New Delhi: Suneet Singh Tuli, founder of DataWind, a UK-based company, has revolutionised the world of technology — he launched the world's cheapest tablet, Aakash, priced $35 (Dh128) in October.
Created for students, the tablet is a part of an ambitious plan by the government to make information and communication technologies an integral part of education. And for that reason, it will waive duties to help minimise the cost of its production.
Commenting that it costs, "as much as a vegetarian meal for two at a five-star hotel in Delhi," Tuli admitted he had no plans to compete with the Apple iPad.
"Our target is not the iPad customer. We are focusing on people who will buy ten tablets for the price of an iPad. It can be given to field sales force or students for internet access, taking notes, watching HD videos and even making calls."
With strong investors behind him, Tuli is upbeat as he says that half of DataWind is family-owned and the rest is with institutional investors. DataWind has its own chip foundry in Montreal, Canada, and engineering facilities in London and Amritsar.
Gulf News interviewed the entrepreneur, who also makes the PocketSurfer, a hand-held device to surf the web.
GULF NEWS: Who chose the name Aakash and when do you propose to go on sale with the tablet PC in India?
SUNEET SINGH TULI: The name Aakash derives from the Hindi word ‘sky', and is given to the version of the tablet by the Indian government. The tablet is already being delivered to the government. The open-market consumer version is called the UbiSlate7 and is the next-generation Aakash. It will go on sale in January or February.
Which other countries are you targeting? And why?
By providing low-cost devices and internet access, we hope to bridge the digital divide in both developed and developing countries. Over the next six months we expect to launch in the US, the UK, a number of European countries and developing countries in South East Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Having become a household name overnight, does it give you a jittery feeling to match up with people's expectations in the long run?
On the contrary, we are absolutely delighted and all geared up. The exposure and coverage only confirm our belief that there is a huge demand for affordable devices aimed at the masses. The UbiSlate7 allows users to tap into quality internet access using existing low-speed cellphone networks — something that many in the developing world do have access to. We are expecting to release an updated version every six months.
What about apps providers?
We believe that one of the keys to success will be a healthy eco-system of applications and contents. We are undertaking several initiatives in this arena, one of which is fostering an entrepreneurial culture among the student community. If they design a useful application, which is selected, it will be pre-burned in millions of tablets to be shipped out by DataWind. This will prove to be a money-spinner for a student who will get royalties from the usage of application on the tablet.
Though the cost of producing Aakash will be Rs3,000 (Dh207) per piece, you intend making it available for college students at Rs1,750. How will you recover the cost?
The cost of producing Aakash is not Rs3,000; that is the price it is being sold at. The lower price point for students is due to a government subsidy.
Do you think it is the ultimate people's tablet?
Yes, the UbiSlate7 is a device that will enable affordable internet access for the masses, and will level the playing field between rich and poor.
When did you bid for it?
In January 2010, while travelling from Amritsar to London, I read in a newspaper that India had issued an open tender and no company was able to deliver at that price. At that time we were already developing tablets and thought we had missed the bus. But when we called up the Ministry of Human Resource and Development and they said the closing date was February 16. We worked day and night showcasing about 100 samples to the government. And finally won.
How come you gained where other companies saw a loss and the deal fell through with them? What has been your USP?
Our product's Unique Selling Proposition is its low price, which is less than the price of most phones. It is the most economic tablet in the market, and the value a user gets in terms of features for his money, is unbeatable. Our spotlight has been on the entry-level customer, while most large firms look only for high-end customers.
Before Aakash did any projects you ventured into fail?
Failure is a concept invented by humans. I tend to look at all events as either successes or learning experiences.
How do you deal with people who ask you to come up with weird technological solutions?
I look at all solutions, whether normal or weird, with an open mind. Revolutions often begin with unimaginable ideas, and unimaginable ideas are more often weird than normal.
