If you go to the two sites that sell "simputer".. one of them (amida) sells a color screen based contraption with modem and other necessary peripherals to make it work at $650 or so plus taxes and the other one (netcore) at about half the price (though I am not sure about the screen quality)..
unless it is produced in larger lot sizes.. at least 100 times larger than current production it price can not be halved.. Its possible that at over 10 million unit lots its cost can be brought down to about $150 or under.. presuming such scale will necessitate various management responses that will focus on cost reduction to make it competitive.. but production can be scaled up only in response to demand.. On 12/9/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > We could include in the conversation that we hope will follow udayasan's > mail, > some of these issues > 1. what would be a more compelling device or device + application that > would > benefit the user, and resurrect the simputer, both notion and product. So > far it > has been discussed on this forum as a technology statement, which it might > well > be. But how that technology benefits its intended audience and prospective > patronage is not immediately apparent. What does the future of/for such > devices > look like? Are they going to become expensive converged devices like > smartphones? Or should they evolve into a completely different archetype. > > Would people buy it to watch movies, for e.g.? Entertainment is high > priority > for everyone, and the media does educate/ inform in subliminal ways, > making the > viewer/ interactor smarter with time and use. > > 2. How does it compare in terms of price with the MIT media lab $100 > laptop? > Price would be one of the biggest decisions making parameters. What can > the > developers do to keep the costs down to a minimum. Does an ecosystem exist > for > making the design low cost in India. > > 3. Equally importantly how does it compare in terms of function with > similar > market devices? Negroponte's laptop has a large screen, a full keyboard, > and a > battery with a foldable wind-up. > > Vinay > > > > > -----Satish Jha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I find it a very interesting posting and suggestions and critique like > this > can help evolve a "product".. > It will be good to see a well considered response to this post from those > who are engaged in its development. > Thanks > > > On 12/5/05, Udayasan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Hi to the top brass and folks at Simputer, > > > > > > I am yet to see a simputer but the media seems to assure me that it > > is a wonderful device. OK it was made for the masses much like LPG > > was intended for the rural areas. > > > > I believe that the costs come to almost 9000 rs, a price level the PC > > is bound to drop to. So when will the Simputer reach critical mass?. > > I am told that only 4000 have been sold..... > -- > Satish Jha > Special Adviser, Kofi Annan Centre for Excellence in ICTs > Principal Adviser, vMoksha Technologies > Co-Chair, Economic Opportunities Commission, WITFOR > Management Consultant - Technology Strategy, Management and > Program/Project > Management > www.vmoksha.com; www.dpindia.org; www.aiti-kace.com.gh; www.witfor.org > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/simputer/ > > <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > -- Satish Jha Special Adviser, Kofi Annan Centre for Excellence in ICTs Principal Adviser, vMoksha Technologies Co-Chair, Economic Opportunities Commission, WITFOR Management Consultant - Technology Strategy, Management and Program/Project Management www.vmoksha.com; www.dpindia.org; www.aiti-kace.com.gh; www.witfor.org _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
