Simputer --first computer designed and manufactured in India

Another BBC story, this time about the Amida Simputer, a handheld computing device that was launched today. It was designed in India and manufacturing of it was supported by the Indian government. I remember reading about this a number of years ago and then nothing.

The basic version of the device ncludes:

• monochrome screen
• 206 MHz processor
• 64 MB memory
• microphone
• speaker
• battery that lasts for 6 hours or more
  

Costs around $250 and is intended to bring the Internet to India's rural population. It runs on Linux and can handle handwriting in Hindi and Kannada. How cool is that.

Read about their view of universal access.