India develops 35-dollar ‘laptop’ for schools

From PhysOrg:

Indiadevelop The gadget, developed by the elite Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science, is part of a push to give students a better education and technical skills needed to boost India's economic growth. The first users are expected to be university students with introduction of the Linux-based computing device targeted for next year. The ministry is going to install broadband Internet at all of its 22,000 colleges so students can use the 1,500-rupee (35-dollar) device, government spokeswoman Mamta Verma told AFP on Friday in New Delhi. The tablet gadget, which can be run on , is equipped with an , video-conferencing capability and a media player, among other facilities. “This is part of the national initiative to take forward inclusive education,” Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters on Thursday.

“The solutions for tomorrow will emerge from India,” he said.

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