This appears to be an initiative by the government to push technology to the masses. I doubt the tablet (if it is not vaporware) will be available at this price for everyone. They will probably subsidize these devices to certain sections of the society. We have something called a Ration Card which is given based on your economic status. You can use that to get a subsidy on food, oil etc. I am assuming that subsidy on the tablet would be based on something like that.
India probably has the highest growth in terms of mobile devices purchased. The cheapest Nokia mobile set here costs USD 25 and we have Indian mobile companies now (Lava, MicroMax, Karbonn) who are aiming to provide mobiles for USD 10 in 2011. I have seen beggars with mobile phones. That's how low the entry-barrier is, in India. These mobiles do their job well.
India also has a very good mobile coverage. The areas which are not covered by private providers are covered by the state-owned BSNL. 3G services are going to get rolled out sometime towards the end of 2010.
The government wishes to push technology to masses. This is a good step in that direction.
Once you start getting consumers used to no-buttons-no-wires sort of a thing, there's no stopping.
I think we will see monitors / tv displays coming with an in-built wireless adapter, streaming content from the mobile which is lying on a charging pad.
The flip side is that we will get more and more locked on to proprietary content platforms.
I didn't want to respond, but I thought a bit of a perspective might help.
You know, there is a constant attempt to try and get rid of this problem. The solution to this problem is education and education is only now showing signs of improvement. As the GP mentioned, India has a very old culture and only in the last 50 years or so the country has been trying to get rid of this problem. Looking at the progress we made, we should be able to eradicate most of it in another 50 years.
Can you say the same of other countries ? It is not that long ago that the U.S. managed to mostly solve apartheid. How long did that take since the country gained its independence ? 200 years ? The U.S. by and large was made of immigrants. That means those guys went through hardships and came to the U.S. You would think they would have minimum common sense of how to treat other people. That didn't work out very well for colored people, did it ?
Humans are by and large animals. The only solution is education. Education takes time.
Heh. Interestingly they seem to do this only for currencies that have higher current value than the Dollar.. I dare them to make $199 to INR 199:)
$1 is roughly INR 50
I have seen IPhone rip-offs for Rs. 2500/-. At the current rate of exchange, it would be around $50. These phones don't even have IMEI numbers and the government has banned the phones for that reason.
I have seen the phone in action and it works just fine.
I am guessing you will never get these mobiles in the U.S.:)
One of the most engaging games I have played this year. I don't play too many games, but the single player campaign in modern warfare was extremely appealing to me. [I played COD 1 and then COD4 was the next COD game I played]
NOTE: SPOILERS BELOW
SPOILERS BEGIN...............
The initial mission where you need to escape a ship which is drowning and make a desperate attempt to jump into the helicopter, being assassinated at close range and unable to do anything about it, the nuclear explosion thing, crawling in a field with just a sniper rifle and tens of troupes walking around you and the way the climax plays out with Price throwing you a gun, having to take headshots before finally killing the main antagonist.. Call of Duty 4 impressed me so much that I don't even want to buy COD 5 just in case it ruins the experience I had with COD 4.
END OF SPOILERS.............
I prefer Stani's Python Editor (SPE) when I work on OSX or Ubuntu.
On Windows (even though SPE runs on it) I prefer PyScripter simply because that was the first IDE I used for python on Windows and I am fine with it.
Both the IDEs have syntax checkers - this is especially useful if you write some of your code on an editor like vim/emacs/gedit etc. and want to start editing that code in IDEs.
My advice is to choose an IDE and stick with it. Avoid shifting IDEs for python because of the indentation requirement and how each IDE might handle it differently.
bandwidth-intensive and essential stuff: none except occasional heavy youtube usage (example), but I'm impatient, so I have a fast connection. Also planning on using Freenet at some point in the future (on principle, because I dislike the current trends in wiretapping legislation).
Thank you for the excellent youtube link. I couldn't find a way to send you a personal message.
I cannot comment on the entirety of Asia, but I am an Indian and from a state called Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabad, in case you have heard of it). We speak a language called 'Telugu' here. I doubt if more than 1 or 2 percent of the world has heard of it.
The amount of Internet penetration here is very very less, apart from Hyderabad. Google is so popular that it is part of our songs [Like Bollywood, which are Hindi films, we have our own industry of sorts with Telugu films and yes they all have songs].
