1.4 Million Pre-Orders for Datawind's Low-Cost Tablet, Aakash
The Aakash, a tablet that costs less than US$50 to build and easy to deploy, has the potential to connect "the next billion" people from third world countries. Just how popular is it? 1.4 million pre-orders in two weeks. Numbers like that haven't been heard of since the iPad 2 launch.
Photo Source: Reuters
You've read about the Aakash, the world's cheapest 7-inch Android tablet to hit the market. It was developed by Montreal based company, Datawind, as part of a project started by the Indian Government (and India's Institute or Technology) to bring information technology of the millions of its citizens still living in poverty.
As an Android tablet, its got less than spectular specs. Fortunately with its ridiculously low price of 2000 Rupees (under US$50) and subsidies from the Indian government, the tablet could cost much lower at around US$35.
However its true potential lies in its ability to connect "the next billion" - people still untouched by the Internet and an agenda that Intel's netbook didn't yet achieve. Such a device could bring literacy along with a wealth of information to people all over the world struggling with poverty.
As proof of its popularity, Techcrunch reported that pre-orders (no-money-down or not paid-in-full) have reached 1.4 million. According to TechCrunch, the last time any tablet saw these numbers was the iPad 2.
Unfortunately, due to delays caused by India's lack of manufacturing muscle, the Aakash tablet isn't able to hit the market as scheduled, while orders for the tablet are still piling up.
Source: Techcrunch, The Globe and Mail
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