DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AAKASH-2 AND UBISLATE7+

There seems to be some confusion amongst the general public regarding the difference between Aakash-2 and Ubislate7+. Let's get the things right.
Datawind developed Ubislate7 tab which was christened as Aakash/Aakash1 by the Government of India. Aakash1 was essentially a test device. Based on the feedback received from Aakash-1, the Government intends to launch Aakash-2 in May. Aakash-2 will be developed by Datawind and supplied directly to the Government. The Government will subsidise it and distribute it to the students of select technical educational institutions. Therefore, the general paublic will not have access to it.
Ubislate7+ is an Android 2.3 tab. It offers web connectivity both through WiFi as well as GPRS. It can also be used to make phone calls. Besides it has thousands of useful Apps. The device comes with pre-loaded educational content which makes it a powerful educational tool. Ubislate7+ is being sold by Datawind to the open public through it's website. Orders can be placed on http://www.ubislate.com/. The device is priced at Rs.2999/- There is an option of sending advance payments which ensures that your delivery gets prioritised. Ubislate7+ is set for an April end launch after which deliveries will begin. Those who have already sent in advance payment will receive these first.
So if you want to ensure that you get the tablet soon, go in for Ubislate7+.
Also see-

http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=82014&magid=11

WHY OLPC IS A FAILURE

The OLPC project has failed in its mission. The project is using an overly U.S. mindset that presented solutions not applicable to specific problems of developing nations. It has already been rejected by the Indian government. Any initiatives to get it back shall be detrimental for the country.

The OLPC project has been criticized for allegedly adopting a "one-shot" deployment approach with little or no technical support or teacher training, and for neglecting pilot programs and formal assessment of outcomes in favor of quick deployment. Some authors attribute this unconventional approach to the OLPC promoters' alleged focus on constructivist education and 'digital utopianism'.

The Scandinavian aid organization FAIR proposed setting up computer labs with recycled second-hand computers as a more economical alternative.Computer Aid International doubted the OLPC sales strategy would succeed, citing the "untested" nature of its technology.

 It needs to be remembered that the laptop by itself does not completely fill the need of students in underprivileged countries. The “children’s machines”, as they have been called, have been deployed to several countries, for example Uruguay, Peru, and in the USA, Alabama, but after a relatively short time, their usage has declined considerably, sometimes because of hardware problems or breakage, in some cases, as high as 27% to 33% within the first two years, and sometimes due to a lack of knowledge on the part of the users on how to take full advantage of the machine. The OLPC does not educate the child to self-learn from the device, a major shortcoming that the Aakash-2 device will address.

It is wiser to learn from the experiences of other countries which have burnt their fingers with the OLPC!
http://news.slashdot.org/story/12/04/07/1247250/olpc-project-disappoints-in-peru

AAKASH FOR PHILADELPHIA

The $35 Aakash tablet could soon be on its way to schoolchildren in Philadelphia if talks with an American firm that has shown interest in the project work out fine.Philadelphia-based Wilco Electronics, which is in negotiations with the Union Human Resource Development Ministry that is working on the touchscreen tablet along with its Canadian manufacturer Datawind, is looking to procure the Aakash tablet for use by schoolchildren and disadvantaged sections there.
Brigitte Daniel, executive vice president of Wilco, came to New Delhi late last year to personally see and understand how the tablet works and is learnt to be quite interested in the project.
“I did visit the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) last year to explore the options of partnership and distribution of the Aakash tablet in the US. My company, Wilco Electronic Systems, is currently in stages of exploring a relationship with...Govt of India and/or Datawind (the company responsible for distributing the tablet) and may look to pilot use of the tablets in Philadelphia,” Daniel said in an email to The Indian Express.

“We will be meeting in the US with Datawind early April. We hope to nail down details about this then and see what we can do to get a pilot going in Philadelphia,” Daniel confirmed.
Explaining that she was keen on “testing the device within schools and under-served communities”, Daniel said the number of tablets Wilco will procure would depend on the manufacturing rate of the tablet by the HRD Ministry. Wilco is said to be the primary cable and internet provider for Philadelphia Housing Authority projects and is focused on serving low-income Philadelphians.
Sourced from-
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/aakash-tablet-may-see-launch-in-philadelphia/931432/2