It's been a while since we've heard any major news about India's ambitious $35 tablet, but a new report suggests that it's finally inching toward reality. According to the Times of India, the controversial project is approaching the finish line with 100,000 units expected to ship this summer, starting this month. The government is expected to deliver 10,000 tablets to IIT Rajasthan in late June, while another 90,000 units will be rolled out over the next four months.
The launch price is reportedly set at 2,200 rupees, which is approximately equivalent to $49. Although that's higher than the initial $35 target, the government reportedly plans to cut the price in half with subsidies. Assuming that information is accurate, students might be able to purchase the tablet for less than we originally thought. Regardless, it's not such a bad deal at $49, especially considering most of us doubted the device would even see the light of day.
Named "Sakshat," the slate was first announced last summer and was delayed this January following complications with its primary hardware vendor, HCL Infosystems. Designed for academic use, Sakshat features a 7-inch touchscreen, support for video conferencing, 32GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, a USB port, Wi-Fi connectivity, and enough horsepower to play YouTube videos. To keep costs in check, the device utilizes Linux and other open source software.
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