Forget iPad, the $500 touch screen tablet from Apple! India has just unveiled a touch screen computer that it plans to sell for $35 starting next year. The iPad-like device is aimed towards enabling students for better learning opportunities. The computer will have a built-in word processor, video conferencing capability and most importantly a web browser.

There are no details available, as of yet, about the exact specifications of the drive such as processor speed, RAM and display size, but it is clear that the device would not have any internal storage and would completely rely on cloud-based apps or external memory cards that could be plugged in for local storage. Indian government has created the prototype with the help of two most prestigious institutes, IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) and IIS (Indian Institute of Science), and is now contacting manufacturers in an effort to enable mass production of the device.

Such a low price for the device has been made possible due to the falling hardware costs and the ability to perform most of the necessary functions through free software like Linux or cloud-based apps. Furthermore, Indian government aims to lower the price more to eventually $10 per tablet in a year or two making the device almost disposable for users who can afford it. In addition to this, Indian government also plans to bring broadband internet to 25,000 colleges across the country in an effort to promote learning.

Do you think India will be able to keep the price so low once the project moves from R&D to mass production?

[Image Credit BBC]