- How a measely handheld computing device can benefit a rural area
Actually, the whole purpose of the simputer was for use in rural India. That is the reason why it is build using reguional languages. Currently has Kannada and a few other languages, while support for most regional languages will come soon. Also has text to speech conversion for people who can't read.
Now tell me Philip, if you have used a handheld computer, is it easier/faster to type or scribble? Mind you, scribbling is not the same as writing. And the hand writing recoqnition technology can never be perfected, the best of technology companies like Apple, Palm and a few Russian (who pioneered it) companies have tried and failed miserably. So Palm came out with the novel idea of creating its own simplistic script and made life easy for the user, but what the heck, if the rural people have to learn one more script to use some computing device for which they have no real use, why would they do that?
The touch screen has self explanatory icons for anyone to select.
The
price also, which they are trying to fix at Rs.4000/- once production increases. Starting cost will be higher - 10000/-, but that's
standard
economics supply-demand.
Have you figured out the BOM of the Simputer? Its basic components itself cost Rs.3,000/- (thats at volumes of 30,000) Add to that PCB manufacturing costs, that too a 8 layered PCB Also the cost of soldering such SMDs... Then add the Casing cost (with initial cost of the mould) Also add the cost of the Touch sensitive LCD and the Smart Card reader.
And then of course add to that a measely profit margin (you need that to survive)
Once you are through with the above, tell me if its possible to create a "Simputer" (as the creators have envisaged)
Reality bites, and it bites real hard.
To really figure out how it will help rural India, read the article (don't think you have yet).
Will read later...
This is definitely one of the best projects in India, surpassing all the service that our IT biggies have done to the Americans.
One of the best projects in India??
IT services bought in revenues to do the things like Simputer...
Warm Regards,
~Mayuresh
Sometime on Jun 29, Mayuresh A Kathe assembled some asciibets to say:
India. That is the reason why it is build using reguional languages. Currently has Kannada and a few other languages, while support for most regional languages will come soon. Also has text to speech conversion for people who can't read.
Now tell me Philip, if you have used a handheld computer, is it easier/faster to type or scribble?
The simputer is not an input device, it's more of an output device. It provides information to the user. The only real form of input is by selecting icons. Everything else is output. The only text entry is done through a sort of 3x3 grid, and is meant for minimalistic entry. Typically, a user would *NEVER* need to enter more than a signature maybe.
rural people have to learn one more script to use some computing
They don't. They need to understand pictures on screen and words read out to them. I've downloaded the software and it's pretty good. Try it.
Have you figured out the BOM of the Simputer? Its basic components itself cost Rs.3,000/- (thats at volumes of 30,000)
I won't argue with you on prices, because you have first hand knowledge. This issue is actually addressed in the FAQ, if you read it. They've decided not to include an internal storage system to cut costs. They're also using really cheap components, but since that's not my line, I won't get into it.
The main thing is that IISc will not be building the simputer. Only its specification. The specification is released openly under the SGPL, and anyone can build an implementation. The software is downloadable under the GPL.
This is definitely one of the best projects in India, surpassing all the service that our IT biggies have done to the Americans.
One of the best projects in India?? IT services bought in revenues to do the things like Simputer...
But IT companies have done nothing for India itself. During the recent calamities in Gujarat and Orissa, it would have cost peanuts for any of these big IT companies to put up an information website with regular updates, but no one cared. They were too busy writing modules for Windows XP.
Anyway, I thought the project was good, and you didn't. Lets leave it at that.
Philip
Mayuresh wrote:
Now tell me Philip, if you have used a handheld computer, is it easier/faster to type or scribble? Mind you, scribbling is not the same as writing. And the hand writing recoqnition technology can never be perfected,
Did you read about the stuff called "tapatap" that they describe on their website? From what I gather, they have devised a very rudimentary input mechanism for very simple interaction when requird. Keep in mind that the device is intended for _illiterate_ villagers, and nobody expects them to enter any data in it. That is mentioned explicitly in the wired.com article.
the best of technology companies like Apple, Palm and a few Russian (who pioneered it) companies have tried and failed miserably.
So WHAT? Even the GNU people were unable to create a kernel for their system until a University student from Finland came along ...
Have you figured out the BOM of the Simputer?
I have to confess absolute ignorance in this regard!
Once you are through with the above, tell me if its possible to create a "Simputer" (as the creators have envisaged)
People from the original Simputer team at IISc have established a commercial venture just to do that - called Picopeta something ...
One of the best projects in India??
Reminds me of the fact that India was the first country in the world to use satellite communication for mass rural education, that too when India didn't even have a single communcitation satellite of her own ...
I think that what the IISc people are trying to do is to turn the concept of a "computer" on its head. They are trying to use technology to help people in a way comfortable to them - this is a place where we have to keep back all our presumptions about human-computer interaction based on the PC. Think of it as an interactive TV set if you want, designed to disperse informatin rather than handle complex computing tasks.
I had always hoped to get close to the Simputer project if I had been able to get into the IISc for my post-graduation; but I guess that won't be happening now!
SameerDS.
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Mayuresh A Kathe -
Philip S Tellis -
Sameer D. Sahasrabuddhe