In our previous posts, we’ve seen the minimum functionalities of the low-cost-computing device (they are still contemplating as to what to name the product). Now, what we’ve got here are just the guidelines that manufactures have to work with in order to keep the price low… and sales high. We still haven’t heard a peep about the actual specs of this $35, Rs. 1,600 miracle priced computing solution.
Specifications
Suitable motherboard/system on chip to provide the mentioned expected functionalities.
QWERTY keyboard, a mouse and, a minimum display size of 7-inch color LCD/TFT (the touch interface is optional). Also, an all-in-one projection system is optional.
Minimum 2 USB (2.0) ports and USB hosts
RF, Certification – all “CE Certificate” (according to FCC guidelines)
Minimum three hours battery life
Battery charger with adapter or a hybrid super capacitor quick charger
SD card slot with support for minimum 8 GB
RGB / HDMI display options to enable connectivity with a projector
Support for an external hard drive (minimum 32 GB)
Ethernet port
WLAN card (Wi-Fi a/b/g/n)
Alternate battery support: Via solar cell / Hybrid capacitor
Webcam
Adequate RAM and hard drive / NAND flash
Shock resistant casing of suitable form factor for the device
Operating temperature: Zero to 48 degrees. Max humidity – 80%
ROHS compliant
Operating system: Linux
Seeing as this device is designed for the education sector and we’re all for the betterment of our outdated education system, I still don’t see how anyone could make even a base model with minimum functionalities at such a ludicrously low price. Sure we have cheap touchscreen mobile phones that can do quite a lot but the cheapest model is still in Rs. 4000 range.
The Ministry has invited manufactures and developers to an ‘Innovate’ conference so they break bread and crack heads on how they can make this $35 device for just $10. Wow! Call me a skeptic but I just don’t see it. It doesn’t seem viable for any manufacturer to offer a device with a 7-inch screen (unless it’s monochrome) that’s touch sensitive or comes with a possible slide out Keypad or even 2-4GB of memory for just Rs. 1,600. And let’s not forget it has to have some sort of connectivity option so we’ll have to add that to the price too. Wi-Fi isn’t high-priced, but it don’t come cheap either. Unless of course all this is only the manufacturing cost they’re talking about and the actual product price or MRP is much higher, which is something we’re still in the dark about.
And to top it all off, here we are discussing this ‘fabulous’ and seemingly unrealistic product that is promising so much for so little and we don’t even have a model number or name for it.
We’d like to know, readers, what’s your take on this new gadget that’s making big waves. Do you think manufacturers can pull it off and keep the price that low whole trying to make it lower? Or are you as skeptical as we are? Let us know your thoughts via our comments section.
We’d also like to know, if it were up to you, what would call this device. Let your imagination run wild techies.
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