Cheap Tablet Computing

[robkelk]

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010 ... cheap.html]India designs $35 computer.

"[F]alling hardware costs and intelligent design make the price tag plausible." Now that's an example of intelligent design I can believe in!
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Sweno]

Sadly I have not seen the price of these things fall when it comes to production.

Remember OLPC? It was originally spec-ed at $100, after figuring out all the production problems they now sell for $200.

Do I think they can make a sub-$100 tablet? sure!

I just think it will end up costing around $70 by the time they are done.

The Indian govt. may end up subsidizing part of the cost (not a bad idea if you want to kickstart standard of living). So I can foresee this selling at the $50-$60 mark.

Which will still be a very cool thing. But getting it down to $10? not in the next 5 years.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

[Black Aeronaut]

Still, that's a pretty laudable goal.

My only issue with tablet PCs is the vulnerability of the screens themselves. Not a day goes by that I don't see an iPhone or an iPod Touch with a f&*@ed up screen on my ship (some are epically spider-webbed). And I don't care about those fancy-schmancy Otter Skins. Still too easy in my experience for a protruding object (say, a CO2 Fire Bottle) to knick that sucker right in the middle where the case doesn't protect it.

All that said, what's being done to ruggedize these things and yet still maintain their touch sensitivity and precision?

(The only things I have in my possession that have touch screens are my Nintendo DS, and my Toshiba Biblio Phone.  I've dropped the phone several times and the touchscreen display refuses to break.)

[paladindythe]

Surprisingly, the iPad is pretty easy to hang on to. I just got one as a tank you gift from my unit as I move onto civilian life, and back to college.

[Black Aeronaut]

Paladin, I live on an industrial platform that, under normal operating conditions, is in constant motion.

Although this might do the job of keeping it safe.

[Wiregeek]

Dell.com/streak

I'm sure there will be a proper case for it soon, I'll most likely get mine from boxwave.com along with an extended battery..

fits in your pocket = much less likely to go skating about the room.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies