Information Madness

Mr. Kapil Sibal, HRD Minister of India, said that one million of the India’s $35 tablet PC computing devices will be distributed in Mid of year 2011. Indian Government needed to procure one million pieces of the device so it can actually sell for $35. They plan on distributing these devices to students in universities by 2011 and the government will subsidize 50% of the cost. India’s $35 tablet PC contains 2GB RAM, 3G & WiFi connectivity, SIM card slot, microSD expandable storage, video out, microUSB, webcam, and as is evident, the Android 2.1 OS.

The tablet was introduced to the Indian public by Kapil Sibal, the Human Resource Development Minister, who also said it is only expected to release by mid-2011, looking to put 1 million units in the hands of students and educational institutions by government order, subsidized to around $35 each.

As for the product details, Sibal said that both Google and Microsoft are in talks with the Indian government. The device will feature USB in, video out and a slot for a SIM card. The total cost of production is still not known, the value of all the parts is estimated to be around $50. So while the $35 dream may never come to pass, at least on the retail side, the effort and even a $100 price tag are very commendable. To make it energy efficient, the whole unit is powered by a 2-watt power supply, suitable for even the rural areas of India. It is expected to be available in three screen size variants: 5-inch, 7-inch, and 9-inch.