India unveils $35 computer for students

 

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By Reuters and Nicole Kobie

Posted on 23 Jul 2010 at 08:36

India has come up with the world's cheapest "laptop," a touchscreen computing device that costs $35.

The Sakshat Computing device reportedly features 2GB of RAM and Wi-Fi, and runs on just two watts of power.

India's Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal this week unveiled the low-cost computing device that is designed for students, saying his department had started talks with global manufacturers to start mass production.

"We have reached a (developmental) stage that today, the motherboard, its chip, the processing, connectivity, all of them cumulatively cost around $35, including memory, display, everything," he told a news conference.

He said the 10in touchscreen gadget featured an internet browser, PDF reader, the OpenOffice suite and video conferencing facilities, but its hardware was created with sufficient flexibility to incorporate new components according to user requirement. Reports suggest the device will feature solar panels for recharging, but that hasn't been included in the price.

Sibal said the Linux-based computing device was expected to be introduced to higher education institutions from 2011 but the aim was to drop the price further to $20 and ultimately to $10.

The device was developed by research teams at India's premier technological institutes, the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science.