How a $20 tablet from India could blindside PC makers, educate billions

http://qz.com/26244/how-a-20-tablet-from-india-could-finish-off-pc-makers-educate-billions-and-transform-computing-as-we-know-it/

by donohoe • 14 years ago

13 8 14 years ago

qz.com

j452• 14 years ago

Amazing how something with the potential to impact so much gets so little attention because it's not a kickstarter?

blndcat• 14 years ago

I don't know, I'm trying not to be negative here but the company mentioned and the numerous under $x (where x= 200, 100, 20) Indian computer stories that have the potential to change Indian education have mostly been vapourware and/or failures.

Contrast this (and here I try to redeem myself in terms of positiveness) to the Raspberry Pi project which not only delivered but over delivered, even though there were delays.

DanBC2• 14 years ago

The first version of this product was criticised; the second version is better.

(http://www.akashtablet.com/aakash/index.html)

There's a commercial version that anyone can buy. This is more than $20! But it's still cheap and reasonably specc'd.

(http://www.akashtablet.com/ubislate/index.html)

Some comments yesterday (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4769265) suggested that they're already building 100,000 units, which is pretty good.

j452• 14 years ago

Doesn't HN still usually applaud initiative for "so I built it". In this case it's not vapourware and it's a step forward, in an area where there's few options and a continuing need.

I agree this could just be a PR/storytelling issue.

GFischer3• 14 years ago

My country (Uruguay) deployed the OLPC, but the problem is that teachers are not prepared to take advantage of it. I worry that India will make the same mistake.

I interviewed some teachers, and they praised the fact that most children were inquisitive and taught themselves how to use the main programs quickly. But they also cricicized that they disrupted classes too much, and the lack of support from the education ministry.

Teachers are much more resistant than kids to use them.

Another problem is that the XO laptops break A LOT, and when they're functional, kids forget to charge them before class, no idea how a tablet will fare.

I also believe that the tablet form factor is much better suited for class use. I dislike the fact that the screen in a laptop breaks visual contact (tablets are much better at that), and laptops are not the ideal form factor for books (I'd rather have e-ink, but a tablet would be multipurpose).

How a $20 tablet from India could blindside PC makers, educate billions

Related Stories