168 - AMD looking to supply CPUs for Aakash, HCL tablets Gulveen Aulakh, ET Bureau

AMD looking to supply CPUs for Aakash, HCL tablets

Gulveen Aulakh, ET Bureau | Jun 6, 2013, 11.06 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Computer processor maker AMD is planning to enter the mobile devices market in India and is keen on supplying to hybrid notebooks, local tablet manufacturers and makers of Aakash tablets that would supply to the government. 

Roy Taylor, corporate vice-president and head of global channel sales for AMD, told ET that the company was holding talks with a few Indian tablet makers to use its accelerated processor units (APU) that improved battery life of the device and were 30-40% cheaper than other processors in the market.

The company, that competes with Intel, is almost a year late to kick-start its presence in India. Intel's first mobile device was launched with Lava mobile phone maker in April last year. However, Intel's success and penetration is yet to be seen.

Taylor specified that AMD did not have any immediate plans of making processors for mobile phones or smartphones, where Qualcomm and Mediatek have majority share, but may consider producing processors for mobile handsets in the future.

"We're very keen to explore Indian tablets makers and will be meeting with HCL, Wipro and all the others in the market, to decide on which Indian manufacturers to pursue. We also intend to speak to vendors for (supplying to) the government," he said.

Taylor added that hybrid notebooks work as computers and tablets will be its primary focus as these devices run on Windows platform, which is apt use of its processors.

The Indian tablet market has exploded over the last few quarters and is expected to grow exponentially in the next year. Tablet sales in India are 10 times more than what was sold in 2011. CyberMedia Research India (CMR) that reviews the tablet market said 1.1 million tablets were sold in the quarter ended September 2012, and that sales had doubled over the previous quarter.

CMR expects 6 million tablets to be sold in 2013 as demand from consumer, enterprise and government business rises and average price of 3G-enabled tablets drops.

More than 100-odd models of convertible or hybrid devices that blur the lines of differentiation between a tablet and a laptop are expected this year, from the likes of Asus, Acer, Lenovo and HP in India.

Taylor said that India is an important market as it offers a large value proposition, therefore, it was pertinent that AMD increased stakeholder awareness reach out to potential customers and partners to create a market for its product. "We are ready for significant financial investments in India to explore all possible avenues of good long term gains and holistic benefits to our clients and customers," he said.

167 - Aakash 4 tablet on plans

Aakash 4 tablet on plans 03 Jun, 2013 9:09p.m. The government is reportedly going ahead with the plans to launch the Aakash 4 tablet. Aakash project was an initiative meant to make technology affordable for students. THe Aakash one and two were made available to the students across the country. However, the project can be called a failure as the tablets were given negative ratings by the experts and users alike for poor quality. The manufacturer was also not able to supply the orders. Also many Indian and Chinese brands have recently launched their tablets in the market at around the same priced as the Aakash tablet but with better specification. "The draft of the specifications has been prepared, formally it has to be placed before a committee... We are waiting for a suitable date to do that," Department of Electronics and IT (DEITy) Secretary J Satyanarayana told. According to the official, the specs of the tablet will be designed on the basis of contemporary technological developments as well as in keeping the price tag of the tablet affordable.The specifications of the upcoming tablet to be finalized soon.

166 - HCL announces another sub-standard Android tablet for INR 8,499

HCL announces another sub-standard Android tablet for INR 8,499

Every once in a while HCL comes out with a new Android tablet and almost every one of them packs some really disappointing specifications. The latest one – ME Connect 2G 2.0 – is no exception.

We are in year 2013 when WVGA has become norm for even the budget smartphones and tablets have started coming with display resolutions higher than full HD but HCL continues to launch tablets with just WVGA resolution.  For a 7-inch tablet these days, WVGA display is a crime. Unless the HCL tablet was priced at INR 3,000 to compete with Aakash tablet, there is no justification for 800x480p display.

In reality, HCL ME Connect 2G 2.0 has got a price-tag of INR 8,499, which is the same price at which Samsung Galaxy Tab 311 can be purchased from some retailers and comes with better specifications.

Talking about ME Connect 2G 2.0 features, it packs 1GHz Cortex A9 processor, 2MP rear camera, VGA front camera, 1GB of RAM,  and 3800 mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.1, which is good, and comes with 2G support with voice-calling.

Like every other HCL tablet, this one too does not come with Google Play support, so by any chance if you bought this tablet, you will stuck with their 1 Mobile Store to download applications.

If you really want to know more about the tablet, you can read the full press release below:

PS: HCL is calling it a phablet.

