The Guys at IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Chennai, and the IISc (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore overshadowed the guys at MIT. These techies have just removed a 0 (which India had invented) from the $100 what MIT had specified, from the cost of the Super Cheap Nano Computer at barely $10. This upcoming and not yet named device would break all the records of the cheapest mobile computer till date.
As reported in DNA Newspaper (Mumbai) today, India’s Human Resource Minister Mr. Arjun Singh will launch the device. The details are very skeptical as of now about what will be configuration, except that it would contain a DVD drive. One thing however is very clear that it would be based on Linux. I believe the a lot of Opensource technologies would have been applied to achieve the cost.
What remains to be seen is how the Hardware challenges would be met. The Indian Government would be subsiding rate to make it affordable. The Ministry will provide these devices to Institutions at cheaper rates which will help students to access tailor made courses which would be made available.
Putting a super cheap computer means volumes would be utmost necessary. Is this cost inclusive of taxes and other royalties? I dont think so. As Tata Nano’s standard cost sticks around INR 1 Lakh, the on road price goes up to 1.4 Lakhs.
The actual price I would expect is around INR 1000 which seems a good price point. Also, the guys who have developed these should use eco friendly technologies, just because the volumes would be so large. At that given price point, Almost every Indian who can afford a Rs. 2000 phone can buy a Nano Computer.
Update
The $10 laptop turned out to be a hype. It is mearly a storage device which will help the students to access and take along the educational content. I feel I was made a fool, which is an understatement. No body from the MHRD confirmed nither denied that it is a laptop. If they would have done that, atleast we would not have felt cheated. The whole world was looking at this event and after the announcement was made, it turned out to be a Storage Device.