If you throw out keyboard, mouse and hard disk out of a laptop it dwindles downs to a Photo frame. If you add wi-fi and browsing capability to photo frame it mimics Laptop. We tried this approach with labs and researchers at China/Taiwan where components are readily available (cheapest- prices can be worked out for volumes). The system should have a memory of minimum 256 MB, and a 4 GB space to comfortably run any flavour of Linux. Ruggedness is a must for a country wide distribution. With both the factors the cost goes up to $50 for huge volumes. In that cost in today's technology levels, we can not make a system with 7” display (touch screen) available, even by component cost (For e.g. Calculate shirt cost by cloth and button) . Hope it is not another Ramar Petrol.

Best of luck.......

Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia a regional office of Commonwealth of learning did work closed with MHRD and came out with a real working low cost laptop around 75 USD for a minimum order of 500. It works in three operating systems Linux, android and windows CE.30 such piceces have just reached maldives for a trial with Grade III students in a remote island where it is trying to make good the absence of good teachers or lack of sufficient teachers. The developments were in the knowledge of Mr Kapil Sibal. It was developed by an Indian Mr V Krishnamoorthy , formerly of TIFR and Bhabha Atomic research centre. It was produced in China. Details are available in www.cemca. org. For some reasons better known to MHRD, they did not even mention the name of CEMCA. Outlook may send their reporters to find out the working of real pices which weighs only 600 gms and are with keyboard and mouse with all the facilties quoted by the minister available. 17 such pieces are arriving in India on Monday or Tuesday. Hope outlook will do a follow up story

Indians are good bullshitting and making chutiya of people. This is yet another gimmick. How many touch screen manufacturing companies are in India? How many chip manufacturing companies are in India? How many solar cell manufacturing companies are in India? All are in China. If it was made by China, I would have believed. Kapil Sibal can't even buy an used touchscreen of that size on ebay for $35. Media should report such stories only after the product hits the street at that price. Till then, jerk off with the prototype.

Indians are good bullshitting and making chutiya of people. This is yet another gimmick. How many touch screen manufacturing companies are in India? How many chip manufacturing companies are in India? How many solar cell manufacturing companies are in India? All are in China. If it was made by China, I would have believed. Kapil Sibal can't even buy an used touchscreen of that size on ebay for $35. Media should report such stories only after the product hits the street at that price. Till then, jerk off with the prototype.