Earlier this month the latest Aakash tablet was unveiled in India. This is considered the world’s cheapest tablet computer with a price point at around 2,263 rupees (US $40). The first 100,000 units that are sold to college and university students will be subsidized up to 1,130 rupees ($20). This tablet was unveiled by the Indian president, Pranab Mukherjee, on India’s National Education Day. The developers, Britain-based Datawind, created this latest product to assist students across the country.
The Indian government hopes that the Aakash 2 tablets, with their low cost, will give students further access to computing technology. Thousands of teachers and students will be linked through virtual lessons. This will be especially beneficial for students who struggle to access classes from far away. It is a socioeconomically friendly method to assist students in pursuing their education. It hopes to also improve internet access. So far, it has been reported that only one in ten have access to the internet. With the new tablet, the government hopes to see a technology boom in the country.
“Technology-enabled learning is a very important aspect of education,” said the President. “This must be adapted to our specific needs and introduced expeditiously in all educational institutions across the country.” This project was kick started by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009.
The new model is a response to its low-performing predecessor. The company claims to have removed the previous glitches and made it several time faster than Aakash 1. It also will include the latest Android operating system and have a longer battery life.
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