This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25402621
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Tablet goes on sale for £30 in UK | Tablet goes on sale for £30 in UK |
(35 minutes later) | |
A tablet costing £30 has gone on sale in the UK. | A tablet costing £30 has gone on sale in the UK. |
The UbiSlate 7Ci, made by UK-based company Datawind, is the commercial version of the Aakash 2 tablet, which was originally launched in India. | The UbiSlate 7Ci, made by UK-based company Datawind, is the commercial version of the Aakash 2 tablet, which was originally launched in India. |
There, the tablet is mainly used by students and was designed to provide cheap internet access to help improve education. | There, the tablet is mainly used by students and was designed to provide cheap internet access to help improve education. |
Analysts say UK customers buying this tablet and comparing it with others on the market may be disappointed. | Analysts say UK customers buying this tablet and comparing it with others on the market may be disappointed. |
The 7in (18cm) Android tablet has wi-fi connectivity, 512MB of RAM, a microUSB connection and 4GB of storage. | The 7in (18cm) Android tablet has wi-fi connectivity, 512MB of RAM, a microUSB connection and 4GB of storage. |
It has a three hour battery life and allows users to watch online tutorials and videos, browse the internet and play games. | |
When the Aakash was launched in India in 2011 it was dubbed the "world's cheapest touch-screen tablet" and was aimed at schools and colleges. The first version was not well received by critics, but an upgraded version, the Aakash 2, fared better. | When the Aakash was launched in India in 2011 it was dubbed the "world's cheapest touch-screen tablet" and was aimed at schools and colleges. The first version was not well received by critics, but an upgraded version, the Aakash 2, fared better. |
Speaking at the Wired 2013 conference in October, Suneet Singh Tuli, who founded Datawind, said getting online was all about affordability. | Speaking at the Wired 2013 conference in October, Suneet Singh Tuli, who founded Datawind, said getting online was all about affordability. |
"It's not just about creating low-cost devices, for us it's about delivering the internet," he said. | "It's not just about creating low-cost devices, for us it's about delivering the internet," he said. |
Cost offset | Cost offset |
A partnership with the Indian government helped the Aakash 2 became one of the country's best-selling tablets. | A partnership with the Indian government helped the Aakash 2 became one of the country's best-selling tablets. |
"At the start of this year we became the largest supplier of tablet computers in India, ahead of both Apple and Samsung," said Mr Tuli. | "At the start of this year we became the largest supplier of tablet computers in India, ahead of both Apple and Samsung," said Mr Tuli. |
Samsung has since taken the lead. | Samsung has since taken the lead. |
The company said it could afford to sell the product at such a low price as the cost of the hardware was offset with revenue from content and advertising. | The company said it could afford to sell the product at such a low price as the cost of the hardware was offset with revenue from content and advertising. |
"The reality is that with any consumer electronics device you get what you pay for," said Ben Wood, an analyst at research company CCS Insight. | "The reality is that with any consumer electronics device you get what you pay for," said Ben Wood, an analyst at research company CCS Insight. |
"Any consumer buying this tablet with the expectation it will deliver a comparable experience to more expensive, yet affordable, Android tablets such as Amazon's Kindle Fire and Tesco's Hudl will be sorely disappointed." | "Any consumer buying this tablet with the expectation it will deliver a comparable experience to more expensive, yet affordable, Android tablets such as Amazon's Kindle Fire and Tesco's Hudl will be sorely disappointed." |
The company, which was named as the UK's most innovative mobile company in a government competition in 2012, also has two other tablets with higher specifications advertised on its UK website. | The company, which was named as the UK's most innovative mobile company in a government competition in 2012, also has two other tablets with higher specifications advertised on its UK website. |
Both Tesco and Aldi have recently joined the "low-cost" tablet market. Tesco's 7in Hudl device went on sale for £120 and Aldi sold out of the 7in £80 Medion Lifetab shortly after launching it. Argos also launched a £100 tablet known as the MyTablet. | Both Tesco and Aldi have recently joined the "low-cost" tablet market. Tesco's 7in Hudl device went on sale for £120 and Aldi sold out of the 7in £80 Medion Lifetab shortly after launching it. Argos also launched a £100 tablet known as the MyTablet. |