India unveils $35 academic tablet, but will it materialize?

[Matthew DeCarlo]

The Indian government has unveiled a tablet prototype that should cost only $35 upon entering the market next year, without sacrificing standard functionality. The Linux-based slate is said to have 2GB of memory (whether that's RAM or storage is unclear), features Wi-Fi connectivity, it can handle PDFs and other documents, play YouTube videos, browse the web, supports video-conferencing, and it even has a solar power option – though that comes at an extra (undisclosed) fee.

Full hardware specs haven't been shared yet so we don't know what kind of muscle is under the hood, but various news outfits say the nameless device has a touchscreen. As if $35 weren't a bold enough prospect, India supposedly plans to gradually reduce the price to $20, and eventually even $10 – but don't get too excited yet.

A bit back, India drummed up anticipation over a $10 educational laptop in response to the OLPC project. As it turned out, the device was a display-less, keyboard-less brick that basically amounted to networked storage. A spokesperson said the $35 tablet is feasible because of falling hardware costs, open source software, and an intelligent design, but we'll believe it when we see it.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/39760-india-unveils-35-academic-tablet-but-will-it-materialize.html

 

[tipstir]

Sounds good deal, but you know you got Eken M001 (7"), M002 (7"), M003 (8") these are clones of the iPod but called ePod, iPed, iRobot, and aPad. Price race can be as little as $40 bucks on ebay but they get you shipping charges at $89 bucks. So real price is around $100 for M001 and think of that as a replacement for the iTouch but instead of 3.5 VIS (visual image size) you get 7". The M002 you get 2GB storage onboard and 16GB on MicroSDHC with 256MB of RAM, Camera 0.3mp, WiFi and more. This would be considered one of the new iPod VIS 7" coming out also 5" and 6" also. M003 is larger 8" there is M004 8" 720P/HD and prototype M005 1GHz with 512MB.

 

[Kibaruk]

I read this on a newspaper here in Chile first, didnt know how to reach you to give out the info.

I think it will have 2gb of storage, memory is way too expensive (At least considering the $35 final price).

The prototype is $35 worth, so if you start mass producing it of course you lower the price by a lot. Still I'm very interested in knowing the end of this!

 

[Xclusiveitalian]

From what I read it sounds awesome for students and id love one. Im almost 100% positive big corporations(apple, hp, dell) aren't just going to sit by and lose sales though. If the final product with everything in it w/o shipping cost, cost around $50 that would be amazing considering every tablet that comes out is almost $100 or more like Apple'$ Ipad with wifi is a giant joke. Pure price gouging!

 

[Guest]

The price of this tablet is $35 which is almost the same price of the basic cellphones without any features exept call making.This is a wise investment for all parents.

 

[Kibaruk]

xclusiveitalian said:
From what I read it sounds awesome for students and id love one. Im almost 100% positive big corporations(apple, hp, dell) aren't just going to sit by and lose sales though. If the final product with everything in it w/o shipping cost, cost around $50 that would be amazing considering every tablet that comes out is almost $100 or more like Apple'$ Ipad with wifi is a giant joke. Pure price gouging!

It will not be by any means a competitor for them in any way, you are comparing dual core computers with probably an electronic organizer with touch screen, this wont be something that will make them loose sales.

 

[treetops]

I would buy one simply so I could have a portable without having to buy a laptop. I have already put enough money into my desktop.

 

[mattfrompa]

I'd be surprised if a product sold so cheaply lasted much longer than a year honestly... I'm guessing the OS will be something akin to Puppy Linux? Obviously it won't be anything like Ubuntu, but that's okay so this will be along as it works well. If I can get one at my door for <$100, I will get one just out of curiosity. I unfortunately think that this device will end up costing a bit more than they are expecting, and be something that only "kind of" works.

 

[tipstir]

EKEN M002 NEW 7" HD Screen WIFI WebCam 3G UDisk Google Android APAD Tablet PC MID Netbook
This mini laptop with built in 1.3MP Webcam, Speaker , Microphone, Built- in G-Sensor-Gravity Inducer, Auto Horizontal Screen, can support USB Host for connect USB Flash Disk, USB 3G Modem For GPRS / 3G / 3.5G / HSDPA and USB Keyboard & Mouse, Android Market. World Wide Language support over 30 countries languages. You also can visit Google Map, GTalk, PDF Reader, YouTube, Gmail, FaceBook, etc with it frequency. Rated 1.2GHz (Dual 600MHz) This cost $155 USD free shipping takes 30 days or $12 for 3-5 days. Sounds good but since I don't own yet just have to wait and see how well they do. But in all anything you buy today comes from China. They can replicate just about anything today!

 

[tipstir]

Here's video for the above

 

[Guest]

As an Indian, I'm very offended by these Indian retards (mostly in the government) occasionally crawling out of their hovels and making announcements about how they've created a new dirt cheap gizmo that looks like some crap invented in the 60s and touting it as the new Jesus-device.

Then of course it usually fizzles out when they realize the economics just doesn't work to support its production. A message to you stupid bureaucrats in India: making the cheapest ipad knock-off does not make you cool, unless you can give us the same identical quality for that price-which you obviously can't, cause you get what you pay for-quality stuff almost always costs more.

First establish India as a respectable producer of good high tech consumer products (which it is not) and then your 'Johnny-come-lately' calls won't look so desperate and pathetic. The cheapest techie-toys only gets you the cheapest and shallowest applause. So STFU, keep it in India and once the quality is on par with the West or Asian gadgets, then talk...stop embarrassing the rest of us Indians you stuck-in-the-past freaks.