$35 Computer Seems Impressive

There was a lot of skepticism about the world’s cheapest computer that was announced by the Indian HRD ministry a while back. Many experts said it wasn’t possible, others said it was never going to see light of day.

And yet the tech world is now abuzz with reports of a $35 tablet computer that actually works, and which, according to a report is ‘Fairly Impressive’ and which according to a report is “not hogwash”. As of now, it is thought that the tablet will have features such as:

• A virtual keyboard
• A Touch Screen
• Web camera
• Full video capability
• Wi-Fi for browsing
• 2GB RAM
• 3G
• Micro SD storage
• Android Operating System

A million units of the device, which is aimed at Indian university students, will be made available by next year.  It is a measure of the interest that the $35 computer has generated the world over, and particularly in technical circles, that Microsoft and Google are now engaged in a battle to make their respective operating systems available for this device.

And this is not all – HRD minister Mr. Kapil Sibal is hopeful that the price may come down even further; perhaps as low as $10, looking at the way that hardware prices continue to fall.