India unveils low-cost tablet PC

India has unveiled the prototype of a $35 (£22.68) basic touch screen tablet aimed at students, which it hopes to bring into production by 2011.

If the Government can find a manufacturer, the Linux operating system-based computer would be the latest in a string of "world's cheapest" innovations to hit the market out of India, which is home to the 100,000 rupee (£1,378.38 ) compact Nano car, the 749 rupees (£10.32) water purifier and the $2,000 (£1,296.19 ) open-heart surgery.

The tablet can be used for functions like word processing, web browsing and video-conferencing. It has a solar power option too - important for India's energy-starved hinterlands - though that add-on costs extra.

"This is our answer to MIT's $100 (£64.79) computer," Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal told the Economic Times when he unveiled the device on Thursday.

In 2005, Nicholas Negroponte - co-founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab - unveiled a prototype of a $100 (£64.79) laptop for children in the developing world. India rejected that as too expensive and embarked on a multi-year effort to develop a cheaper option of its own.

Negroponte's laptop ended up costing about $200 (£129.56), but in May his non-profit association, One Laptop Per Child, said it planned to launch a basic tablet computer for $99 (£64.13).

Mr Sibal turned to students and professors at India's elite technical universities to develop the $35 (£22.68) tablet after receiving a "lukewarm" response from private sector players. He hopes to get the cost down to $10 (£6.47) eventually.

New iPhone 4 breaks launch record | Technology News | Orange UK

"Apple has said it has sold more than 1.7 million of its new iPhone model in the first three days, making it the most successful product launch in the company's history.
The iPhone 4 went on sale on Thursday in the US, Britain, France, Germany and Japan. High demand for the model caused shortages and unruly crowds at some stores.
'This is the most successful product launch in Apple's history,' said Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive. 'Even so, we apologise to those customers who were turned away because we did not have enough supply.'
Some stores sold out in hours. Analysts have said Apple is having a hard time procuring enough parts for the phone, such as its new higher-resolution screen. Apple has said the white iPhone it plans to produce has been more challenging than expected and will not be available until late July. Only black models went on sale last week.
Apple sold more than a million units in the first three days when it launched last year's model, the 3GS. Canada, Italy, Spain and Switzerland were then among the launch countries, but Japan was not.
Apart from the sharper screen, the iPhone 4 features a slimmer body and faster processor than the previous model, among other changes."