Aakash-maker Datawind to launch devices for US school kids

Akash-maker Datawind is also set to launch low-cost tablets in the US for school kids, according to a report in the Economic Times.

The report says that the Ubislate tablet by Datawind will be priced at $37.99 at the entry level in the US. Datawind will also launch 3G tablets in the US which will be priced at $130.

The tablets have already been launched in the UK for a price tag of 30 pounds.

"Although we're not ready at the current time to deliver an American-made product, we continue to work hard to set up production in the United States," said DataWind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli is quoted as saying in the ET report.

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Aakash-2 tablet computer is seen in this file photo. AFP

Previously it was reported that the Aakash tablet would be used in pilot project in the US with unprivileged children.

According to the IANS report, the pilot project was started in North Carolina by software entrepreneur Chris Evan. The report said that Evans agreed to fund 100 tablets for the American non-profit Communities in Schools (CIS), which was running the summer camps in North Carolina. Evans is on the board of CIS.

"(The richer kids) were already using smartphones and tablets at school," Evans said, "and I thought the Akash would be an affordable way to keep them in pace with their classmates and engaged with their studies.

As far as the Aakash project is concerned, the 4th version of the tablet is likely to be released in 2014.