Hyderabad, Feb 4: Promising to bridge the digital divide India world's cheapest laptop developed in India was unveiled by Union Human Resources Minister, Arjun Singh at the Tirupati temple on Tuesday, Feb 2. A joint effort by the University Grants Commission, the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, and the Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore, the laptop will be priced at around $10 to $20 (about Rs 500 to 1000) as per the official reports.
HR ministry sources said that the device which is smaller than the normal laptop, is expected to reach the market in about 6 months. The project has already created a buzz in the laptop industry across the world.
The laptop has 2 GB onboard memory with wireless Internet connectivity. To make it useful for the students, especially in the rural areas, the scientists have made it low power consuming gadget.
The mission was launched at a huge gathering of academicians and the officials from across the country including thirty vice chancellors of central and state universities at the campus of Sri Venkateshwara University Tirupati. The aim of launching lowcost laptop is to improve the skills of students in both school and higher levels.
Reports suggest that India's $10 laptop is seen as a reply to One Laptop per Child's XO and Classmate of Intel. Created by scientist Nicholas Negroponte and MIT Media Lab, the XO was originally targeted to cost only $100, but by the time it was ready to enter the market its cost went up to $188. While the Intel's Classmate notebook PC was priced at $300 a piece.
Meanwhile the major international players in the laptop market are keen in knowing the details of the costing of India's $10 laptop and how Indians managed to keep the cost so low.
OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)
HR ministry sources said that the device which is smaller than the normal laptop, is expected to reach the market in about 6 months. The project has already created a buzz in the laptop industry across the world.
The laptop has 2 GB onboard memory with wireless Internet connectivity. To make it useful for the students, especially in the rural areas, the scientists have made it low power consuming gadget.
The mission was launched at a huge gathering of academicians and the officials from across the country including thirty vice chancellors of central and state universities at the campus of Sri Venkateshwara University Tirupati. The aim of launching lowcost laptop is to improve the skills of students in both school and higher levels.
Reports suggest that India's $10 laptop is seen as a reply to One Laptop per Child's XO and Classmate of Intel. Created by scientist Nicholas Negroponte and MIT Media Lab, the XO was originally targeted to cost only $100, but by the time it was ready to enter the market its cost went up to $188. While the Intel's Classmate notebook PC was priced at $300 a piece.
Meanwhile the major international players in the laptop market are keen in knowing the details of the costing of India's $10 laptop and how Indians managed to keep the cost so low.
OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)
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