Akash Tablet -

Forget about the iPad, Galaxy Tab or any other tablets that you have come across. Even the Chinese have wondered what could this be? Many have tried doing this! But it is India that has pulled up the trick by producing the cheapest tablet PC in the world priced only at US$29 for Students. The device is specifically built for students. 'Akash' literally meaning Cloud, is produced by DataWind, India. This is an initiative undertaken by Ministry of Human Resource Development. Below are some of its technical specifications: Introductory Price: Rs. 1,300-around US$28.99 for students and Rs. 2,250-around US$50 for Government and Rs. 2,999-around US$67 for general public. Operating System: Google Android v2.2 Froyo Battery: 2100 mAH lithium-polymer battery-Run time of 180 minutes on battery Processor: 366 MHz processor, on chip Graphic accelarator and HD Video processor. Memory: 2GB internal and Expandable upto 32GB microSD. RAM: 256 MB RAM LP-DDR2 / DDR2. Display: 7 inch at 800*480 resolution. Screen Touch Type: Multi-touch resistive touchscreen display. Connectivity: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g connectivity. Weight: 350 gram. Network: GPRS Now, what are the pros and cons of the 'Akash' tablet? PROS Low cost In an earlier version priced much higher than the current prices, DataWind did not include GSM connectivity. CONS With 366 MHz you will not be able to have multitasking. Upgrading to a later versions of Android such as Gingerbread will not be possible with such a configuration. Further, the device is missing out on internal camera and GPS. But given the specifications and the price tag, Akash is definitely a huge step in terms of affordable technology for everyone. Here is the review video: