Low Cost Netbook of NMEICT
Kannan M. Moudgalya IIT Bombay
15 January 2014
It is well known that IIT Bombay has been executing a low cost tablet project, funded by NMEICT. Improving its capability is one of the mandates, so as to make the device more useful. In this report, we explain a netbook that has come out as a result of this exercise.
The netbook mentioned above has a 10” screen and a complete keyboard. It is almost a laptop. We have procured 1,000 units of this device at a cost of Rs. 4,990 plus customs and tax, with the total cost coming to less than Rs. 6,000. This device is supplied to us by a Delhi based company called Basic Computers. It is assembled in a state of the art plant in Manesar, Haryana. Our team at IIT Bombay has developed a modified version of the open source operating system (OS) Ubuntu, and named it as FOSSEE, eponymous with the open source promotion project, also funded by NMEICT. This device has the following features:
1. 10” screen, non touch
2. Complete keyboard
3. 1GHz dual core WM8880 ARM v7 Processor 4. 1GB RAM
5. 8GB NAND flash
6. 32GB SD card slot
7. Two USB drives
8. One mini HDMI port
9. Ethernet port (RJ45)
10. 5,000 mAH battery
11. Wifi and blue tooth
12. Light weight (less than 1kg)
As the operating system is a version of Linux, we can pre-load the system with useful software packages and distribute them. A set of close to 100 packages that will be pre- loaded and distributed is given in at this link. Thus, while the hardware is procured from outside, the OS image and the accompanying software bundle is created by us.
This device is yet to be named, and yet to be launched. We present some pictures and screenshots of this Netbook next.
Kannan M. Moudgalya IIT Bombay
15 January 2014
It is well known that IIT Bombay has been executing a low cost tablet project, funded by NMEICT. Improving its capability is one of the mandates, so as to make the device more useful. In this report, we explain a netbook that has come out as a result of this exercise.
The netbook mentioned above has a 10” screen and a complete keyboard. It is almost a laptop. We have procured 1,000 units of this device at a cost of Rs. 4,990 plus customs and tax, with the total cost coming to less than Rs. 6,000. This device is supplied to us by a Delhi based company called Basic Computers. It is assembled in a state of the art plant in Manesar, Haryana. Our team at IIT Bombay has developed a modified version of the open source operating system (OS) Ubuntu, and named it as FOSSEE, eponymous with the open source promotion project, also funded by NMEICT. This device has the following features:
1. 10” screen, non touch
2. Complete keyboard
3. 1GHz dual core WM8880 ARM v7 Processor 4. 1GB RAM
5. 8GB NAND flash
6. 32GB SD card slot
7. Two USB drives
8. One mini HDMI port
9. Ethernet port (RJ45)
10. 5,000 mAH battery
11. Wifi and blue tooth
12. Light weight (less than 1kg)
As the operating system is a version of Linux, we can pre-load the system with useful software packages and distribute them. A set of close to 100 packages that will be pre- loaded and distributed is given in at this link. Thus, while the hardware is procured from outside, the OS image and the accompanying software bundle is created by us.
This device is yet to be named, and yet to be launched. We present some pictures and screenshots of this Netbook next.
