Cheap Indian Laptop

mobilis_pc.jpg

NEW DELHI, India–Indian technology firm Encore Software will soon offer a low-priced Linux-based mobile computer, the company announced on Tuesday.

In Sri Lanka I always hear that computers are too expensive to reach average people. Which is bullshit. The point of computing is that it’s actually cheaper than physical options. It’s much cheaper to provide Internet to a village than to build a library, print newspapers, run mail services, and provide adequate transportation to work. The Net can also make Trade, Government, Medicine and Education cheaper. The problem isn’t that computers are expensive, it’s that they suck.

The average computer user wants to check their email and maybe type a document. Giving them a $2000 PC with Windows XP is like giving them a shotgun to kill a mosquito. The extra features on a high-end PC are just a 100 ways for the average user to shoot themselves in the foot. Unless you’re doing Photoshop or playing Grand Theft Auto, you’re getting about $200 of value out of that PC.

That’s why a $200-300 laptop makes sense. The main cost is the display, so I’m assuming they got that down to $25-50. After that you slap some cheap components and Linux on it and good to go. People can check their email and edit documents. The Indian Firm Encore has come out with a line of laptops that range from LKR 23,000 – 34,000.

All three products support Indian languages – three of which are included on each model – and offer options for applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, a personal information manager, e-mail, a Web browser, PC synchronization and a text-to-speech engine, Encore said. Mobilis Wireless also has a built-in GPS receiver, and a GPRS wireless modem is offered as an option.

I think you can run almost everything of the Net itself, so the connection is all that matters to me. However, barring that, the thing is cheap and it fits the Sri Lankan market. In 2003 Chanuka did a survey on Rural Internet usage. 2,000 responses, of which he graphed “244 responses extracted from the responses received from five districts namely, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Matale and Hambantota.” This is as close to market research as I’ve seen.

computer_use_lanka.gif

what people use computers for

computer_problems_lanka.gif

problems they have

To quote:

It is noteworthy that the Internet usage is mainly limited to four key exercises; namely receiving news, educational purposes, e-mail and entertainment. Use of Internet for purposes such as e-commerce, business interactions, Internet banking, obtaining e-government and telemedicine services etc., is not widespread. This can be mainly attributed to the lack of websites offering these services.

Among the problems the users face in surfing, high cost of Internet access, difficulties in obtaining support services, technical issues in building and maintaining reliable and fast connections and lack of English knowledge top the rest. Out of these, the price tag attached to web access is significant as 66% of the users term it high and another 25% term very high.

As long as the Mobilis Laptop can provide these services without the problems they should be good to go. Local language is vital, and I think they’re building Tamil support into the box. Sinhala would require going through the existing bureaucracy, which won’t happen unless someone hacks it in. Running Linux though, so not a problem. I think LKLUG already has a Sinhala implementation. Of course, a computer is not Internet in itself, but it does get us close to the last mile. I would, however, venture that this cheap laptop market only has 2 years before Cell-Phones eat their lunch.

I am not selling this laptop, do not contact me with requests to buy it

29 Comments

  1. i am intrested in knowing more deatails about the laptop, the rate structure. kindly send me the details on my email .

    Regards,

    Venus

  2. Please send me some moore spefications about the Labtop
    Thank you
    Claudia

  3. Hello , i am pulkit
    how do we buy this laptop
    please tell me all the information about this laptop
    ok , by emai
    i daily check it

  5. I would like to know more on this product

  6. Dear Sirs,
    I am an accountant. I am running a small business of writing accounts for parties. I am intereted in your lap top computer product as it will save me space and time in carting their data to my end. Please do let me know your lowest price. My accounting package does not need any other software other than DOS.
    Do reply.

  7. Hello respected one

    I am Dr.Navtej Singh. Very much interested in buying this computer . You can tell me how and when I can by my e-mail address.

    Thanks

    Sincerely
    Navtej

  10. I am Student of Computer And Information Techonolgy (Enggineering) Please
    Send details on these two addresses
    Sh Arvind Sharma
    #316-17 Shivalik Avenue Phase 1-A Postal code 140126
    Naya Nangal Disst.Ropar ( Punjab)
    India
    Sh Varinder Kumar Joshi
    # 1 Type-3 Income Tax Coloney
    Jalandhar (Punjab)
    India

  11. I am not nor will I ever be selling this or any other laptop. There’s a contact for Encore above

  12. India, your blog heading seems to have top ranked google’s search index… !!
    Doesn’t seem a bad idea to capitalize on this businees opportunity by accepting some computer laptop ads from google on ur home page.. :-)

  13. Hai Great India,

    My name is Ishaq Muhammad, Deal in Computerss, Laptops & other Computer Assorraries, Belong to the Northern Area of Pakistan Skardu (Baltistan). Presently working in Rawalpindi Near Islamabad. I want to Promote Indina Computer Technology In pakistan bcoz China & Japensies Technology are too much Expensive specially laptops as compared to India. Therefore, i want to introduces Cheap price Laptops made by India with Warranty & after sale service and also spare parts. What India can help us. And how can we do it Bcoz we wnat to do this. My cell No. 92-0321-5172927,
    92-51-4845308

  14. I am from Yemen, and I want to represent your company in Yemen, Therefore, I want to identify requirements required from my part to get this deals (distribution and the provision of after-sales service ) with company Products( India’s Mobilis Laptop).

  15. hahah this is hilarious.Indi.these guys just dont seem to get the point huh.HE DOESNT SELL THE LAPTOP OR HE DOESNT WORK FOR THE COMAPANY.HE JUST PUBLISHED A BLOG ABOUT.
    wait let me make it easy for u guys….

    If u write an article about sha ruk kan..he s not ur brother!! now do u get it? hope u do..heheh

  17. being a bioinformatics student,i need a laptop..my budget is upto 40-42k.i think that i can get a p4 or p-m processor with good confi.but still i couldnot get satisfactory models on net..

  18. TO WHOM SOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

    DEAR ,

    I AM A SMALL BUSINESSMAN & LOOKING AFTER GOOD DURABLE & RUF & TUFF LAPTOP AT VERY REASONABLE PRICE IN THE RANGE OF RS. 10000/- TO RS. 15000/-

    I NEED FOR MY SON ALSO FOR HIS EDUCATION .

    PLS LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF LAPTOP.

    THANKING YOU,

  19. Hi,

    Few of our IT group friends seeking cheap laptops for own use.
    Do forward any specification details to my mail ID regarding Laptop Processor, RAM, HDD etc features.

    Regards,
    Sujeet

  20. I thought this is the best way by which each and every person can use that,
    but the again problem is the net facility ,
    you can down the price of computer, but for proper use of computer networking
    facilities should also came down…..

    and I congrates the whole team and thanks – to think about a comman people.( that is the base of India ).

  21. i m interested to know about these laptops. i would like to know the way to purchase them alongwith the indian rupee price.

  22. sir i beg a latest laptop free plz accept my call

  25. please send me the details of the laptop and the price tag alongwith the procedure to obtain it

  27. Good article. Do encourage the discussion and requests to buy on your blog – its doing great for your ranking and is a great checkpoint for anyone who is considering selling one.

    Btw I wonder if the olpc project has taken hold on the subcontinent.

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