Aakash Tablet Vs. IIT Jodhpur: The Battle Of Standards & Quality?

Aakash Tablet, the #-Link-Snipped-# isn't making reviewers at IIT Jodhpur happy. London based Datawind - the company that manufactures the Aakash Tablet has said that the tablet cannot meet the proposed testing criteria by IIT Jodhpur. According to #-Link-Snipped-#report, the test criteria includes 'water resistance'. IIT Jodhpur expects the tablet to sustain rain not less 4"/hour. What makes this an interesting news is that the tablet has been developed by collaboration between Datawind & IIT Jodhpur (Rajasthan). Looks like IIT Rajasthan isn't happy with the quality of tablet designed by them, but developed by Datawind.


Aakash Tablet - Rain Proof?

Datawind CEO, Mr. Sunit Sing Tuli says that Aakash Tablets cannot be compared with the $1000 tablets or laptop computers available in the market. He also claims that his company has developed a product with better specifications than what was issued by IIT Jodhpur. He further adds that the newly proposed testing criteria by IIT is actually based military specification of a rugged product (toughbook). Datawind is in talks with IIT Jodhpur officials to discuss the criteria and hopes that the criteria will be revised.

Our take: The 'water resistant' criteria seems 'too much' for a $35 tablet, given that even the iPad isn't water resistant. Aakash tablet may just deliver what it promises for the price - an education + entertainment tablet with good connectivity options. But those who aren't happy with the Aakash product, you now surely know how to get rid of it. Oh well, we're just kidding!