HCL Infosystems introduces the latest phablet – ME Connect 2G 2.0

HCL Infosystems Ltd. India’s premier services and ICT Systems Integration, Distribution and Hardware company launched its latest phablet – HCL ME Tablet Connect 2G 2.0. The 7-inch phablet is an extremely stylish device, powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor with 1GB DDR3 RAM and 4GB internal memory expandable to 32GB running on the latest Android Jelly Bean 4.1. The tablet specifically creates a connect with the diverse population of India as it features reading and writing in 11 local Indian languages, face recognition to lock & unlock your device, with apps ranging across Games, Business, Communication, Lifestyle, Entertainment, Education, Health, etc. HCL ME Connect 2G 2.0 phablet offers enhanced 2G voice-calling, long-battery life, and is priced at Rs. 8499.

HCL ME Connect 2G 2.0 comes with freebies worth more than Rs. 2000 and pre-loaded with applications such as BigFlix, Hungama, Readwhere, Paytm, Facebook, Twitter etc., which allows one to watch unlimited movies, download Bollywood and Hollywood songs, video chat or click pictures with the aid of a dual-camera (Front 0.3 MP & Rear 2.0 MP). The voice receiver, integrated with a vibrator function transforms this tablet in to a Smartphone. Watching movies is a delight on HCL ME Connect 2.0 2G as the multi-touch capacitive screen with an 800*480 pixel resolution integrated with mini-HDMI port that helps connect the tablet to external display devices. The devices gives a superior 2D/3D gaming performance is capable of HD audio and video playback, which are complimented by a long lasting 3800 mAH Li – polymer battery. Other features include 3G connectivity through a USB Data Card (WCDMA/EVDO), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n). It also comes with  an integrated Wi-Fi Router function which helps you create a wireless Hot-Spot so as to share your device  internet connection with other devices.

Mr. Gautam Advani, Global Head – Mobility Business Unit, HCL Infosystems Ltd. said, “The tablet market in India is rapidly evolving and tablets have become synonymous with the latest technology. Tablets not only help consume media better but also help you stay connected. Varying from a learning companion to a productivity enhancer, tablets continue to enrich user’s lives and a lot of people are now looking at buying a tablet that has inbuilt calling facility/function so as to get the best of both the worlds. Our latest offering further showcases our proud legacy of innovative products that address all kinds of consumer needs. The ME Connect 2G 2.0 phablet will cater to the young at heart who are always on a lookout for something new and exciting”

HCL ME Connect 2G 2.0 comes pre-loaded with 1 Mobile Store which has more than 3,00,000 apps to download, spanning across multiple categories. It also has ME PC Connect software which enables the user to sync (contacts, calendar etc) and take back-up from the device. The HCL ME Phablet is available across all major stores and online portals and will be supported by an integrated after sales service application – HCL Touch, a 24X7 one touch service facility.

165 - Datawind is India's biggest tablet maker, even without Aakash

Datawind is India's biggest tablet maker, even without Aakash

ET Bureau | Jun 5, 2013, 11.56 AM IST

Datawind emerged as the leader of India's tablet market during the first quarter of 2013.

BANGALORE: Britain-based hardware manufacturer Datawind, maker of the Indian government's Rs 2,500 Aakash tablet, emerged as the leader of India's tablet market during the first quarter of 2013, according to latest data from market research firm CyberMedia Research. 

During the January-March period, Datawind had about 15% market share in the tablet market, compared to homegrown firm Micromax that had about 12% share, according to the research firm. Datawind shipments do not include its sale of Aakash tablets to the government. 

Surprisingly, sales of tablet computers fell more than 17% in the first quarter of this year, even as consumers shift from desktop and laptops to touch-based devices. About 9,05,000 tablets were sold during the period compared to 1,097,902 units in the previous quarter. 

According to CyberMedia, nearly 10,000 tablets were shipped everyday during the January-March quarter and overall shipments recorded a 150% growth, compared to the same period last year. iPad maker Apple was in third place with a 12% market share. 

"The continued long-term growth in shipments of tablets in the India market further points to the fact that a large proportion of first time users of computers in emerging markets like India are getting to experience computing through this highly portable, converged form factor," said Faisal Kawoosa, analyst at CyberMedia. 

Kawoosa said the fall in tablet sales is "not substantial" and it could be attributed to seasonality. According to the report, only nine tablet vendors shipped in significant volumes of more than 20,000 units during the period.

164 - Tablet sales: Aakash beats Apple in India

Tablet sales: Aakash beats Apple in India

Last updated on: June 5, 2013 10:47 IST

Aakash tablet has topped the tablet market in India during the first quarter of 2013, according to market research firm Cyber Media Research. The Indian consumer has no bias against domestic brands, says CMR.

According to CMR's India quarterly tablet PC market review, during the first quarter (January-March) 2013, over 905,000 Tablets were sold (shipped) in the quarter by as many as 53 domestic and international vendors.

