India's $35 Tablet is No Vaporware

[Jacobtheindoamerican]

Techtree.com India > News > Consumer Electronics > India's $35 Tablet is No Vaporware

If you thought the Indian HRD ministry's attempt at making that $35 (Rs. 1,500) laptop is pure government fantasy and the usual pep talk we see from the Indian government, be ready to be surprised. Not only does the tablet exist in a prototype form, it actually works pretty well - and how!

Before I start, let's take a look at the brief history behind the story. The first time we heard of the tablet was last month when the HRD ministry, out of no where announced its plans to bring this $35 wonder to the student community of India. Back then, it was welcomed with the usual suspicion and skepticism that the Indian and world media has regarding anything that is remotely connected to the Indian government.

A month on, when all the hype about the tablet was just about to die, folks from NDTV Gadget Guru managed to scoop an interview with HRD Miniter Kapil Sibal (if you don't know who he is, you REALLY need that tablet) who carried the tablet with him to the studios. And that resulted in the first video hands on of the device. Our first impressions?

Well, it's no beauty contest contestant. The looks are nothing much to home about. If you were expecting something curvy like the iPads or the JooJoos or the Notion Inks of the world, be prepared for a nasty, boxy surprise. But hey, this is no lifestyle product. This is pure utilitarian stuff so if it does the job, that should suffice.

The hardware on this thing is pretty impressive by the looks of it. I am not sure what processor does the number crunching inside but it looks quite meaty to handle most tasks thrown at it. It has 2GB of RAM which is quite sufficient for web browsing, the occasional video streaming and document editing tasks that this is expected to do. The tablet is particularly impressive when it comes to connectivity options. Apart from Bluetooth, it seems to have all you need - ranging from Wi-fi, USB ports, Video out and SD card slots to SIM card slots for 3G ready connectivity. There is a camera at the rear (the megapixel count is still under wraps) that should suffice for normal photography. Besides, I don't expect anyone to take this on an African Safari anyway - so, the camera is pretty much sufficient for something that won't cost more than $35. One disappointment might be the screen which is resistive in nature. But then, for $35, it's criminal to expect a capacitive display on this - that too a 7-inch one.

On the software front, while we all thought it would run some real excuse of an OS based on Linux, I was surprised to see it running Android OS! Yes, I know Android is based on Linux as well. The good thing about this bit is the fact that there is considerable activity on the app development front when it comes to Android and this would actually make the tablet appealing to people who are just looking for a pure, no frills tablet. While the version of Android doesn't look to be the latest one, it still is pretty much usable. Also, I think it is likely that the tablet is powerful enough to get an update to Gingerbread once that arrives. Let's hope the processor is clocked at 1Ghz or more so that its eligible for the update.

What we think about this $35 wonder from India? For once, India has proved and has actually made something that isn't just there on paper or in pictures. It is pretty much real and more importantly, it works pretty well. If the idea is taken forward, there is no doubt that this will positively impact the education of millions of children who do not have access to basic computing. Think of it - an Internet tablet for under $35. Only Indians could pull off this one!

Sibal, during the entire course of the interview, emphasised that the $35 price is pretty much real and that had it been under the retail sales, the price would have been considerably higher. However, this project is government subsidised and has no intention to go retail. Surprisingly, he also confirmed that he is aiming to bring the cost down to $10 later! By 2011, he expects at least a million units of the $35 tablet in the hands of Indian students. He adds that once that is done, we are ready to take the next step and take the tablet global.

Watch the video they play with it

 

[Musalman]

nice!.........

 

[Mirza Jatt]

this is great....kabil sibal seems really excited about it..good work !

 

[RobbieS]

Here's another review from CNET -

Remember that $35 tablet out of India we told you about last month? If you want to see the much-talked-about prototype in moving color, a gadget show on Indian television just featured an exclusive hands-on that could help dissipate some of the skepticism about the device.

"Everybody actually said, 'It cannot happen, a $35 tablet,' and not only does it exist, it works and it works brilliantly," said Rajiv Makhni, co-host of the show "Gadget Guru," who took the computer through its paces with show cohort Vikram Chandra and then talked all aspects of the gadget with Kapil Sibal, the country's Minister for Human Resource Development and the same guy who officially unveiled the super-cheap touch-screen device. Aimed at the country's students, it's being called India's answer to Nicholas Negroponte's famed OLPC laptop.

While originally presented as a Linux device, the prototype on the show runs on Android (and handles the operating system "fairly smoothly," the surprised Gurus say). It has a virtual keyboard, camera, full video capability, Wi-Fi for browsing that the Gurus found to be "simple and quick," an e-reader, and 2GB RAM. They say the touch screen is a bit slow to respond. All in all, though, they call it a "fairly impressive little package," particularly for the price, and a game changer for India and possibly beyond.

"We really didn't think it would be as functional as we have found it be," Chandra said.

