Aakash-II set for 2012 release

Remember the Aakash, the “world’s cheapest tablet”? It’s inching ever closer to a worldwide release date thanks to new developers C-DAC and ITI jumping in to take over where Datawind Ltd, previous manufacturers of the Aakash, failed. An improved version of the Aakash, or the UbiSlate is set to release at a cost of US$50, slightly steeper than the previous US$35 model.

Indian Telecom and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal is proud to present a “truly Indian product” and says, “There have been some problems with Datawind I must confess. Therefore, I have got into the act. IT Ministry has got C-DAC and ITI into the act and I am going to ensure that this product is fully indigenous.”