Originally posted by core2kid: Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Yes you! Ya think? Wow.... Think logically, why are our jobs going there? If I was a company, I'd rather pay someone $2/hr instead of $8/hr.

And I don't call a 3 ton POS a computer. When I talk computers, I'm taking building hardware, not assembling them. The chips in your computer are NOT made in the US.

I really don't know why you're calling me out on being wrong. I was talking about people coming here and taking jobs and you're talking about jobs being outsourced. Completely different!

YOU, my friend, seem to be another pride shoved up your... American. In the greed statement less labor cost would be assumed so your first point supports my point which goes against your point that India personnel get paid as much, not true.

Sperry built the first computer, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, and the OUTLET it was powered by! So your second statement is BS too.

Americans aren't losing jobs due to laziness again see my corporate greed statement.

I can see why you don't see a reason for me telling you that you are wrong since you seem to be totally confused and don't eve realize what you have said or wrote, again WOW!

You also seem to be the one throwing flames at Americans when I've not blamed India nor have I flame people from India, however I could if you want to get into that type of pissing match, I don't it's a waste of time and you are not worth it, besides you wouldn't understand anyway would you. I had no idea you were talking to me because you quoted 5 people!

Wanna get into that pissing match? Bring it. You won't win. You've never been out of the US. I've lived in 3 countries.

7.10.2011 23:24 #20

Mr-Movies

Originally posted by mac4life: mr-movies i think corekid is right. you have no idea what youre saying. i dont see anywhere where he said india personnel get paid much. i'm not indian but ive seen too many jobs being lost from lazyness. "they work for the same exact pay as any American"

That is what he said and you are wrong too!

One needs to comprehend what they read, ya think!

Core2Kid, you really truly are not a sharp bulb and now caught being TOTALLY wrong you are try to spin in circles, I will not continue to try and explain what should be obvious as you most certainly are not capable, either on purpose or by lack of intelligence.

7.10.2011 23:26 #21

core2kid

Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Originally posted by mac4life: mr-movies i think corekid is right. you have no idea what youre saying. i dont see anywhere where he said india personnel get paid much. i'm not indian but ive seen too many jobs being lost from lazyness. "they work for the same exact pay as any American"

That is what he said and you are wrong too!

One needs to comprehend what they read, ya think! Bro, when I said that I meant people coming HERE to get a job as in immigrants, even that newbie understood me!

7.10.2011 23:28 #22

pmshah

Originally posted by xtago: In india kids use a public street computer to get an idea of what a computer is let alone what it can do.

So while this tablet won't be an ipad killer it'll at least be some what affordable to some people in india.

I don't think Indians are all that fussed about the US for jobs, it has no money bugger all jobs and with a laughable min of $5 per hour and needing tips just to get by in life.

I will say they are probably eyeing off Australian mining jobs where you get more than $100,000 for 6 months work in the year and pretty much all expenses paid by the mining company.

Why bother with the US job market.

Your ignorance shows. For $ 5/= the best you might do is get a watered down sub w/o a drink, where as for the same amount can feed 3 people very comfortably in any metro while it can feed more than 7-8 people with very hearty meals in any other part of the country.

A person making $ 5/= hr wage does not take tips he tips others. A person earning $ 1,000/= per month can afford a car and a full time domestic help. He can buy his own home and make payments too.

So don't talk about something you don't know anything about!

8.10.2011 12:38 #23

core2kid

Originally posted by pmshah: Originally posted by xtago: In india kids use a public street computer to get an idea of what a computer is let alone what it can do.

So while this tablet won't be an ipad killer it'll at least be some what affordable to some people in india.

I don't think Indians are all that fussed about the US for jobs, it has no money bugger all jobs and with a laughable min of $5 per hour and needing tips just to get by in life.

I will say they are probably eyeing off Australian mining jobs where you get more than $100,000 for 6 months work in the year and pretty much all expenses paid by the mining company.

Why bother with the US job market.

Your ignorance shows. For $ 5/= the best you might do is get a watered down sub w/o a drink, where as for the same amount can feed 3 people very comfortably in any metro while it can feed more than 7-8 people with very hearty meals in any other part of the country.

A person making $ 5/= hr wage does not take tips he tips others. A person earning $ 1,000/= per month can afford a car and a full time domestic help. He can buy his own home and make payments too.

