Aakash the world cheapest tablet was a complete disaster, it never took off. And now the Aakash 4 will be the next in line that will be better than its predecessors (that hardly existed) and will be priced at Rs. 3000.
Forget about Aakash 2 or Aakash 3, many of you might not have seen the Aakash 1, except for in pictures. Many users had booked the tablet when it was launched and a few also paid the money. I am not sure how many have got it or how many are still waiting.
The Aakash 4 development will also go though the GOVT tender process and as per the HRD ministry it will score a minimum of 3537 with Antutu benchmark. The Aakash 4 may likely come with 1GB RAM, 4GB internal storage, a 7 inch screen with 800×480 pixel resolution. A standard battery that may last for up to 3 hours with continuous usage, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and external 3G support (via Dongle). The Aakash 4 will be developed by IIT Madras and will probably run on Jelly Bean OS (4.2).
There is a rumor that this tab will house two different OS Android and Ubuntu with dual boot option. I guess the Rs. 3000 will be for the students after concession and for private consumers it will be under Rs. 4,500. An and in case you know any students who got the Aakash tablet with subsidized rates do let me know.
Will the Aakash 4 succeed or is it another disaster waiting to happen?