It seems that developing a low cost tablet computer is causing a few ‘issues’ in India (see Tablets ‘an indulgence’ in India).
Media reports suggest that IIT Rajkasthan had fallen out with UK manufacturer, DataWind, which led to the stoppage of supplies of the $35 Aakash tablet. The government of India is therefore stepping in to take full control of the procurement process for the next version of the tablet, rumoured to include a capacitive touchscreen and 1GHz processor.
Apparently, DataWind baulked at the additional requirement to build the tablet to military specs saying “it is impossible to make such rugged tablets for $35”. The Indian government is apparently to involve other IITs (the elite Indian Institutes of Technology) “to make it more indigenous and further lower its price”. How much lower can it go?