However, only nine vendors shipped in significant volumes of more than 20,000 units during the period.  The overall growth in shipments of tablets in the India market registered an 158.96% year-on-year (1Q CY 2013 over 1Q CY 2012) growth, but a marginal 17.57% quarter-on-quarter (1Q CY 2013 over 4Q CY 2012) dip due to seasonal factors.

163 - Datawind tops tablet market in Q1 - Hindu Business Line

Datawind tops tablet market in Q1

Aakash Tablet computer.(file photo)

NEW DELHI, JUNE 4:  

Indian tablet makers have shipped in over nine lakh tablet computers during the first quarter (January-March) this year. Datawind, maker of Aakash tablets, led the market with 15.3 per cent share.

Micromax and Apple had 12.3 per cent 11.7 per cent market share, respectively.

According to CyberMedia Research’s (CMR) India Quarterly Tablet PC Market Review, as many as 53 domestic and international vendors shipped in tablets during the period.

It said the overall growth in shipments of tablets registered 159 per cent year-on-year growth (as compared to first quarter of 2012), but declined by 17.57 per cent on quarter-on-quarter basis (as compared to fourth quarter of 2012) due to seasonal factors.

“Although the first quarter tablet shipment numbers are marginally lower as compared to fourth quarter of 2012, the country continued to witness tablet shipments of more than 10,000 units a day during the quarter, which is a reason to cheer,” Faisal Kawoosa, Lead Analyst - Telecoms Practice, CMR, said.

He said the performance of the India tablets market is in line with global trends, where shipments of traditional computing devices such as desktop PCs and notebook PCs are seeing a relative deceleration, whereas tablet shipments witness a surge, driven by consumer demand.

The continued long-term growth in shipments of tablets in the Indian market further points to the fact that a large proportion of first time users of computers in emerging markets such as India are getting to experience computing through this portable, converged form factor, he added.

“Datawind and Micromax have figured amongst the top 3 India tablet vendors since fourth quarter 2012, while Apple was No. 2 in calendar 2012. These players continued to maintain their leadership ranks during first quarter of 2013,” Tarun Pathak, Analyst - Telecoms Practice at CMR, said.

This trend points to a sort of polarisation of India tablet user segments – one set looks primarily for performance and best-in-class build quality, and typically opts for the high-end Apple iPad and the other segment looks for a wide range of features at an affordable price point and opts for brands such as Datawind and Micromax, he said.

ronendrasingh.s@thehindu.co.in

162 - Users let down by new Aakash - Deccan Chronicle

Users let down by new Aakash

DC | Amrita Didyala | 05th Jun 2013

Hyderabad: Aakash tablet manufacturer Datawind, which had left customers in the lurch 18 months ago, is back with an upgraded version of the Ubislate 7Ci and Ubislate 7C+ that it has failed to deliver, and which it is now offering for Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000.

In the interim, private manufacturers have captured the market and many customers who had pre-booked the Ubislate, and had no communication from Datawind about their order, have bought other tablets.

At the time it was launched, there was a huge demand for Ubislate, which is the commercial version of the Rs 1,500 high-end Aakash tablet, as it had the latest features and a low price. But tab-lets with similar features have been brought out by leading mobile phone manufacturers since then.

It may be too late for Aakash relaunch

Soon after launching Aakash, Datawind announced the commercial version of the tablet, Ubislate. Aakash is being manufactured only for the Government of India’s programme to provide each student with a tablet.

While the idea of the low-cost, high-performance tablet was conceived in India, UK-based Data-wind designed and developed the tablet in Canada and parts were secured from across the globe.

The tablet was assembled and programmed in India. The latest version, the Ubislate 7C1, is being manufactured in India. In fact, Hyderabad-based Centre for Defence Research and Development Organisation contributed to the technology for the Aakash.

So now, when the company has come back with the latest version for Rs 5,000 and promising immediate delivery, it may be too late since there are many players in the market now with similar products.

“I had pre-booked the initial version of the tablet about one-and-a-half years back. In the meantime, I have already gone for a costlier tablet due to the delay. There was no way to get in touch with the company apart from an email address which never replied,” said Pratyusha Panda, a bank employee. 

161 - Aakash maker Datawind tops India's tablet market - Economic Times

Aakash maker Datawind tops India's tablet market; 

ET Bureau Jun 4, 2013, 08.40PM IST

BANGALORE: Britain-based hardware manufacturer Datawind, maker of the Indian government's Rs 2,500 Aakash tablet, emerged as a market leader in India's tablet market during the first quarter of 2013, according to latest data from market research firm Cyber Media Research.

During the January-March period, Datawind had about 15% market share in the tablet market, compared to homegrown firm Micromax that had about 12% share, according to the research firm. Datawind shipments do not include its sale of Aakash tablets to the government.

Surprisingly, sales of tablet computers fell more than 17% in the first quarter of this year, even as consumers shift from desktop and laptops to touch-based devices. About 905,000 tablets were sold during the period compared to 1,097902 units in the previous quarter.

