India's recently launched Aakash is the world's cheapest touch-screen tablet computer - with an off-the-shelf price of about $60. Should we all run out to buy one?
In this tablet-crazy age, you'd think a $60 hand-held Android tablet might trigger midnight queues and riots. Or at least get tech columnists really excited.
But India's super cheap tablet was launched to a less-than-rousing reception, thanks to a history of false starts and hype.
When first announced, the Aakash prototype turned out to be not much more than an oversized memory box. Its ancestor, the functional hand-held Simputer, had flopped over and died.
This tablet started its life as Sakshat, with a $35 subsidised price tag for students. In its shipping form, it's called Aakash, and it will cost 2,999 rupees ($62).
I wasn't expecting much when I took it out of the box, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The Aakash is mainly aimed at students
This wasn't another shoddy prototype: it was a full production unit, packaged and shrink-wrapped and "properly" factory-made.
I liked the almost-pocketable size and weight, which reminded me of Samsung's 7" Galaxy Tab, a very capable and underrated Android tablet that died before its prime.
But there, the similarities with the Tab ended.
The Aakash wouldn't start until charged for about five minutes. We're rather used to out-of-the-box power on; this device does not appear to hold charge for long even when switched off (it should have been factory-charged, for testing).
Sign up here with your email