India’s federal government plans on spending more than $2.7bn to help bridge the technological gap between its urban and rural areas. It’s goal: develop a voice-activated, low-cost computer. The need? More than 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas, where illiteracy is high.
The new device might resemble the two-year old Simputer — a handheld computer that reads web pages aloud in native Indian languages. This Linux-based handheld, with a price point of $200, has not yet found a market.
India will also soon launch a Web portal for corporations to deal directly with the government; the goal of the portal is to reduce corruption.
Links: BBC; IDG Singapore; Newindpress (India)
