Indian hardware market abuzz with tablet PCs

Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal displays the ‘Rs. 1,500-laptop’at its launch in New Delhi.

For a country full of software developers, India has seldom made the right noises when it comes to computer hardware entirely conceived and developed in the country.


But all that seems to be old stories. At least three different gadgets — all tablet PCs — have captured the imagination of geeks across the globe in the past few weeks. Two of the devices are staking claims to becoming the lowest-priced tablet PCs, while the other is a stunner that promises to take on the best in the game.

The government-sponsored ‘Rs. 1,500 laptop' (approximately $35) was announced by Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal last month as an “answer to MIT” (Nicholas Negroponte's famous “One Laptop per Child” was conceived at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

By a very long haul, against $100 ‘xo' laptop of OLPC, the device ambitiously looks at becoming the cheapest computing device ever capable of running a complete operating system. There are questions as to whether the prototype would be viable for large-scale production, retaining the touted cost advantage. That the country does not have manufacturing hubs for computer components makes the questions pertinent.

There have been suggestions that the government could cross-subsidise the cost of the device to its target student groups against commercial sale in other markets, may be for a higher price. What remains to be seen is will the device keep up its promise of becoming the most affordable computer that reaches the hands of millions of students.

Mr. Negroponte, meanwhile, through his official blog for the OLPC project (blog.laptop.org), has welcomed the $35 laptop for educational purposes, and even opened up all resources of theirs for a possible free collaboration. He has urged the Indian team of developers to focus on its design, making it a fun device for children to use, and in the process killing “rote learning.”

Close on the heels of the announcement of the government laptop, another company headquartered in Bangalore, Allgo Embedded systems, unveiled Stamp, a prototype device that runs Linux and Android operating systems on i.MX233, a cost-effective and low-end processor. So while it is not really a competitor in the retail market, the device could find many takers in the B2B market. A video demo of the device, that sports a 7-inch touch screen, has been put on Allgo Embedded Systems official website www.allgosystems.com.

Speaking about the tablet, tentatively pegged at $50, the company's CEO, K. Srinivasan, said the device would target niche B2B applications, such as smart energy control panels or even for specific educational devices. The company is holding talks with manufacturers and hopes to go in for mass production in four or five months.

The most interesting development from the Indian hardware stable though is the impending launch of Adam, the tablet PC designed and developed by Hyderabad-based Notion Ink. Its young CEO and IIT graduate Rohan Shravan recently announced on the company's official blog that the device is headed for a global launch in November. He also hinted that four variants (LCD and Pixel Qi screens with Wi-Fi and 3G support) would be available in the price range of $399 to $498. (News-The Hindu)

North-South Business Bridge

North-South Business Bridge Program has been organized as part of the Gampaha Integrated Accelerated Program.


The Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry with the Support of the Industrial Development Board initiated a North-South Business Bridge Program in July 2010.

The Program’s objective is to create awareness among Jaffna youth on modern material and equipment and disseminate the business knowledge and technology from successful entrepreneurs of the Gampaha District to the Northern youth to boost opportunities to develop strong market linkages between Gampaha and Jaffna.

The North-South Business Bridge Program includes technology transfer programs on Leather products, bakery, batiks, emulsion paint, handmade paper, fruit based products and cement based products. (News- Daily News)

Abu Dhabi to breathe life into coral reefs

Abu Dhabi: On a mission to breathe life into degrading coral reefs, the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi (EAD) has embarked on a two-year project to learn more about the colourful world of corals.
The Coral Reef Restoration programme was launched in March this year in association with Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT) and Japan Oil Development Company (JODCO).
Scientists on the programme are interested in gathering information about two aspects — the reproductive cycle of coral reefs and information that would help in restoration of damaged reefs in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Experts have been diving into the waters close to Saadiyat Island and Al Dhabeiyah to install devices that would help them explore the world of corals.
Separate devices are used for each purpose.
"We have installed coral settlement devices with the hope that they will eventually help us with restoring degrading coral reefs. And marine blocks have been installed to throw light into their reproductive cycle", Suaad al Harthi, a scientist with the EAD's coastal zone management division said.
The coral settlement devices were developed by Dr. Mineo Okamoto of TUMSAT. The devices have proven successful in rehabilitating corals in various parts of Japan including one in Sekisei Lagoon, the largest coral reef in Okinawa Prefecture-Japan.
Whether the success can be replicated in Abu Dhabi can only be found out by the end of the project, in two years, as coral reefs are very slow growing, Al Harthi explained.
"These resemble stacked trays and are made up of calcium carbonate and other materials", she said.
Settlement devices
In nature, the coral larva settles on any hard substrate and they grow by building several colonies over that. The settlement devices are meant to replicate this environment.
"Typically they tend to settle in little crevices".
Once the devices become homes to corals, they can easily be transferred to labs to be studied closely for the types of species that have settled, their growth pattern etc. These could then be moved to a nursery site where they could be cared for until they are installed at sites with damaged coral reefs, thus help restoration.
Presently no such nurseries have been set up. Based on the success of the project EAD will decide on setting up nurseries at a later stage, Al Harthi said.
The second device, called marine block, resembles bricks and has hundreds of holes in it. "These were installed in phases in March, April and May, during the expected spawning period of corals".
By installing in phases, the reproductive cycle of corals could be better understood.
The holes in the blocks reveal the actual growth rate, she added.
EAD first began monitoring coral reefs in 2005. Ten permanent monitoring stations have now been established. Coral reefs in waters off Abu Dhabi survive in stressful conditions. This is due to extreme seasonal temperature variations and very high salinity levels.(Gulfnews)

U.S. Exim Bank to finance $900m Reliance Power project

Reliance Power has won a $900 million loan from the United States Export-Import Bank for the purpose of building a coal-fired power plant in India
USEIB reportedly reversed an earlier decision to reject the financing request when its Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve the loan for the 3,960 megawatt Sasan power plant in Madhya Pradesh.
According to reports the USEIB’s earlier refusal to finance the project stemmed from criticism of the power plant by environmental groups, which argued that the project would elevate carbon dioxide emissions levels and contribute to global warming.
Although financing decision had been made, reports said, approval for the project would still have to be obtained from the U.S. Congress.
Yet the bank’s President Fred Hochberg expressed optimism, saying in a earlier statement, “We are pleased that Reliance is making this commitment to renewable energy, which allows us to sustain U.S. jobs and promote both conventional and renewable energy exports.” The company further noted that this project was the largest funding supported by USEIB to any Indian corporation.
In terms of the purpose of the loan USEIB said that Reliance Power would use the loan guarantee to “support the sale and export by Wisconsin-based Bucyrus International of mining equipment.”(The Hindu)