“Simputer” here, but costs too much
Sep 23, 2003 — by LinuxDevices Staff — from the LinuxDevices Archive — 2 views
The Simputer was to be a simple, easy-to-use handheld computer based on embedded Linux and selling in rural Indian villages at half the cost of a PC. As the first devices reach market, that price point has spiralled upwards, though, drawing criticism.
The “Simputer” was first described in a concept paper presented at the first Bangalore IT.com conference in 1998. Later, a “Simputer Trust” was formed dedicated to realizing the concept as a “platform for social change,” a computer with price and technology appropriate for rural Indian villages. After three years of development by two competing companies, though, despite impressive usability gains, price has thus far been a sticking point.
This article in rediff.com overviews the project, its original aims, and its current state of affairs.
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