Configuration
Hardware:
Processor: 366MHz Connexant
with Graphics accelerator and HD
Video processor
Memory (RAM): 256MB RAM /
Storage (Internal): 2GB Flash
Storage (External): 2GB to 32GB
Supported
Peripherals (USB2.0 ports,
number): 2 Standard USB port
Audio out: 3.5mm jack / Audio in:
3.5mm jack
Display and Resolution: 7” display
with 800x480 pixel resolution
Input Devices: Resistive touch
screen
Connectivity and Networking:
GPRS and WiFi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g
Power and Battery: Up to 180
minutes on battery. AC adapter
200-240 volt range.
Software:
OS: Android 2.2
Document Rendering
Supported Document formats:
DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, XLS, XLSX,
ODT, ODP
PDF viewer, Text editor
Multimedia and Image Display
Image viewer supported
formats: PNG, JPG, BMP and GIF
Supported audio formats: MP3,
AAC, AC3, WAV, WMA
Supported video formats: MPEG2,
MPEG4, AVI, FLV
Communication and Internet
Web browser - Standards
Compliance: xHTML 1.1 compliant,
JavaScript 1.8 compliant
Separate application for online
YouTube video
Safety and other standards
compliance
CE certification / RoHS
certification
Other: Additional Web Browser:
UbiSurfer-Browser with
compression/acceleration and
IE8 rendering.
Price: Rs.1700 (Through
Educational Institutions), Rs.2999
(Commercial)
Indian government’s ultra low-
cost tablet ‘Aakash’ is finally in
front of us. The official launch
comes after nearly one year
telecom minister Kapil Sibal
flaunted a prototype of the
device. Previously nicknamed as
‘Sakshat’, the Aakash is being
touted as the “world’s cheapest
tablet”. The tablet is considered
to be a significant
accomplishment for the
government, which believes the
device will bridge the gap
between the rural India and the
ongoing technology boom in the
country. Of late we have got
several queries regarding the
new Aakash tablet, so we’ve
decided to give you a Facts post,
which will help you find answers
to most of your queries.
Availability: The government will
roll out 100,000 units of the
Aakash tablet initially. The details
of the availability of the device
are bit sketchy. The government
says it will distribute the device
to students through the
institutions they are studying. So,
best way to find out exact
availability of Aakash tablet is to
contact your concerned
department of your college/
institution.
Price: Well, the Aakash tablet will
be available for students at a
subsidised price of nearly Rs.
1,730. However, the exact price
of the Aakash is nearly Rs. 2,276,
which the government paid for
its procurement. As per the
official website, the Aakash tablet
a.k.a UbiSlate will be commercially
available at Rs. 2,999.
Plans: As per official website,
UbiSlate will come with an
unlimited mobile Internet (2 GB)
at Rs.98/month.
More Info:
Specs: The Aakash tablet comes
with a seven-inch 800x400
resistive touchscreen. It runs on
Android 2.2 Froyo OS and is
powered by 366 MHz + HD video
co-processor. For connectivity, it
has an inbuilt WiFI support and
can connect a datacard for 3G
and GPRS connectivity. The device
comes with a 2GB of storage
memory, which can be extended
up to 32GB via microSD. It has a
256 MB RAM. The device supports
document formats: DOC, DOCX,
PPT, PPTX, XLS, XLSX, ODT, ODP and
can run PDF viewer, Text editor. It
has a 2,100 mAh battery which is
promised to give 3 hours of
backup depending upon usage.
Versions: Yes, there are two
versions of the Aakash tablet. The
subsidised Aakash tablet will
miss few features such as inbuilt
cellular modem and SIM to access
Internet. The retail version is
likely to sport full-fledged specs
as announced by the
government.
Developed by: The Aakash
tablet is designed, developed and
manufactured by a Canada-based
firm called DataWind in co-
ordination with IIT Rajasthan.
According to reports, DataWind
plans to launch a high end
version of the device in less price
sensitive markets such as the UK
and US