The tablet is part of a larger initiative aimed at improving India's educational system through technology. It will originally be delivered by mid-2011, subsidized, to higher-education institutions for the estimated $35, Sibal said. (He acknowledged that it will surely cost more at retail.)

Fast-forward to about 2.5 minutes into the vid for more dish on the tablet's specs, as well as future plans for the gadget.

 

[RobbieS]

And some reader comments as well -

Anyway, fact of the matter is, this article has nothing to do with Microsoft nor Apple, so back to the article and the subject at hand. My commendation to India for making these sorts of efforts to contribute to the children of it's society and the improvement of it's eduational system.

It doesnt matter whose logo you slap on it, the product is definately a game changer. This is similar to the change that occurred when the printing press was introduced. A cheaper way of doing things that knocked all the expensive ways out of business. Consider the savings to major corporations if they bought their employees these instead of desktop computers. They wouldnt be responsible for them so out goes the IT staff. If it fails the employee is responsible for replacement. Win win scenario. Think about elemantary schools! No more school supplies, books, etc. All would be in the tablet. For $35!

That's precisely what I thought when I first heard about it. One of these things is cheaper than my $80+ math textbook. I can seriously see the major companies going completely digital and selling their e-books to schools. It would have instant updates (how many times you browse through a textbook and there is incorrect information or out of date science info), students could annotate without issue and it would have serious environmental benefits.

Honestly, the fact that one of these things is going for less than half the price of one, single textbook - This should be a revolution, and if it isn't there is something seriously wrong with our governments.

For now, this is still all concept. An impressive one at that, but the proof in the pudding will be when it moves into a production phase. I've seen enough concepts that never make it to real world application as stated. Maybe this will be one of the lucky ones that does. Only time will tell.

 

[Nomenclature]

Grats on the progress! the project seems to be going smoothly.

BTW, in China you can buy a Wifi-enabled 7 inch touch screen tablet running Android for around $75. Deduce manufacturer and retail profits from that, I think $35 is a pretty realistic cost for making a tablet nowadays.

 

[satishkumarcsc]

I am happy this product is not for sale and is given at subsidized rates for government college and university students. And it is not going to stay in India..but to be exported to all countries whose children cannot afford a computation device of this calibre. This is what makes this product special for me. And I request people not to compare it with the I-pad or the microsoft thinkpad. This is not a product in that league. I would really appreciate if people refrain from doing that.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

And I request people not to compare it with the I-pad or the microsoft thinkpad. This is not a product in that league. I would really appreciate if people refrain from doing that.

Its the media which is doing that ,they know many people felt that Ipad was overpriced,so their trying to get their attention.

ontopic
Saw the video,i 'm finally cleared of many doubts about it.

@Jacob
I'm sure you"ll be the first one to post that review on youtube

 

[qwerrty]

it's still is a vapoware. make and sell hundred of thousands first, then it's no vapoware.

 

[satishkumarcsc]

it's still is a vapoware. make and sell hundred of thousands first, then it's no vapoware.

We arent selling it at first...we are making it for the students for colleges.

 

[Justin Joseph]

Early take on India's $35 tablet: 'Fairly impressive'

The tablet is meant to give students cheap multimedia access.
(Credit: Video screenshot by Leslie Katz/CNET)

Remember that $35 tablet out of India we told you about last month? If you want to see the much-talked-about prototype in moving color, a gadget show on Indian television just featured an exclusive hands-on that could help dissipate some of the skepticism about the device.

"Everybody actually said, 'It cannot happen, a $35 tablet,' and not only does it exist, it works and it works brilliantly," said Rajiv Makhni, co-host of the show "Gadget Guru," who took the computer through its paces with show cohort Vikram Chandra and then talked all aspects of the gadget with Kapil Sibal, the country's Minister for Human Resource Development and the same guy who officially unveiled the super-cheap touch-screen device. Aimed at the country's students, it's being called India's answer to Nicholas Negroponte's famed OLPC laptop.

While originally presented as a Linux device, the prototype on the show runs on Android (and handles the operating system "fairly smoothly," the surprised Gurus say). It has a virtual keyboard, camera, full video capability, Wi-Fi for browsing that the Gurus found to be "simple and quick," an e-reader, and 2GB RAM. They say the touch screen is a bit slow to respond. All in all, though, they call it a "fairly impressive little package," particularly for the price, and a game changer for India and possibly beyond.

"We really didn't think it would be as functional as we have found it be," Chandra said.

The tablet is part of a larger initiative aimed at improving India's educational system through technology. It will originally be delivered by mid-2011, subsidized, to higher-education institutions for the estimated $35, Sibal said. (He acknowledged that it will surely cost more at retail.)

Fast-forward to about 2.5 minutes into the vid for more dish on the tablet's specs, as well as future plans for the gadget.

