Aakash tablet delayed again; specifications to be finalised by June-end

04-06-2012

The agonising wait for the much-hyped ultra low-cost Aakash tablet PC, to be launched by the Indian government, continues! Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has said the specifications for the Aakash 2 tablet PC will be finalised by this month. The minister had previously said that an improved version of the Aakash will launch in May – evidently, that did not happen.

According to reports, the tablets and related apps are currently being tested at IIT-Mumbai. "During the course of this month, we will finalise the specifications and technology for the Aakash project and move,” Kapil Sibal is quoted as saying. The minister expresses confidence that the government will provide the ultra low-cost tablet to every school and college student in the country in the next five to seven years. The device will also be available for individuals who wish to buy it.

Speaking of the pricing, the minister revealed the device will be as cheap as USD 35, which is approximately Rs. 1,960, or less.

It may be recalled that Sibal had unveiled the Aakash tablet in October last year amidst much fanfare. Unfortunately, the device could not see the light of day due to a spate of controversies. The rift between DataWind and IIT-Rajasthan, which were spearheading the Aakash tablet project, marred the production. Later, the government asked DataWind to provide Aakash tablet with better specifications. The forthcoming Aakash tablet is likely to feature improved battery, processor and the latest ICS OS.

Meanwhile, the market has been awash with the low-cost educational tablets such as Micromax Funbook, Attitude Daksha and so on. That being said, do you think the Aakash tablet will ever see the light of day?

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