According to Cyber Media, nearly 10,000 tablets were shipped everyday during the January-March quarter and overall shipments recorded a 150% growth, compared to the same period last year. iPad maker Apple was in third place with a 12% market share.

"The continued long-term growth in shipments of tablets in the India market further points to the fact that a large proportion of first time users of computers in emerging markets like India are getting to experience computing through this highly portable, converged form factor," said Faisal Kawoosa, analyst at Cyber Media.

Kawoosa said the fall in tablet sales is "not substantial" and it could be attributed to seasonality. According to the report, only nine tablet vendors shipped in significant volumes of more than 20,000 units during the period.

160 - Government expected to finalise specifications for Aakash 4 soon

Government expected to finalise specifications for Aakash 4 soon

03 Jun, 2013 | by Naveen Peter 

The government of India is expected to finalise the specifications for the fourth version of low-cost tablet PC Aakash in the coming days. J Satyanarayana, Secretary, Department of Electronics and IT (DEIT) said, "The draft of the specifications has been prepared; formally it has to be placed before a committee. We are waiting for a suitable date to do that." The Aakash project was initiated by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal when he was the HRD Minister with an idea to provide low-cost computing device at subsidised rate to students so that they can access Internet for educational purposes. The DEIT has stated that the specifications for the new Aakash tablet have been designed keeping in mind the current technological developments and the cost. "We should not add so many features so that the cost will go beyond." said J Satyanarayana. Govt expected to finalise the specifications for the fourth version of the low-cost tablet PC In 2009, DataWind, a Canadian company, was entrusted with the responsibility of providing one lakh tablets. However, the project was delayed when IIT-Rajasthan, the institution responsible for the quality of the project, rejected the tablet for not meeting performance criteria. In October 2011, the first version of Aakash tablet was launched with a 7-inch screen of 800 x 480 pixels resolution backed by a 336Mhz ARM 11 processor and 256GB of RAM. The tablet came with an internal memory of 2GB, which could be extended to 32GB using a MicroSD card. The first edition of the low-cost computing device ran on an Android 2.2 Froyo OS. The latest version was launched last year and the tablet comes with a 7-inch screen running on 800 x 480 pixels resolution, single-core 1GHz Cortex A8 processor, 512 MB of RAM and runs on Android 4.0.4 ICS OS, which can be upgraded to 4.1 Jelly Bean. The device has a 4GB in-built memory with an option of expanding it up to 32GB using microSD card. Asked if some private players have shown interest in setting up manufacturing facility in the country for Aakash, he said, "Not yet. But once we notify the specifications probably more proposals will come."

159 - Aakash 4 tablet: Top 5 things we want to see

Aakash 4 tablet: Top 5 things we want to see

TOP 10S V.A Kulkarni 05:05, 4 Jun 2013

The Aakash 4 slate needs functionality and power if it is to take on the tablet competition

In a world full of inexpensive Android tablets, the Aakash 4 will need to come up with something truly amazing if it wants to carve a niche for itself. We at KYMI listed out the things we would like to see on the slate, so that it will make the competition sit up and take notice.

1. Processor, battery and storage: Though it might be too much to wish for the Aakash 4 to be powered by a quad-core processor, a powerful dual-core processor will also suit the slate fine - as long as it is able to handle all of Android's multi-tasking with ease.

Aakash has traditionally been designed for students across the board, and nothing is more frustrating for students than a device that takes ages to boot and lags in its functions. For the same reason, we wish the slate could be built with a long lasting battery, 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage, along with support for external memory expansion.

2. Operating System: We would like to see the Aakash 4 run on the latest build of the Android operating system. With technology changing speedily, a device that is up-to-date with the newest innovations is always preferred to one that is out dated and lags behind in updates. The Aakash 4 should ideally be given software updates as soon as possible too.

3. Cameras: A good primary camera like a 5-megapixel one will serve the new Aakash slate well. Students using the tablet can click pictures and videos on the go and use them in projects and field trips. Not only will that make learning easy, it will make it fun. Additionally, a decent front snapper, like a 1.2-megapixel one, will aid kids in holding video conferences which in turn will facilitate quick and efficient team work.

4. Screen: If Aakash 4 launches with a clear HD screen, it will be a coup like no other! At its price point, however, it is unreasonable to expect the tablet to pack in a 1080 pixel display. If not a 720 pixel screen, the slate should be equipped with a screen that lends it decent clarity and sharpness. Since students are expected to spend long hours reading on the slate, it should be designed in a way that doesn't strain the pupils' eyes.

5. Connectivity: If students are to take the Aakash 4 everywhere they go and use it for everything from reading and researching to compiling assignments and project work, the tablet should be able to connect to the internet anywhere and at anytime. Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi, 3G and USB connectivity options are ideal for the device.