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India's $35 Tablet Computer

Posted by kdawson on from the take-that-olpc dept.

NotBornYesterday was one of many readers sending in news that the Indian government has announced it is helping to develop a $35 tablet computer running Linux. "India has unveiled the prototype of a $35 basic touchscreen tablet aimed at students, which it hopes to bring into production by 2011. The government plans to subsidize the tablets so the cost to students could be $20; and eventually, they hope the cost will fall to $10 per unit. India's human resource development minister, Kapil Sibal, says, 'The motherboard, its chip, the processing, connectivity, all of them cumulatively cost around $35, including memory, display, everything.' Using a memory card instead of a hard drive, and running a Linux OS, the designers have managed to keep the price low, and are now looking for manufacturing partners. The tablet can be used for functions like word processing, Web browsing, and video conferencing. It has a solar power option too, which is important in India's less developed areas, though that add-on costs extra."

1 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's going to suck. by kegon · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Why are the big companies cheapest products $200 or more?

    1. Because they are trying to make a profit for their shareholders, their company and most importantly so they can continue having jobs.
    2. Because they have to recoup research and development costs. The commercial market demands products that are progressive. Not many people would buy a tablet running Android 0.9, certainly not enough to be viable. For schools though, functional is all that matters. So what if the kids have to wait a few seconds longer for their browser to load up a page ?

    Remember the MacBook Air teardown where they showed it could be made cheaper ? Of course it can be done if you cut all the corners and you're not interested in profit.

    Hopefully, after (if) these get rolled out in India, the other manufacturers will start competing a little harder.

    As an engineer I just love how people anticipate that gadgets will continually fall in price and "hopefully" get even cheaper. While I'm working my ass off to get something competitive out the door that might make me enough profit to pay for food, electricity and internet.

    I hope someone undercuts your job!

    Also, if this Indian tablet supports flash, I'll have a nice little chuckle.

    Supporting Flash is a political decision not a technical decision. What makes you think a bottom rung ARM will run Flash anyway ?