World Cheapest Tablet Aakash 2 Showcased at U.N. Headquarters
CEO of Datawind, maker of the Aakash tablet, Suneet Singh Tuli, presented the device at the UN headquarters.
Tuli gave a detailed presentation about the device and its potential for the education sector in India. Tuli said “Frugal innovation isn’t about creating an iPad killer, it’s about creating an iPad for him”, pointing to a presentation slide of a lower-class man who’s primary motivation is to receive an education. “This is not a straight commerce effort — it’s an educational effort.”
Tuli said the tablet was a work in progress and it would go through significant improvements and innovation every six months.
“This tablet seeks to empower the world’s neediest and bridges the digital divide within our society,” said Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s permanent representative to the U.N. at the launch event. “To us, Aakash2 is the epitome of such high end innovation and excellence.”
The device will be made available to students at subsidised price of Rs. 1,130 by Indian Government. The Government purchases the same from DataWind at Rs. 2,263.
| Akash 2 Specification | |
| Model | Aakash2 (Commercially: UbiSlate 7Ci) |
| Screen | 7 inches 800×480 pixel resolution Multi-touch 4-point projective capacitive |
| Network | WiFi (b/g/n) |
| Operating System | Android 4.0 |
| Processor | Cortex A8 – 1 Ghz |
| RAM | 512MB |
| Memory | 4 GB |
| Ports | Micro-SD (Upto 32 GB) and Micro-USB |
| Included Accessories | Wall Charger, USB Adapter, USB Cable & USB Hub (4 port) |
The commercial version of the Aakash2 unit is branded as UbiSlate 7Ci, and is available for purchase on DataWind’s website.