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Low-Cost Simputer Fails to Win Indians' Interest

Posted by timothy on from the when-curves-meet-unexpectedly dept.

prostoalex writes "The Associated Press looks at the Indian low-cost Simputer project and registers it as a failure. Picopeta sold 2,000 units over the past year, while Encore Software sold 2,000 Simputers. Only 10% of the devices were bought for rural areas, which the device was originally designed for. The reason? The companies need to sell quite a few simplistic monochrome devices to allow for the low price tag of $200. Meanwhile, anyone can buy a powerful device with a color screen for $199 from a major vendor."

6 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Surprise by bostonsoxfan · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I don't find this as a surprise at all. This was doomed to fail because they didn't really have the full backing of a major company. At least someone is trying to cover the technology gap but it will take more time with lower prices in the semi conductor industry.

    But if it is for rural villages how do they expect to power these units. And what about dust and computer illiteracy, those things would be bigger obstacle than cost in general.

    Move on people nothing funny here.

    1. Re:Surprise by DRWeasle · · Score: 5, Informative

      Just because it is a mud hut does not mean they don't have electricity.

      I have done allot of traveling to 3rd world countries and been to too many villages to count. But the one thing that always surprised me was the number of TV's. This is true for South America as well as African countries. Usually they were small black and white TV sets. But they were on every night.

      Maybe not every hut had one but the families were always willing to share. They set them up on small tables out side and then everyone would gather around to watch.

      The top 4 thing to watch are:

      Soccer
      Baseball
      their version of the soap opera
      American TV

      People in those small villages are also very friendly.

  2. "Why would I want a computer for my Sims?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Why would I want a computer for my Sims," one man asked. "Two hundred dollars seems like a lot for imaginary people."

  3. heh.. by Aeron65432 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is anyone actually surprised? Look how Windows XP Starter kit has been doing!

  4. Re:Time to market by maetenloch · · Score: 5, Informative

    You're probably referring to the Liberator, a single-shot .45 pistol, that the US manuafactured during WWII. Supposedly they cost less than $5 to make and were designed to be dropped behind Axis lines to allow resistance members to kill an enemy soldier and take his weapon. Today they are extremely rare and are worth up to a $1000.

  5. MIT working on $100 laptop by bstadil · · Score: 5, Informative

    MIT's Multimedia lab led by Negroponte is working on a $100 laptop project for poor people that seems to have a fair amount of financial backing. More here

    --
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