So don't talk about something you don't know anything about!

THANK YOU!!!!!! AGREED 100%!

8.10.2011 12:51 #24

Azuran

Everybody in this thread needs to google "Law of one price"

8.10.2011 22:25 #25

ddp

knock off the name calling as i just temp banned a status member for a month so next 1 will be permanet.

8.10.2011 23:48 #26

pmshah

Boy, is this turning into a pissing match or what?

Talking about inventing a computer. Without the Indian mathematicians coming up with the zero concept you might still be screwing around with the Latin numerals or as the present US education stands counting on the fingers and toes and then scratching their head not being able to go beyond 20!

Has anyone any idea what kind of development is taking place in India? Just to name a few, even 20 years ago Wipro was designing multilayer motherboards for for your top name PC makers. TI has designed all their current version DSPs in India. Very large parts of Adobe PS and other page layout software is designed in India. Around 50% of employee population in MS centers around the world is of Indian origin. A lot of ASICs are designed in India. Just because we did not feel the need to develop our war technology to the level of being able to invade and plunder other countries says a lot about our culture, something US is devoid of.

Americans need to be taught the concept of TCO. Indians are born with it.

BTW one of the H1B visa requirements is that the employer can hire a foreign national ONLY if he cannot fill the vacancy with available US talent AND be paid at par with a US worker !

Another thing one must note is the fact that the US is mainly made up of descendents of immigrants who were on the verge of extinction due to economic hardship, political and/or religious persecution. I can almost bet that the first so called computer had a whole lot of German/East European scientists/engineers working on it.

8.10.2011 23:51 #27

ddp

http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000984.htm

9.10.2011 00:00 #28

Mr-Movies

Originally posted by pmshah: Boy, is this turning into a pissing match or what?

Talking about inventing a computer. Without the Indian mathematicians coming up with the zero concept you might still be screwing around with the Latin numerals or as the present US education stands counting on the fingers and toes and then scratching their head not being able to go beyond 20!

Has anyone any idea what kind of development is taking place in India? Just to name a few, even 20 years ago Wipro was designing multilayer motherboards for for your top name PC makers. TI has designed all their current version DSPs in India. Very large parts of Adobe PS and other page layout software is designed in India. Around 50% of employee population in MS centers around the world is of Indian origin. A lot of ASICs are designed in India. Just because we did not feel the need to develop our war technology to the level of being able to invade and plunder other countries says a lot about our culture, something US is devoid of.

Americans need to be taught the concept of TCO. Indians are born with it.

BTW one of the H1B visa requirements is that the employer can hire a foreign national ONLY if he cannot fill the vacancy with available US talent AND be paid at par with a US worker !

Another thing one must note is the fact that the US is mainly made up of descendents of immigrants who were on the verge of extinction due to economic hardship, political and/or religious persecution. I can almost bet that the first so called computer had a whole lot of German/East European scientists/engineers working on it.
I'm glad you brought that up because the Aztec's had that concept way before the Indians did and that is a fact.

9.10.2011 00:28 #29

KillerBug

If there wasn't 0 theory, computers would just use 1's and 2's for
"off" and "on". They don't even actually have 0's and 1's in binary anyway...that is just how it is written for humans. Heck, they could just as easily have used "Y"s and "Z"s.

If you mean that US employees are "too lazy" to work for $2 an hour, you are correct...you simply can't live on that and it is actually illegal to pay people that little in the states...but in India, $2 an hour is a living wage and people are happy to get it.

In terms of actual laziness at comparable wages, US employees are better because they generally come with all the training they need, gotten on their own...while Indian employees usually won't get basic skill training unless you pay them to do it. They also tend to get to work ontime, because they don't leave everything up to Karma. Believe it or not, people in India will often ignore catastrophic vehicle failures that could easily kill themselves and others with the theory that, "If the gods want me to die, I will die...and if they want me to live, I will live". People sometimes think like that in the states...but they still replace their brake pads.

9.10.2011 03:19 #30

Shomik Gupta (unverified)

It is still unclear if one is able to buy Aakash tablet from any shop or mobile store. It is quite likely that initially it will be contributed via colleges and universities to the students by putting an application to the management. One may book Aakash tablet PC in India from a lot of websites. It will soon be available on eBay also.

10.10.2011 09:27 #31

AfterDawn: News