When a movie song has Google in it, it is because the average movie-goer knows what it is.
Google has become a part of our language. The same with some other regional languages include the National language Hindi.
..this will help explain what is "outside" the universe.. to me, a hole can exist on an object. in this case, the universe has a hole.. does this mean there is something outside the universe ?
This need not necessarily be bad. I am an Indian and I am living in Hyderabad. Some politicians regularly instigate people against each other on religious or caste basis (e.g. Muslims against Hindus, Hindus against Christians etc. or within Hindus, across upper and lower castes). Since India is unique in that there is representation of almost every major religion in the world, some politicians or people close to them try to use this to create unrest (in extreme cases, riots) and try to use it for some upcoming elections or something like that.
We don't have problems with corporates trying to pry our fundamental rights as yet by controlling the government because the state has very good representation from every sort of background instead of just one party. But for the same reason, we have other problems.
I am pretty sure that from the way things are done in India correctly, there is no way the government can do anything reduce our fundemental rights. There are too many cross-checks for that.
Firefox reaches 10 %. Then I will be *really* impressed. We just had a discussion on the "alleged" decrease in Firefox growth rate right.. This one appears a little redundant to me.
"Most RAID cards lie (especially LSI ones), some OSes lie (rare), and most disks lie (doesn't matter how expensive or cheap they are)."
Can someone explain how OSes could lie ? I mean, is it because of a buggy implementation or is it intentional?? "lie" would mean I personally don't see any reason why an OS should lie...
You could get a pc a lot better that this at a slightly higher expense...
Intel 2.8GHz + Motherboard around INR 8000 (This motherboard includes an inbuilt soundcard, Intel's GFX controller)
512 MB RAM INR 2650/-
40GB 7200 RPM around INR2000/- (may be even lesser)
15Inch CRT monitor (say Samsung) INR 4000
Mouse + Keyboard around INR 700/-
Total: around INR 17000/-
And this one would actually be an overkill if you are targetting simple home users.
Take out the 2.8 GHz Intel and use a lesser mortal.. Use a smaller harddisk. Profit!!
The problem is that you will have to buy these as individual components and assemble them yourself (or get them assembled by someone)
Most people can't do this, usually out of ignorance.
p.s. These are the prices as I know them from last week. And some of the components aren't the best. But if you are targetting simple users... Shouldn't matter right ?
Mod me down, but I don't really approve mechanized perfection. Somehow making juice with exact proportions everytime frightens me.. There's got to be a little human in it. Juice may be a small thing now, but as we go on trying to make perfect stuff using machines and not with human hands... Kind of reminds me a little like Stepford's Wives.
I was involved in setting up a mensa chapter at where I live (Hyderabad,India). I am also in touch with mensans from Bangalore. I cannot comment on the general attitude of mensans in America, but I never felt a lack of social skills in the mensans I know of.
We shouldn't mix social skills and intelligence. IQ by itself doesn't mean anything anymore. That way if you were a 99.99999 percentile, doesn't mean shit. You need emotional maturity to carry you through life. That way, except for those who want to boost up their egos, being a Mensan doesn't prove anything.
I look at Mensa as more of a common grounds for people to meet. Mensans I know are willing to help other Mensans. I have known people who made CEOs, who were entrepreneurs, MBAs so on. What I get is contacts. So, if I need guidance or advice, they are more than willing to help.
When one slashdot user meets another, there is an instant recognition. An instant willingness to help. (In India, the number of people who read slashdot are few). Mensa is pretty much the same thing. Atleast thats what I look at it.
I live in India and I am constantly bogged by sms' asking me if I was interested in winning gold, buying a car etc. What's worse ?? Sometimes, we get automated calls asking if we are interested in some offers.
If I want to know about some offer, I will ask. Thank you.
Was thinking of writing to a newspaper, but that idea got lost somewhere in a mire of laziness
...to see where Google is headed. VOIP would be something drastically different from what it has been doing till now.
I don't think Google is going to develop its own implementation of SIP / H.323 or something like that. It would probably use available ones like Asterix so that it immediately strikes a good note with people. Also, in case microsoft decides to go ahead and do something in VOIP just because Google is doing it (for competition sake) it will definitely not use Asterix will it:)
Unless Google provides something new other than the existing services which are already provided by companies like Skype, it is just like using its 'monopoly' to an advantage.
