# $75 Tablet PCs The Aakash Computer is Meant to Modernize the Indian Countryside By Omar Yusuf | Published 2011-10-06 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aakash References: [washingtonpost](http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/india-announces-35-tablet-computer-to-help-lift-villagers-out-of-poverty/2011/10/05/gIQAPT8PNL_story.html) & [economictimes.indiatimes](http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/hardware/aakash-worlds-cheapest-tablet-launched-to-be-sold-for-60-in-retail/articleshow/10244352.cms) Holding the multitouch, shock-proof Aakash triumphantly above his head, India's Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal exclaimed, “To every child in India I carry this message: Aim for the sky and beyond. There is nothing holding you back!" Sibal's proclamation, which he followed by handing out 650 tablets to eager students, reflects a major shift in the direction of the tech industry. Manufacturers are veering away from gaudy, flashy gadgets and are converging their efforts toward building [cheap, economic devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/galaxy-tab) for the Majority World. Developer Datawind is selling the Aakash ("Sky" in Hindi) tablet to government institutions for $45 and subsidies will reduce the price to a fair $35, making it approximately 14 times cheaper than [Apple's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ipad-a16-bionic) cheapest [iPad](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/latest-ipad-air). Although Datawind has explained that their factories can only produce 100,000 units a month for now, the production of Aakash tablets represents a laudable effort to close India's vast digital gap. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 25% | Activity: 76% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Activism](https://www.trendhunter.com/activism) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **$75 Tablet Pcs:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing affordable tablet PCs for the Majority World market. - **Cheap Economic Devices:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Shifting focus from expensive gadgets to building cost-effective devices for emerging markets. - **Closing the Digital Gap:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Bridging the digital divide by providing affordable technology solutions to underserved populations. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Tech Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Revolutionizing the tech industry by manufacturing low-cost tablet PCs. - **Electronics Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating a new market for cheap, economic devices in the electronics industry. - **Education Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Enhancing education accessibility through the adoption of affordable tablet PCs in the education industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Affordable New-Generation Tablets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ipad-a16-bionic.md) - [Education-Minded Tablet Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lenovo-tab-p12.md) - [Large Format Tablets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ktc-inch-android-display.md) - [Budget-Friendly Tablets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hipad-max.md) - [Projector-Boasting Tablets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rugged-projector-tablets.md) - [Large-Screen Android Tablets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oscal-pad-18.md) - [Military Child Education Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/child-education-initiative.md) - [Entry-Level Creative Tablets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chromebook-tab-510.md) - [Powerful New-Generation Tablets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/onenetbook-t1.md)