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Simputer Available?

Anonymous Coward writes "The Simputer (marketed by PicoPeta, the inventors and manufactured by the Defence Electronics PSU - BEL) has a website now and is available for sale (including outside India). Some pics can be found at the picture gallery. This story has been discussed a few times before here at /. here, here and here. Of particular note are some of the features, notably the device goes beyond the typical handheld/PDA and has some brand new innovations. For instance, it uses accelerometers to sense motion and this is used to give commands to the computer (for instance, to zoom a picture, you just have to move the Simputer towards you and to turn a page, you flick it like you would turn a page for a book. Also has an integrated smart card reader plus writer, very useful for several business applications."

16 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. I hear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Simputer is planning to outsource the tech support to America because it's cheaper. I bet people in India won't be happy about that.

  2. Re:I'm sceptical about... by Timesprout · · Score: 4, Funny

    The accelerometers are not intended for the user. They are for the benifit of the Simputer so it realises when it has been dropped or flung in the direction of a wall by an irate user and has time to say its prayers

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  3. Hot Chick by hot_Karls_bad_cavern · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...well, it's mostly /.'ed, but i saw the first shot of the hot girl using it as an mp3 player and i don't care what it is, i neeed it.

    i need the hot chicks. Come on, this is slashdot, you were thinking it too.

    1. Re:Hot Chick by steveoc · · Score: 4, Funny
      To quote from the simputer site :

      http://www.amidasimputer.com/tour/stop4.php

      "Along with a chikki, you can play hours and hours of CD-quality music "

      So, Im not sure I read the advert correctly, but it sounds like you DO actually get a Chikki with each simputer.

      Either that, or they are available for purchase direct from the site. (Chikki may be available for purchase online, pursuant to the governing laws of your State)

  4. This accelerometer thing... by Cidtek · · Score: 2, Funny

    sounds like an answer to a question nobody asked. Or is it just me?

  5. Re:Zoom function by jest3r · · Score: 3, Funny

    to zoom in you move the simputer closer to you ..

    you can rotate the display by holding the simputer and twisting your wrist ...

    if you toss the simputer directly above you its homing technology will cause it to fall back down towards you ...

    and it will automatically shut itself down once the battery is dead ... how convenient.

  6. death by snusnu by meeotch · · Score: 2, Funny
    "For instance, it uses accelerometers to sense motion and this is used to give commands to the computer"

    This does not simpute. Simputer will return after deciding your punishment.

    mitch

  7. When can we get an official unit measurement? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I hereby propose one: the comment. A comment is the unit measurement of how fast a server can be swept over by the Mongol-Tartars. Used to describe how quickly something gets slashdotted, though not limited to slashdot itself. Eventual spread to other areas is encouraged. See also: FWICE!

    example:
    "Man, that was only like 10 comments before my AMD Palomino core with no heatsink melted the motherboard."

  8. Re:Over-correction by JPriest · · Score: 4, Funny
    Fsck the PDA, I like the teenager in the first pic.

    Amida: "I know this is a bad neighborhood and you are not wearing much, but we need you to pretent like you are using the product and you would do this in your free time."

    --
    Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
  9. Re:Over-correction by SEWilco · · Score: 3, Funny
    "...accelerometer costs 25 - 40$."

    Ah, but they don't have to pay to import it from India.

  10. Re:Vehicles by Timmeh · · Score: 2, Funny

    I understand you're trolling, but that's a funny thing you've got going on there, being able to reach a constant speed from a dead stop without accelerating.

  11. from the FAQ's by wornst · · Score: 3, Funny

    6. Q: When will the Simputer be available?

    A: If all goes well, by March 2002 you should be able to buy one of them.

    I guess all didn't go, "well."

  12. Re:Over-correction by Curtman · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think that gallery would be a hell of a lot more useful if it showed pictures of the device itself rather than grandpa in his pyjama's. Why not show what's happening on the screen instead of models posing with the thing in their hand?

  13. You knew it was coming by Kiyooka · · Score: 3, Funny
    to zoom a picture, you just have to move the Simputer towards you and to turn a page, you flick it like you would turn a page for a book

    One-handed photo enlargement, huh? one-handed next-pic viewing? very nice...

    Oh wait, did I say pic? I meant page. ya, page.

    Might be a "jerky" experience though...

  14. Re:Over-correction by H3g3m0n · · Score: 3, Funny

    Actually its a free feature. When you bring the PDA closer to you it gets larger and the further away it gets smaller it becomes.

    --
    cat /dev/urandom > .sig
  15. Re:I'm sceptical about... by Ignominious+Cow+Herd · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's not for Zooming. Its the first Digital Etch-A-Sketch!

    Just shake it to erase.

    --
    Lump lingered last in line for brains, and the ones she got were sorta rotten and insane.