The aakash 2. How cool is that?

blarelli · November 29th, 2012, 01:50 AM

Aakash 2 hands-on: the $40 educational slate with revolution on its mind

I remember reading about the original aakash tablet last year and thinking it was so cool that you could get something like that for that much money. Now it looks like the second generation is even better and even cheaper.

It doesn't seem all that great as far as specs go, but for that price I would love to have one just to play around with. Does anybody know if there is a way to purchase one in the US?

mikedt · November 29th, 2012, 05:23 AM

It's nothing special.

1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of expandable storage, Android 4.0 and a capacitive touchscreen.

The retail price in Shenzhen is about $40 bucks for a 7 inch tablet of those specs. Probably much less wholesale, in lots of a thousand.

The biggest problem with the device is its screen -- both its touch layer and stunningly poor viewing angles. Often our swipes were misinterpreted as taps, which sent apps and links launching with little warning. In landscape mode held directly in front of you the 800 x 480 screen isn't much to look at. Tilt it up or down just the slightest bit however and the screen starts to look like a photo negative.

I'm quite sure all cheapo tablets do that. It's no IPS screen.

Digital Controller · November 29th, 2012, 07:35 AM

I believe the screen is pretty bad, it looks like a pretty generic tablet, it might be worth the 40$, but i would certainly like to take a good look at it before purchasing it.

blarelli · November 29th, 2012, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Controller

I believe the screen is pretty bad, it looks like a pretty generic tablet, it might be worth the 40$, but i would certainly like to take a good look at it before purchasing it.

Nah, I'll spend more than that on lunch today. $40 for something to just mess around with is fine. It's like the raspberry pi.

Digital Controller · November 29th, 2012, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blarelli

Nah, I'll spend more than that on lunch today. $40 for something to just mess around with is fine. It's like the raspberry pi.

Still as a struggling college student i dont think i could just throw 40$ at something and then throw it away if i didnt like it

blarelli · November 29th, 2012, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Controller

Still as a struggling college student i dont think i could just throw 40$ at something and then throw it away if i didnt like it

Fair enough, 5 years ago I was in the same boat and I know where you're coming from. I just love the effort to try and make tech more affordable. That is more interesting to me than the latest and greatest stuff. Just think about the possibilities for worldwide education if a real effort is put into an open source all encompassing primary education via a universal linux powered tablet/computer.

Omar Days · November 30th, 2012, 10:46 AM

if i had a 4 or 5 year old kid, i'd buy him this so he wouldn't use mine to play games on and get his grubby hands on my phones/tablets!

I don't know how parents do it. I see so many young kids playing, chewing, throwing their parents s3's, iphones about it makes me wince lol