This week, with the official launch – Aakash 2 tablet has definitely created shocking waves in the tech arena by debuting at a subsidised price of Rs 1,130 for students. Also, commercial version of the tablet dubbed as UbiSlate 7Ci is priced very economically at Rs 4,499.
- Running on Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread operating system
- Screen size 7 inches
- Resistive touch screen
- 700 MHz Cortex A8 processor
- 256 Mb of RAM, 2Gb internal storage
- Memory card slot, expandable up to 32 GB
- 3200 m Ah battery
- WI-FI and GPRS network connectivity with SIM support
- USB ports for connectivity and data transfer and 3G modem connection
- HD video playback and streaming, thanks to its HD video co-processor
- Mp3 format support
- Office documents and PDF support
The processor on the Aakash 2 is twice as fast as its previous version and the Android operating system is upgraded from 2.2.2 Froyo to the more popular and stable 2.3.3 Gingerbread. This alone would boost its speed and overall performance to a great extent. Other interesting fact is that it’s got a HD video co-processor which means that watching full HD videos is also possible on this one, without much hassle.
The most welcome change in the tablet however has to be the SIM card and GPRS functionality. This would enable the device to be connected to internet whenever required through a cellular service provider and not depend on the availability of WI-FI. The makers are also providing a data plan at Rs. 98 for 2GB of monthly usage. Also a very nice touch is that the tablet can now recognize 3G USB modem or a 3G stick as well as a USB webcam, enabling 3G connectivity on the tablet along with video chat option. The most important change, for most people would be the better battery backup and an improved RAM performance.
All of the above features along with a good document and PDF viewer and editor, makes Aakash 2 a good package overall for all those who cannot afford the iPads and playbooks. Students too get a complete advantage of reading e-books on it and making presentations and submitting them while doing the necessary research online. At Rs. 2999, what more can you ask for….really!
