India to produce $35 computer device

NEW DELHI, July 24 (UPI) -- A $35 computer and access device is part of India's plan to offer affordable connectivity to students and teachers, officials said when revealing the prototype.

Officials, unveiling the inexpensive computer this week, said the price eventually would drop to $10, CNN reported.

Kapil Sibal, India's human resources development minister, said connectivity to all its colleges and universities is key for the country to achieve its education goals. India's literacy rate is 65 percent, 2001 census figures indicate.

Technical institutions involved in designing the new computer and access device are preparing to research price and quality issues, CNN said.

"The aim is to reach such devices to the students of colleges and universities, and to provide these institutions a host of choices of low-cost access devices around ($35) or less in (the) near future," Sibal said at the computer's introduction Thursday.

The ministry said the government hopes to introduce the touch-screen computing tool at higher educational institutions in 2011.

PC World said the device can surf the Internet, has a touchscreen display, a built-in keyboard and 2GB RAM. It also supports WiFi connectivity and has a USB port. The device is powered by a 2-watt system so it will work anywhere in India, the computer magazine said.