Early take on India's $35 tablet: 'Fairly impressive' | Crave - CNET

 

[Justin Joseph]

India’s $35 tablet: If it’s possible, it could be a game changer

Not only would it advance access to the Internet and computing among India’s substantial population, it could be an example of what’s needed to serve the developing-world markets.

Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, news -- EDN, August 12, 2010

Suzanne DeffreeIndia is touting a $35 “cloud”-computing-tablet prototype that includes word-processing, Web-browsing, and videoconferencing functions. If $35 is too much for you, however, sit tight. Government officials are looking for partners to reduce the cost to approximately $10—less than I spend on coffee in a week and about the same price you would pay for a no-frills, pay-as-you-go cell phone at Target.

The move is part of a broader effort by India’s government toward better education in the country and accompanies stated plans to bring broadband connectivity to the country’s 25,000 colleges and 504 universities. Much like the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) effort, which the Massachusetts Institute of Technology backs, India with its $35 tablet aims to provide a basic, low-cost mobile-computing device that will allow the country’s citizens to engage in their own education and access the Internet, ultimately allowing for a higher quality of life.

Notably, India’s tablet is much less expensive than the current $199 XO laptop from OLPC. Marvell in May announced that it had teamed with OLPC for a sleek $100 tablet, still at a price almost three times higher than that of India’s $35 device.

India’s $35 tablet: If it’s possible, it could be a game changerIndia’s tablet will most likely be Linux-based, although there has been no official word on software. The prototype mockup, exhibited in late July, shows a touchscreen and storage relying on memory cards rather than hard drives. It also has an extra-cost, according to some reports, solar-cell option, which could be the main source of power for some in rural India.

Information has not yet emerged on what components the tablet includes, what type of wireless it runs, or which manufacturer supplies the display. Details are also lacking about processor speed, battery life, compatibility, and display resolution. Promoting the device, India’s MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development) also omitted details about how R&D will decrease the price and what companies will manufacture the tablet. Details notwithstanding, it’s safe to say the tablet’s performance and debut won’t be as smooth as that of the iPad or any of the competing tablets from major OEMs for the established US, European Union, and Asia-Pacific markets, but they don’t need to be. Anything is better than nothing in a country where many have no computing at all. And a cloud-based system allows á la carte personalization, a good match for low-income budgets.

You have to wonder which chip makers could afford to supply the tablet at such a low price point. Even a full $35 BOM (bill-of-materials) cost doesn’t leave much wiggle room at current component prices, at least not for all the things India’s MHRD is claiming the tablet will do. But would companies such as Intel or AMD want no part of such a tablet, which could be a game changer for the Indian market? Again, the tablet aims to bring the Internet to India, taking a first step toward computing for many in the low-income country. Chip makers may find themselves offering significant discounts to even nip at the massive market opportunity, especially when you look at the projected market size.

The US Census Bureau International Data Base estimates that India will be the most populous country by 2025, surpassing China, with its population continuing to expand and projected to exceed 1.65 billion people by 2050. Electronics executives now bend over backward to land a place in the Chinese market. Imagine how they will compete when India’s access to Internet devices rises.

Some wonder whether the $35-tablet idea will fizzle out in the same way that India’s previous promises for a $20 laptop did. Even if it never moves from prototype to consumer hands, however, there’s something to consider: Developing nations don’t need iPads; they don’t even need our netbooks, and they would not be apt to pay the accompanying price tags. They may just need simple computing that accesses the Internet through a cloud-based system.

How will the electronics supply chain provide that access, assuming it chooses to serve the needs of developing markets rather than push products that meet the needs of developed nations? The answer to that question could force a breed of designs that see the electronics industry backtracking to simpler systems, possibly cutting into chip revenue.

India?s $35 tablet: If it?s possible,it could be a game changer - 2010-08-12 09:47:00 | EDN

 

[Jacobtheindoamerican]

 

[applesauce]

of course its possible, "this project is government subsidised " its only a matter of how much of a hit the government is willing to take per tablet sold. any price is possible when the government is willing to lose money on it, the question is what the real cost of it is, im guessing 50+ minimum with crappy hardware

 

[Trisonics]

of course its possible, "this project is government subsidised " its only a matter of how much of a hit the government is willing to take per tablet sold. any price is possible when the government is willing to lose money on it, the question is what the real cost of it is, im guessing 50+ minimum with crappy hardware

regardless of how you may want to twist and downplay the possibilities of its success, the fact is a government willing to do this for its children needs to be applauded and thanked!..after all if its holding back the price, it is for its own children!!!! A govt doing something good for its citizens, of course is not something a Chinese would know..anyways..

The sad reality for trolls like you is that your jealously and ill-intent makes you look really stupid when actually there is nothing to debate here. Now come on, according to you: India does not do anything for its poor, if it tries something..the hardware is crappy???? Get lost!!!!!