$10 Notebook or flashdrive? - CIOL News Reports

$10 Notebook, or flashdrive?

The much-hyped $10 dollar laptop

Thursday, February 05, 2009

The $10 device looks more like a flashdrive BANGALORE, INDIA: The hype on the so-called $10 laptop is slowly giving way to reality. The equipment, which was released on Tuesday in Tirupati looks more like a flashdrive that a laptop, though the launch news has created a buzz across the world, mainly because of the curiosity element.

It was this curiosity to know exactly what the so-called laptop actually is, CyberMedia News tried to contact the brains behind this creation but they preferred to keep a meaningful silence.

When we talked to people at IIT – Madras, they evaded making any comment saying that only the HRD Ministry can say anything about it. Same was the response of those at IISc also.

However, S K Sinha, Joint Secretary in the Ministry for Education, Govt of India, was also not available to comment. The silence on the part of the authorities has given rise to general apprehension about the actual state of affairs.

Is it that the much-hyped laptop only a computing device, or just an access device? At least the image of the prototype shows that only. Since not much is still known about the device, the industry feels it is too early to comment on the device at this stage.

While speaking to CyberMedia News an industry source, who did not wish to be quoted, said that the cheap laptop, would act as an access device and not a computing device. As an access device these laptops will only help in getting connected to the network, but cannot perform hard core computing processes like a normal laptop, he observed.

“It is just like the similar manner how you get access to Internet via mobile phones,” he said.

Commenting about how this kind of a laptop would work out in India, the source said, “Today if you see each person has a mobile in his hand, this is because of the reduced mobile prices. In the same manner if the bandwidth costs, which is still higher, gets reduced then there are chances of this laptop easily getting adapted by huge masses.”

How much will this device cost is still a mystery.

Though it was said that the government planned to price it at Rs. 500, recent reports say it could cost anything between $10 to $30, which means the price can go up to Rs. 1,500.

Of course a cheaper price but, it is possible to market such a device for that price? Also, in our country where even a low priced laptop ranges around 15 to 20 thousand, will this move by government of India be welcomed by people?

It seems tough to make a comment based on the prototype only.

What is your take on the much hyped device? A dream come true, or...?

©CyberMedia News

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aurangzeb said on 10/13/2011 9:33:17 AM:
pls reply me

to aurangzeb

aurangzeb said on 10/13/2011 9:31:48 AM:
need me one laptop

to aurangzeb

Bhavesh said on 2/12/2009 3:37:07 PM:
read it

to Bhavesh

marees said on 2/8/2009 1:10:43 AM:
if this can be used as a desktop without monitor and keyboard (something like the EEE-box from Asus) then this has lots of potential even if it is based on a cheap cellphone processor and microSD card, bcos cheapest cellphone with wi-fi costs more than 10k

to marees

rupesh kedia said on 2/6/2009 8:31:42 AM:
there is no truth in 10$ laptop, if its a fact it will take attention of all the media across the globe and all the main pages of newpapers should be covered with this news, as its seen in the picture you posted its a mare mp3 kind of device and that kind of product are available at that price. if the institute disclose the technology and its functions this may be used for many other uses and may be we can save millions of dollers going out of country for such products, i dont see any future of this product for education purpose.

to rupesh kedia

Manu Sharma said on 2/5/2009 6:22:19 PM:
This will be great initiative if they can really offer it at that price in the market. Since it is a product from top notch institutes like IIT Madras and IISc, I am sure a lot of thought has gone into it before the announcement. I remember having read earlier about an American university to roll out a laptop for $100 but this is $10, you see the difference. I am not sure what would be the specs of the product yet. Anyways all the very best to them.

to Manu Sharma

ap said on 2/5/2009 5:23:23 PM:
Some smart cookie has pulled a stunt to gain some publicity (mostly from IITs). You cannot have a computing device at that price [$10] as quoted in the other media...you can only get a dubba for that price. For a computnig device [to qualify] it should have a processor, memory and atleast a flash drive and a screem. You cannot get a flash drive for $10 let alone getting a computing device. Good you guys uncovered the story. Good work

to ap

Anand said on 2/5/2009 3:55:19 PM:
The fact that nobody relevant to the path-breaking initiative is willing to talk about it anymore should suggest something. Technology does go wrong at time... why cant we just admit it?

to Anand

Deepali Mahesh said on 2/5/2009 3:55:12 PM:
This product doesnt looks like a laptop.

to Deepali Mahesh

Naina said on 2/5/2009 2:42:21 PM:
As long as it cuts, it doesnt matter if we use a scalpel or a knife.Even if its not what it is hyped to be, the expected change in the student community and fulfillment of their anticipations would be all that we need. Execution is always trickier than concepts.

to Naina

Karthy Prasanna said on 2/5/2009 2:02:15 PM:
This is an edifying piece which provides insights into the “World’s first lowest cost laptop”. The “laptop” claims to be around $10 but any display unit alone is more than that. I hope Arjun Singh is not trying to pull a fast one here but nevertheless if this is as real as the HRD claims it to be, it will help improve the skills of students, both at the school and higher levels, especially in rural areas.

to Karthy Prasanna

Rupali Shinde said on 2/5/2009 1:42:07 PM:
Very interesting and informative article

to Rupali Shinde

Bhavani Revanna said on 2/5/2009 1:30:09 PM:
Is this a laptop?..no wonder IISC is silent on this...

to Bhavani Revanna

Kris Dev said on 2/5/2009 12:58:22 PM:
Even if the device is a flash drive, if it connect to a server on the remote asa thin client and has a biometric finger print scanner in-built to uniquely identify uses, then, the device can be used for all G2C, B2C, etc. applications and could truly help to take the governments e-governance initiatives.

to Kris Dev