Technabob » india

India’s $10 Laptop Finally Released, Turns Out to Be a $35 Tablet

Lambert Varias — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:30:22 +0000

A couple of years ago the Indian government announced that they were working on a $10 (USD) laptop to help make technology and education accessible to their poor citizens. I didn’t take their plan seriously, but they sure did. Although somewhere along the way their plans changed, they still came up with a very impressive product. Behold – the Aakash, a tablet that can be bought for as little as $35.

The Aakash (Hindi for “sky”) runs Anroid 2.2 (Froyo), has a 7″ resistive touchscreen with a resolution of 800 x 480, a 366Mhz CPU, 256MB of RAM, 2GB of internal storage and a battery that lasts for only 3 hours maximum in between charges. It has Wi-Fi connectivity, but no 3G unless you use a dongle. Disappointing specs, yes, but not surprising for the price. What’s really surprising – and a slap to the face of iPad owners – is that the Aakash also has two USB ports and a microSD slot. Buuuuuurn. Don’t balk at its puny hardware either – it may not be able to play Infinity Blade but it can still play HD videos thanks to an integrated video processor. Here’s a more in-depth look at the Aakash courtesy of YouTube channel NDTV Profit (skip to 0:27 for the start of the feature):

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Again, the tablet’s manufacturer is actually selling the Aakash to the Indian government for $45 apiece. The government then subsidizes some of the cost to be able to sell it to teachers and students for $35. The Aakash isn’t a full laptop and it’s not sold for $10, but it is a very functional and useful device. What an impressive achievement. Check out the source links below for more information. Now how about that microSD slot, Apple?

[via Washington Post and Hungry N Foolish]

This Man Hasn’t Eaten in 70 Years

Lambert Varias — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:03:40 +0000

…or so he says. The man you see below is Prahlad Jani. He’s being studied by India’s Defense Research Organization, because Jani claims that he hasn’t had anything to eat or drink in 70 years. The Telegraph says Jani is known as a breatharian, i.e. he only needs air to survive. He’s been under observation for six days, and so far has shown no signs of lethargy despite his extreme diet. Maybe he’s already dead and he just doesn’t know it. Just kidding.

Jani claims that he is “sustained by a goddess who pours an ‘elixir’ through a hole in his palate,” while others deem him to be a fraud. Still, the Indian government is keeping an eye on him, in hopes of learning something that could help soldiers last longer on the battlefield or stranded victims of disasters to hold on while waiting for help. The article does say that Jani’s claim has already been put to the test once, in 2003, but people began doubting his claim when he started to lose weight after (only) ten days without food and water.

[via The Telegraph]

India Working on $10 Laptop: One Very Cheap Laptop Per Indian

Lambert Varias — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:30:16 +0000

The Indian government is currently working with private companies as well as several “elite technology institutions” to develop a 500 rupee ($10 USD) laptop. In contrast, the OLPC laptop’s screen alone costs $28.50 USD. The Times Online says that the project is already three years in the making, and that the Indian government expects to have a prototype of the laptop within months.

Here’s a stolen shot of the proto-protoype:

I hope they changed things up. Critics of the project claim that the whole thing is just a publicity stunt, coinciding with the forthcoming general elections. On the other hand, India was able to develop a $1,780 USD car and a $14 USD phone, so we never know.

[via Gearlog]