Get Ready Akash Tablet... Daksh tablet is here

The new tablet, named Attitude Daksha, has been launched in Kerala by Telmoco Development for Rs 5,399.

While Aakash tablet is still in trouble, the industry is churning out newer low cost tablets almost everyday. This time around, a Kerala based company, called Telmoco Development Labs, has launched a new tablet for just Rs 5,399.
Though the price of the tablet is much higher than Aakash tablet, its specification is much better than that of the government backed product. The tablet, named Attitude Daksha, is infact the cheapest Android 4.0 (ICS) product in the country currently.
The 7-inch Daksha features a capacitive 5 point touch screen with a 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor with 512 MB DDR3 RAM. It has a HDMI port, micro SD slot, 3.5 mm audio out, micro USB port and OTG connector for 3G dongle and RJ 45 cable (for connecting wired broadband connection).

Daksha is capable of streaming 1080p full HD videos and has dedicated 400 MHz GPU for advanced flash apps, interactive apps and full HD videos. Daksha is powered by 3,800 mAh li-Pol battery which gives a back up of over six hours with WiFi on, Telmoco said in a statement.
While other specification of the tablet is very similar to that of recently launched Micromax Funbook, but in terms of battery, it is better since it has a much bigger battery compared to 2800 mAH on Funbook. Though Daksha is cheaper by more than Rs 1000, Micromax tablet comes with a Photon plus dongle and 1 GB data free which is worth more than Rs 1,000. Other rivals to this tablet include HCL Metab U1 and iBerry's tablets.
"Even though the Indian media tablets market witnessed high decibel launches by the world's leading vendors, the tablet PC market in India is a niche market that is quickly picking up the pace in terms of adoption," said CR Nijesh, chairman and executive director, Telmoco while launching the tablet.
Telmoco Development labs is a company involved in electronics research and mobile technologies.
The tablet will initially be shipped to schools, professional institutions, and corporate houses and will be available to the public from May 15 this year.

Ultra Cheap Android Tablets in hte works

Android might support MIPS processors, which could lead to ultra cheap Android tablets.

MIPS processor based smartphones and tablets may soon be able to run Android apps, EETimes has reported. The website said that Android maker Google is expected to issue native developer kits with bundled GNU compiler for MIPS within weeks.

GNU compiler is meant for developing applications for a particular processor architecture. Currently, Android apps natively support only ARM processors.

It is to be noted here that MIPS processors cost a lot less than ARM processors and hence if Google goes with its decision as reported it will lead to the making of cheaper Android devices.

In India there is no tablet with MIPS technology. However, many, like Novo 7, are available through online retailers like eBay. Also, MIPS based tablets with Android 4.0 operating system will soon hit Indian markets at prices below Rs 5,000.
"Google has started to take notice of the volume shipments of MIPS-based Android tablets," said Amit Rohatgi, principal mobile architect at MIPS, speaking at the Linley Tech Mobile Conference.
About 1.8 million MIPS-based Android tablets have shipped to date, Rohatgi said. These are mainly low cost systems from Chinese manufacturers, powered by MIPS processor.
There are reports that MIPS is looking for buyers due to declining financial results. The architecture has a solid base in networking and set-top boxes, but has yet to gain a broad foothold in mobiles where ARM holds sway.
Code for running Android apps on MIPS already exists. Getting Google to bundle it all as part of its standard releases is expected to ease the sometimes tedious job of integrating all the software needed to support the architecture.
With this move by Google low cost smartphones and tablets based on Android will get a boost and there will be a further reduction in prices, which currently start at just below Rs 5,000 for smartphones.

Wanna buy a Tablet with 3G .. Think again...

The price difference between a 3G and WiFi-only tablet is approximately Rs 7,000 in top end tablets, but do you really need 3G on your tablet?

When buying a tablet most people look for a built in 3G feature, however, since there is a great price difference between the WiFi-only version and the 3G version, approximately Rs 7,000 in the case of top of the line tablets, one needs to question the rationale of buying the 3G model.

Price difference

Sony S tablet, for example, costs Rs 29,999 when you get a 3G version, but only Rs 22,999 when you buy an only-WiFi model. In case of Apple iPad 2 the difference is bigger: the 64 GB WiFi+3G model costs Rs 44,900 vs the WiFi-only one costing Rs 36,500, with a difference of Rs 8,400. The difference in the 16 GB version is the same. Acer also has two different versions of its Iconia tablet, though only the WiFi tablet is widely available.

Buy a smartphone instead

Most of us do not use tablets for calling, but we do consume data, or do some video chat and that needs either 3G or WiFi. Since while traveling you do not get WiFi, people argue that 3G is a must. Indeed it is, however, it need not be on your tablet. Many tablet users also own a smartphone, which often comes with WiFi tethering (hotspot) feature, making it a WiFi router, and you can share the 3G connection with your tablet.

Other options

However, if you do not have a smartphone, you can buy one with the Rs 7,000 or more that you save by buying the WiFi version. There are many Android phones that you can choose for less than Rs 10,000, including Samsung Galaxy Y and Pop, and Motorola Fire, LG optimus Net, and many other models from Indian handset makers.
This way you will not only upgrade your phone but will also have to manage just one 3G connection for all your devices. Moreover, if you already have a smartphone but it doesn't support a WiFi hotspot feature, you can go for a 3G WiFi dongle which cost in the range of Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500 and you will be able to use it for your laptop, PC, smartphone and tablet.

What about affordable tablets?

In case of affordable tablets the story is slightly different, as the cost difference between 3G and WiFi-only tablets is not that big. Though there is no tablet with 3G and WiFi only versions, if you compare tablets with the same specifications, but with or without 3G, the feature difference comes out to be close to Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000.
But since the most basic WiFi-only tablets support 3G dongles, you will have the option of choosing CDMA and GSM dongles, both of which have their own benefits. While CDMA ones are cheaper (both in terms of price and tariff), and also offer coverage in more cities compared to GSM 3G dongles, their speeds are less than half at 3.1 Mbps compared to 7.2 Mbps offered by GSM ones.
So, even in case of affordable tablets you will have a wider choice if you choose the WiFi-only model. However, here the difference is little so you can buy the 3G versions since you will not have to carry a separate dongle. Moreover, you can also create a hotspot with these tablets for connecting your PC or laptop.

INTEX launches iTab 8 Inch Android Tablet @Rs. 11,990

INTEX has launched iTab, their first tablet. It has 8-inch capacitive two point touch screen display and is powered by 1 GHz cortex A8 core processor. It runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It has front video calling camera and a 3.5mm audio jack. It has 8GB internal memory which is expandable upto 32GB. It weighs 475 g.

It has Wi-Fi, 3G via Intex dongle, USB port, GPS and comes with comes with Word, Excel and Power Point viewer. It also comes with pre-loaded applications such as the Adobe Reader, Android Market and popular games like Angry Birds, Solitaire and Talking Tom. It has 360 degree G-Sensor and comes with 5000 mAh battery that offers backup time of  5-6 hours.

The INTEX iTab is priced at Rs. 11,900 and comes with INTEX 3G data card, a LAN Adaptor, an Exclusive leather cover and a pair of Reebok Sunglasses at no extra cost as an introductory offer.

It is available at more than 15,000 distributors and reseller outlets, 70 INTEX SQUARES (exclusive retail stores) and several hypermarkets across the country. Intex plans to launch new tablets with in-built 3G as well as 7-inch and 10-inch models in the future.