Of course, this is all speculation depending on whether Google is really interested in VOIP.
Slashdot Mirror
This appears to be an initiative by the government to push technology to the masses. I doubt the tablet (if it is not vaporware) will be available at this price for everyone. They will probably subsidize these devices to certain sections of the society. We have something called a Ration Card which is given based on your economic status. You can use that to get a subsidy on food, oil etc. I am assuming that subsidy on the tablet would be based on something like that.
India probably has the highest growth in terms of mobile devices purchased. The cheapest Nokia mobile set here costs USD 25 and we have Indian mobile companies now (Lava, MicroMax, Karbonn) who are aiming to provide mobiles for USD 10 in 2011. I have seen beggars with mobile phones. That's how low the entry-barrier is, in India. These mobiles do their job well.
India also has a very good mobile coverage. The areas which are not covered by private providers are covered by the state-owned BSNL. 3G services are going to get rolled out sometime towards the end of 2010.
The government wishes to push technology to masses. This is a good step in that direction.
Once you start getting consumers used to no-buttons-no-wires sort of a thing, there's no stopping.
I think we will see monitors / tv displays coming with an in-built wireless adapter, streaming content from the mobile which is lying on a charging pad.
The flip side is that we will get more and more locked on to proprietary content platforms.
I didn't want to respond, but I thought a bit of a perspective might help.
You know, there is a constant attempt to try and get rid of this problem. The solution to this problem is education and education is only now showing signs of improvement. As the GP mentioned, India has a very old culture and only in the last 50 years or so the country has been trying to get rid of this problem. Looking at the progress we made, we should be able to eradicate most of it in another 50 years.
Can you say the same of other countries ? It is not that long ago that the U.S. managed to mostly solve apartheid. How long did that take since the country gained its independence ? 200 years ? The U.S. by and large was made of immigrants. That means those guys went through hardships and came to the U.S. You would think they would have minimum common sense of how to treat other people. That didn't work out very well for colored people, did it ?
Humans are by and large animals. The only solution is education. Education takes time.
Heh. Interestingly they seem to do this only for currencies that have higher current value than the Dollar.. I dare them to make $199 to INR 199 :)
$1 is roughly INR 50
I want these m*f*ng black holes off the m*f*ng galaxy!
I have seen IPhone rip-offs for Rs. 2500/-. At the current rate of exchange, it would be around $50. These phones don't even have IMEI numbers and the government has banned the phones for that reason. :)
I have seen the phone in action and it works just fine.
I am guessing you will never get these mobiles in the U.S.
One of the most engaging games I have played this year. I don't play too many games, but the single player campaign in modern warfare was extremely appealing to me. [I played COD 1 and then COD4 was the next COD game I played]
.............
NOTE: SPOILERS BELOW
SPOILERS BEGIN...............
The initial mission where you need to escape a ship which is drowning and make a desperate attempt to jump into the helicopter, being assassinated at close range and unable to do anything about it, the nuclear explosion thing, crawling in a field with just a sniper rifle and tens of troupes walking around you and the way the climax plays out with Price throwing you a gun, having to take headshots before finally killing the main antagonist.. Call of Duty 4 impressed me so much that I don't even want to buy COD 5 just in case it ruins the experience I had with COD 4.
END OF SPOILERS
On Windows (even though SPE runs on it) I prefer PyScripter simply because that was the first IDE I used for python on Windows and I am fine with it.
Both the IDEs have syntax checkers - this is especially useful if you write some of your code on an editor like vim/emacs/gedit etc. and want to start editing that code in IDEs.
My advice is to choose an IDE and stick with it. Avoid shifting IDEs for python because of the indentation requirement and how each IDE might handle it differently.
1 user, no warez/pr0n/P2P
bandwidth-intensive and essential stuff: none except occasional heavy youtube usage (example), but I'm impatient, so I have a fast connection. Also planning on using Freenet at some point in the future (on principle, because I dislike the current trends in wiretapping legislation).
Thank you for the excellent youtube link. I couldn't find a way to send you a personal message.
I cannot comment on the entirety of Asia, but I am an Indian and from a state called Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabad, in case you have heard of it). We speak a language called 'Telugu' here. I doubt if more than 1 or 2 percent of the world has heard of it.
