DUBAI: The world's cheapest tablet computer was unveiled on Wednesday by the Indian government. The aim to enable much of the country's poor and impoverished access to the Internet and new technologies, the country's telecoms and education ministry said. With an initial price of only $35 for students, the tablet hopes to get university students browsing online. According to Reuters news agency, the new tablet, dubbed Aakash, will then be sold retail for $60. With an increasing middle class in the country, the government believes that the new Aakash will deliver where higher-priced items, such as Apple's iPad, are unreachable by the vast majority of India's 1.2 billion people. “The rich have access to the digital world, the poor and ordinary have been excluded. Aakash will end that digital divide,” Telecoms and Education Minister Kapil Sibal said. According to the ministry, the first 500 units will be delivered to students. It has a lightweight touch-screen and a British company is reportedly assembling the Internet device for the country. In many ways, it should answer India's technology needs. It enables users to video conference, has two USB ports and a three-hour battery life. The only drawback initial reviews of the product say is the slow Internet and browsing speeds, but for the vast majority of the country, it is a step up from the inability to even have a tablet in the first place. BM
