Sunday, 18 December 2011
HISTORY...
Aspiration to create a "made in India" computer was first reflected in a prototype "Simputer" that went into production in a small way. Bangalore based CPSU, Bharat Electronics Ltd manufactured around 5,000 Simputers to Indian Customers during 2002-07. In 2011, Kapil Sibal (by then the Minister for Human Resource Development MHRD (the Indian Education Minister) announced an anticipated low-cost computing device to compete with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) — though intended for urban college students rather than the OLPC's rural, underprivileged students.
The device was projected to be designed by the students of Indian Institute of Technology Rajasthan – at the time uncredentialed in research or product development. The announced computer had been purchased off the shelf. The project remained dormant for about a year.
A year later, the MHRD announced that the low cost computer would be launched in 6 weeks. Nine weeks later the MHRD showcased a tablet named "Aakash", not nearly what had been projected and at $60 rather than the projected $35. Arguably its greatest champion, India's TV channel "NDTV" said that the new low cost tablet was not a patch that was shown as a prototype and was going to cost about twice as much
While it was once projected as a laptop computer, the design has evolved into a tablet computer. At the inauguration of the national Mission on Education Programme organized by the Union HRD Ministry in 2009, joint secretary N. K. Sinha had said that the computing device is 10 inches (which is around 25.5 cm) long and 5 inches (12.5 cm) wide and priced at around $30
India's Human Resource Development Minister, Kapil Sibal unveiled a prototype on 22 July 2010. The price of the device exhibited was projected at $35, eventually to drop to $20 and ultimately to $10 After the device was unveiled, OLPC Chairman Nicholas Negroponte offered full access to OLPC technology at no cost to the Indian team
Doubts about the tablet were dismissed in a television program "Gadget Guru" aired on NDTV in August 2010, when it was shown to have 256 MB RAM and 2 GB of internal flash-memory storage and demonstrated running the Android operating system featuring video playback, internal Wi-Fi and cellular data via an external 3G modem.
The device was projected to be designed by the students of Indian Institute of Technology Rajasthan – at the time uncredentialed in research or product development. The announced computer had been purchased off the shelf. The project remained dormant for about a year.
A year later, the MHRD announced that the low cost computer would be launched in 6 weeks. Nine weeks later the MHRD showcased a tablet named "Aakash", not nearly what had been projected and at $60 rather than the projected $35. Arguably its greatest champion, India's TV channel "NDTV" said that the new low cost tablet was not a patch that was shown as a prototype and was going to cost about twice as much
While it was once projected as a laptop computer, the design has evolved into a tablet computer. At the inauguration of the national Mission on Education Programme organized by the Union HRD Ministry in 2009, joint secretary N. K. Sinha had said that the computing device is 10 inches (which is around 25.5 cm) long and 5 inches (12.5 cm) wide and priced at around $30
India's Human Resource Development Minister, Kapil Sibal unveiled a prototype on 22 July 2010. The price of the device exhibited was projected at $35, eventually to drop to $20 and ultimately to $10 After the device was unveiled, OLPC Chairman Nicholas Negroponte offered full access to OLPC technology at no cost to the Indian team
Doubts about the tablet were dismissed in a television program "Gadget Guru" aired on NDTV in August 2010, when it was shown to have 256 MB RAM and 2 GB of internal flash-memory storage and demonstrated running the Android operating system featuring video playback, internal Wi-Fi and cellular data via an external 3G modem.
ABOUT AAKASH TABLET
The seven-inch touch screen tablet features 256 megabytes of RAM, uses an ARM 11 processor with the Android 2.2 operating system, has two USB portand delivers HD-quality video.For applications, the Aakash will have access to Getjar, a proprietary market, rather than the Android Market.
As a multi-media platform, the Aakash project was beset by delays and setbacks. The device was developed as part of the country's aim to link 25,000 colleges and 400 universities in an e-learning program. Original projected as a "$35 laptop", the device will be sold to the Government of India at $50 and will be distributed at a government subsidized price of $35. A commercial version made in China will be marketed as the UbiSlate 7 at a projected price of $60.
The name Aakash derives from the Sanskrit word for "aether" or (empty)space, and means "sky" in Hindi.
Monday, 5 December 2011
| Developer | DataWind with IIT |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Datawind |
| Introductory price | 2999 Rs (1100 Rs for students) |
| Operating system | Android 2.2 |
| CPU | 366 MHz processor |
| Storage capacity | Flash memory 2 GB-32 GB microSD slot |
| Display | 800 × 480 px 7 in (18 cm) diagonal |
| Input | Multi-touch resistive touchscreen, headset controls |
| Camera | None |
| Connectivity | GPRS and Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) |
| Online services | Getjar marketplace (not Android marketplace) |
| Dimensions | 190.5 mm (7.50 in) (h) 118.5 mm (4.67 in) (w) 15.7 mm (0.62 in) (d) 350 g (12 oz) |
| Weight |  350 g (12 oz) |
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