The cheapest of them all, the Aakash 2 tablet is all set for an October launch in India. This tablet will cost US$41.15, but after a subsidy from the Indian government, it will cost $35 a piece for students. This means, it will cost approximately Rs.1960. The tablet’s commercial version Ubislate will retail at $63. This will be available for the India public. A higher-end version of the modest tablet will also be on sale in the U.S. for $79 (pricey) but only next year.
While the previous version of the Aakash did not receive much appreciation, Aakash 2 has impressed reviewers. They say it is a much improved version of the first Aakash in all categories. The looks are better and the use of Android 4.0.3 makes it more responsive. So you will be able to access your apps much after. Where the previous version had a RAM of 256MB, the tablet now has a 512MB RAM.
Aakash 2 will come with a USB port, a card slot, 4GB on-board storage, on-board speaker, microphone and front-facing camera. This camera, however, might not be able to support video chat. The commercial version of the Aakash has a sim card slot alongside.
Officials at DataWind, makers of the Aakash 2 are thrilled with the reviews they have been getting. This tablet was built in close cooperation with IIT Bombay and the company has already lined up 3.5 million booking orders. While this number is exciting, will the company be able to deliver the number it promises?
