Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[India's $10 laptop is not a laptop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/04/indias-10-laptop-is-not-a-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/04/indias-10-laptop-is-not-a-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/04/indias-10-laptop-is-not-a-laptop/#comments You know what was missing from the so-call "unveiling" of India's $10 laptop yesterday? Photos. Now we think we know why. The $10 laptop is not a laptop at all, the display-less and keyboard-less prototype device demonstrated is just a 10 x 5-inch wide slab that stores (and apparently prints) distributed learning materials which can later be retrieved by an impoverished child... using a laptop and paper he can't afford to purchase. It's also said to cost $30 and could be a component to a low cost laptop in the future; a claim that is fiercely disputed by Taiwanese component makers. Still, without any official photos of the device or specs posted to one of the many government agencies involved in the project, well, we still can't say we're 100% confident saying what this device is. Not that chest-thumping rhetoric and purposeful misinformation should be a surprise from politicians seeking re-election.

Update: Added that image to the right of what's purported to be the non-laptop prototype by The Hindu (and we're not going to argue with the Hindu).
[Via OnlyGizmos, Thanks Shrikanth G.]

Read -- Not a laptop 1
Read -- Not a laptop 2
Read -- Taiwan's laptop industry skeptical

Filed under:

India's $10 laptop is not a laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10 dollar laptop10 laptop10DollarLaptop10LaptopindiasakshatWed, 04 Feb 2009 03:28:00 EST<![CDATA[India 'unveils' $20 laptop, the Sakshat]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/india-unveils-20-laptop-the-sakshat/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/india-unveils-20-laptop-the-sakshat/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/03/india-unveils-20-laptop-the-sakshat/#comments
As expected, India's government unveiled the jointly-developed "$10 laptop" today, now priced at $20. Unfortunately dubbed Sakshat, which ironically translates as "before your eyes," the laptop is slated to ship in six months, with specs in line with what we've heard already: 2GB of storage, WiFi, Ethernet and 2 watts of power consumption. In fact, there really isn't much "unveiling" going on at all, since there's still no published image of the thing, or information about the screen size, RAM or processor. Some folks are also still skeptical as to whether a laptop can really be produced at such a low cost, since most LCDs alone would put it over budget, but we suppose we'll find out this summer. The laptop itself won't be subsidized, but the government will shoulder 25 percent of the cost of broadband for colleges, and there will be free e-learning textbooks available to students online.

Filed under:

India 'unveils' $20 laptop, the Sakshat originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10 dollar laptop10DollarLaptopindialaptopnetbooksakshatTue, 03 Feb 2009 12:42:00 EST<![CDATA[India's $10 laptop coming February 3rd, take that Negroponte]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/indias-10-laptop-coming-february-3rd-take-that-negroponte/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/indias-10-laptop-coming-february-3rd-take-that-negroponte/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/indias-10-laptop-coming-february-3rd-take-that-negroponte/#comments Get ready, India's $10 laptop is set for its first unveiling on February 3rd. Ok, so it's not quite $10... $20 actually, but that's far better than the $100 some were estimating. It's also much better than the $200 per OLPC XO deal that Negroponte wanted to reportedly charge the Indian government more than 2 years ago -- an offer rejected by officials with a promise to young Indians to do it better and for less. According to some reports (we can't find anything official), the laptop will feature 2GB of memory, WiFi, fixed Ethernet, expandable memory, and consume just 2 watts of power. The Devil's in the details, they say, but with any luck, India will be swimming in cheap silicon within the next 6 months if the project can keep to schedule... that's a big IF.

[Via TechTicker, image courtesy of FMCKids]

Read -- Unofficial specs
Read -- February 3rd unveiling

Filed under:

India's $10 laptop coming February 3rd, take that Negroponte originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10 dollar laptop10 laptop10DollarLaptop10Laptopindianegropontenick negroponteNickNegroponteolpcFri, 30 Jan 2009 08:05:00 EST<![CDATA[$10 Indian laptop to actually cost $100, anyone surprised?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/30/10-indian-laptop-to-actually-cost-100-anyone-surprised/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/30/10-indian-laptop-to-actually-cost-100-anyone-surprised/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/30/10-indian-laptop-to-actually-cost-100-anyone-surprised/#commentsCome on, you didn't really believe that a $10 laptop was even remotely possible, did you? Yeah, didn't think so -- and unsurprisingly, that project sponsored by the Indian government to develop a low-cost laptop actually has a price target of $100, not $10. Chalk another one up to bad transcription, we suppose, although getting the price of a reasonable machine down to $100 won't be all that easy, either -- any bets on where the final price of this thing ends up?

Filed under:

$10 Indian laptop to actually cost $100, anyone surprised? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10 dollar laptop10 laptop100 dollar laptop100 laptop100DollarLaptop100Laptop10DollarLaptop10LaptopindianetbookWed, 30 Jul 2008 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[India developing $10 laptop, Gartner says $100 laptop "at least three years away." We're confused.]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/india-developing-10-laptop-gartner-says-100-laptop-at-least/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/india-developing-10-laptop-gartner-says-100-laptop-at-least/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/india-developing-10-laptop-gartner-says-100-laptop-at-least/#comments
A pair of Indian universities -- the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Technology -- have teamed up to produce a $10 laptop for "higher education applications." The Indian government is clearly involved in the project, and there's no telling if that price involves subsidies, but however and whenever they pull it off, a $10 laptop would certainly be landmark event for all parties involved. To supplement the project, the government is also working on a low-power, low-priced access device to help with internet proliferation. On the other side of the world, the folks at Gartner have tacked on an extra zero, and are saying that a $100 laptop "will not be a realistic target for the next three years," and that the pursuit of such a pricepoint could be detrimental to companies chasing the mini laptop market. While Sony's Mike Abary might agree with the conclusion, one little fact disagrees with the premise: Jointech's $99 laptop (pictured). We know, the truth hurts.

Read - India's $10 laptop
Read - Gartner says $100 laptop is three years away

Filed under:

India developing $10 laptop, Gartner says $100 laptop "at least three years away." We're confused. originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10 dollar laptop100 dollar laptop100DollarLaptop10DollarLaptopgartnerindiajointechTue, 29 Jul 2008 10:08:00 EST