back to article India seeks new supplier for $35 Android tablet

The Indian Government is seeking extra manufacturers for the Aakash, the $35 Android tablet that launched in the sub-continent in 2011. The Aakash, built by British company DataWind to an India Institute of Technology spec, has been blasted for its slow processor speed, low battery capacity and unresponsive touchscreen. Mind …

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  1. The Axe
    Flame

    DfID

    So our government is sending money to India to put towards the poor and needy. Meanwhile the Indian government is trying to ensure that it's whole population has access to the internet through cheap devices. Does anyone wonder if priorities have got a bit cocked up?

    Look, if the Indian government doesn't want to help it's needy, then it's none of our business. If it was then there wouldn't be any exceptions and we would be helping the poor and needy all over the world, including the UK. The fact that we aren't shows that putting money into India is only a method by which British civil servents get to keep their jobs.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: DfID

      But producing these tablets keeps the little children of the lower castes in employment. They would have to go to school otherwise.

      1. petur
        Coffee/keyboard

        Re: Re: DfID

        new keyboard please

    2. JDX Gold badge

      Re: DfID

      You don't view providing education as "helping the needy"? One thing that properly poor communities have in common is their aspiration to send their children to school.

    3. Cliff

      Does seem A about T, doesn't it?

      However that stupid situation makes a bit more sense when you take it in a long-term global context. Basically, the future belongs to India and China - or at least they have the manpower, and are roughly evenly matched in population terms. Seeing as not many people think China needs more power in the world, having a country who can stand up to them is a good thing. And having that country as a best mate is a very good thing.

      So, just like the Indian space programme being a bloody stupid idea whilst thousands of kids live in megaslums, we have to tolerate it so the Chinese don't get too big for their boots. And we give aid so we can hopefully help some of those kids whilst the government is focussing on dickswinging competitions.

      My 2p-worth of oversimplified political insights ;-)

    4. Gordon 10

      Re: DfID

      Afaik the Indians have already stated that tgey do r want our cash.

    5. ThomH

      Re: DfID

      To equate the poor and needy of the UK to the poor and needy of India shows a lack of understanding of the levels of poverty throughout India.

      It's a serious simplification to suggest that there is one politics of India that always moves together; it's a federation consisting of 35 states or territories, many of them no more willing to help their neighbours than you and just as quick to play the 'look, it's none of our business what happens over there' card.

      If you make the fair redistribution of wealth a criteria before a country qualifies for aid then another way of phrasing that is that you're reserving aid for strict socialist countries, of which none currently exist.

      The logical conclusion of 'if we help some we must help all; otherwise we should help nobody at all' is that even if we hypothetically had the money and the means to prevent the deaths of 99% of those that starve each year then we shouldn't do so.

      About 40% of the population of India lives below the international poverty line and hence face a daily struggle for food, suffer from curable diseases, etc. Our aid to India helps improve conditions for some of them. If we withdraw the aid, those people will be worse off. To my mind, that justifies the aid.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    All I hea rin my head is...

    "Doo dee. Doo dee. Doo Doo. Hello!"

    "I have today for your delectations... An Android Aarrgh Cash; which funnily enough doesn't need much cash but will make you go Aarrgh, but I'll come back to that later. Firstly let's look at the packagin. Naught to three sad onions. Headphones I'd not trust within a mile of an ear..."

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I hear the Pakistani airforce have spare production capacity

    ^^, there solved and close by, what can go wrong.

  4. jubtastic1
    Holmes

    $35 tablet is a steaming turd?

    They could treble the price and it'd still only be fit for recycling, they'd be better off aiming for something akin to a kindle than an iPad.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Waste of money

    This whole plan is a waste of money. $ 35 is a lot for a poor indian family, so that may be too much. The schools where they are supposed to use them do not have power in many cases, let alone internet. How are they going to use this thing?

  6. Paul Webb

    Perhaps they changed the requirements so they could take the project in-house after seeing what their neighbours have been doing:

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02/20/pakistan_pacpad1/

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Data who?

    I'm trying to picture a Sales pillock in trendy specs and sporting an irritating novelty tie, standing in front of a room full of suits, after unveiling the name "Data Wind" on a whiteboard —and hearing only thunderous applause in response and not a single snigger or fart joke...

    Honesty. I'm trying...

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Points to consider:

    1) 8% of a billion on internet = 80 million, which is more than population of Britain

    2) UK gives aid to India? The impression in India is other way round. Most Indians think they give aid to UK

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @AC

      Seeing as most Indians still live in abject poverty with no infrastructure to speak of, I rather doubt that.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Never mind whether the thing works or not...

    ... what's the customer service like?

    1. Robert Moore
      Thumb Up

      Re: ... what's the customer service like?

      I understand the call center is in Slough.

  10. nichobe
    FAIL

    the key here is

    that the tablet was build to Indian Specs.... don't blame Data Wind if its slow.

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