Students in India are about to get access to the cheapest tablets in the world. While they may not be iPads, these $35 tablets could prove very useful in rural areas and with millions of students across the country.
The Indian government have reached a deal with DataWind, who will manufacture these tablets at around $50 each. According to Minister of Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal, the government will subsidise the project to bring the price down even further to $35.
The Ubislate tablet will be called “Aakash”, which means “sky”. The specifications include a 366MHz processor, a graphics accelerator, a HD video processor, 256MB or RAM, a single USB port, and a 7 inch resistive touchscreen display with 800 x 480 pixels of resolution.
While this project seems like a great way to get technology to the masses, and will be especially useful for poorer students across India, there are still questions to be answered about the quality of materials and the delivery system.
According Bob O’Donnell from IDC in an interview with TechNewsWorld, “The quality of the materials will be low because of the price, and you have to wonder how long will the device last in that case.”
O’Donnell also has concerns about the fee structures that would need to be put into place, saying “For a low income student, an additional $10 or $15 a month in access fees would be enough to discourage its adoption.” However, despite the possible difficulties of manufacture and delivery, programs like this should be applauded for their vision.
W. “R.P.” Raghupathi, professor of information systems and adjunct professor of law at Fordham University, sums up this sentiment, saying “Tablets, when priced reasonably, help in several ways in developing countries. For one, they have the leapfrog effect of not having to invest in large expensive systems and applications.”
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