The amount of Internet penetration here is very very less, apart from Hyderabad. Google is so popular that it is part of our songs [Like Bollywood, which are Hindi films, we have our own industry of sorts with Telugu films and yes they all have songs].
When a movie song has Google in it, it is because the average movie-goer knows what it is.
Google has become a part of our language. The same with some other regional languages include the National language Hindi.
...hijack the presidential election.. I am Federal agent Jack Bauer and this is the longest day of my life..
Shit, the mike is turned off..
Dammit Chloe.
..this will help explain what is "outside" the universe.. to me, a hole can exist on an object . in this case, the universe has a hole.. does this mean there is something outside the universe ?
We don't have problems with corporates trying to pry our fundamental rights as yet by controlling the government because the state has very good representation from every sort of background instead of just one party. But for the same reason, we have other problems.
I am pretty sure that from the way things are done in India correctly, there is no way the government can do anything reduce our fundemental rights. There are too many cross-checks for that.
http://www.techsmec.com/index.php/2005/05/23/apple _denies_intel_rumour
e ing-intel-chips.html
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/73057/apple-denies-ey
http://www.dvhardware.net/article5037.html
Of course, one could argue that Apple wouldn't want this news to be leaked
Firefox reaches 10 %. Then I will be *really* impressed. We just had a discussion on the "alleged" decrease in Firefox growth rate right.. This one appears a little redundant to me.
Can someone explain how OSes could lie ? I mean, is it because of a buggy implementation or is it intentional?? "lie" would mean I personally don't see any reason why an OS should lie...
Intel 2.8GHz + Motherboard around INR 8000 (This motherboard includes an inbuilt soundcard, Intel's GFX controller)
512 MB RAM INR 2650/-
40GB 7200 RPM around INR2000/- (may be even lesser)
15Inch CRT monitor (say Samsung) INR 4000 Mouse + Keyboard around INR 700/-
Total: around INR 17000/-
And this one would actually be an overkill if you are targetting simple home users.
Take out the 2.8 GHz Intel and use a lesser mortal.. Use a smaller harddisk. Profit!!
The problem is that you will have to buy these as individual components and assemble them yourself (or get them assembled by someone)
Most people can't do this, usually out of ignorance.
p.s. These are the prices as I know them from last week. And some of the components aren't the best. But if you are targetting simple users... Shouldn't matter right ?
Mod me down, but I don't really approve mechanized perfection. Somehow making juice with exact proportions everytime frightens me.. There's got to be a little human in it. Juice may be a small thing now, but as we go on trying to make perfect stuff using machines and not with human hands... Kind of reminds me a little like Stepford's Wives.
Wouldn't just the cost of research exceed $50000 for things like this ??
If we could find the mechanical outcome of what we think when we listen to music.
We shouldn't mix social skills and intelligence. IQ by itself doesn't mean anything anymore. That way if you were a 99.99999 percentile, doesn't mean shit. You need emotional maturity to carry you through life. That way, except for those who want to boost up their egos, being a Mensan doesn't prove anything.
I look at Mensa as more of a common grounds for people to meet. Mensans I know are willing to help other Mensans. I have known people who made CEOs, who were entrepreneurs, MBAs so on. What I get is contacts. So, if I need guidance or advice, they are more than willing to help.
When one slashdot user meets another, there is an instant recognition. An instant willingness to help. (In India, the number of people who read slashdot are few). Mensa is pretty much the same thing. Atleast thats what I look at it.
Here I come!!!! You hang in there buddy!!!
If I want to know about some offer, I will ask. Thank you.
Was thinking of writing to a newspaper, but that idea got lost somewhere in a mire of laziness
I am a self-described "technology whore" too... can I get my free mini mac ??
I don't think Google is going to develop its own implementation of SIP / H.323 or something like that. It would probably use available ones like Asterix so that it immediately strikes a good note with people. Also, in case microsoft decides to go ahead and do something in VOIP just because Google is doing it (for competition sake) it will definitely not use Asterix will it :)
Unless Google provides something new other than the existing services which are already provided by companies like Skype, it is just like using its 'monopoly' to an advantage.
Of course, this is all speculation depending on whether Google is really interested in VOIP.