$10 Notebook, or 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...?