Datawind launches two new tablets, starting Rs. 2,999:-

 UK-based Datawind, which had bagged a contract for supplying low-cost tablet 'Aakash' to the government, launched two new tablets in the price range of Rs. 3,000-4,000, considered to be amongst the cheapest in the market.

Dubbed as UbiSlate 7 and 7C, these tablets feature a 7-inch display, 256MB of RAM and are powered by Cortex A8 800 MHz processor.  The tablets also come with a 3200 mAh battery and are powered by Android Gingerbread (v 2.3). In terms of connectivity, both support GPRS as well as Wi-Fi.

The only difference between these two devices is that UbiSlate 7 comes with a 2GB of internal memory and has a resistive touchscreen, while the UbiSlate 7C has 4GB of internal memory and comes with capacitive touchscreen.

Datawind, which had run into problems with the IIT Rajasthan and its sub-contractor Quad Electronics for the much-touted 'Aakash' claimed that it has already done 30 lakh bookings for the new tablets launched in the commercial market.

"We will first deliver pre-bookings, which are over 30 lakh ," Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli told reporters here.

Tuli did not agree with the perception that the tablet market in India was not growing.

"We are getting around 8,000 orders...". When asked whether all these bookings are genuine purchase orders, since no advance payment is required, he said "conversion (from pre-to-firm bookings) is 88 per cent".