A rehashed version of the world’s cheapest tablet is going to be launched in the market in October 2012. It is priced at only Rs 1,960 or $35, a price not many people will relate to an electronic device.

Akash 2 has got much better reviews than the initial version of the tablet. There were only 8,000 of the former 100,000 units shipped of Akash 1. 
Vivek Wadhwa, an Indian American technology entrepreneur and academic has been much impressed with the tablet. “It has the potential of revolutionising India,” he said, as reported by Hindustan Times, “putting millions of Indians on the Net instantly.”

The WiFi-only version will cost the government $41, and will be sold to students at a subsidised $35.

A version with a SIM slot, called UbiSlate, will be available commercially for around $63. DataWind has already been able to line up 3.5 million bookings.
 

Aakash 2 was built in close technological cooperation with IIT Bombay.
 

The current order-book is 100,000 units. Eventually, the government plans to buy 5 million units, which could drive prices down to sub-$20 levels.