Aakash 3 tablet probably to have SIM slot, more exciting apps

Aakash 3 tablet probably to have SIM slot, more exciting appsAakash 3, the third edition of the low-cost tablet computer Aakash, will offers a number of new apps, a faster processor and probably a SIM card slot, an expert involved in the project revealed.

Deepak B Phatak, a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, said the Aakash 3 would have several new, more exciting apps such as one that will tell pulse rate, and a faster processor that would support both Linux and Android operating systems.

Revealing the features of the third-generation Indian tablet, Phatak added, "It could also have a SIM card slot so that people can use it as a communication device."

He added that they aimed to imbibe the usage of tablet computers in the education system and generate an ecosystem for this. The development team has asked users of the existing Aakash tablets for feedback so that it could know newer ways in which the students want to use the device. The tablet has so far been distributed to students of 250 colleges across India.

As many as 50 lakh Aakash 3 tablets are expected to be released in the next phase, for which a global tender may be published in February 2013.

There is also proposal to launch two version of the Aakash 3 - one for school students and the other for college students. Professor Phatak said that the version for school students could be made available at the existing price tag of Rs 2,236, while other model could be priced higher. However, currently there is no consensus on the proposal.