A more powerful device doesn't mean more power in their hands. You could give them a p3 but that p3 will only have value as long as they're actually getting something out of the power. I did see
Now thats what I meant in my earlier mail (Arnold theory ;-) Unless they are using the tremendous power offered by the StrongARM, its a waste.
the simputer at IISc in Bangalore and from what I could see, this has tremendous value as a information dissemination device. Philip was right in saying that the primary use is likely to be for output rather than input. This is definitely not a pathetic product.
Thats where you are wrong Mayank, the simputer is too sick as a information dissemination device, its best suited as a information gathering device.
And as I said earlier, in the current state that they have positioned the Simputer, its not worth the hype.
You should check out this India today article http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20010219/adapters.shtml. It shows fisherman in kerala using GPS positining devices as well as [snip] Please don't make the mistake of assuming that since they're poor and illiterate, they cannot ever learn to use a simple device like the simputer.
Mayank you are going at tangents... What made you think that I am assuming "since people are poor they cannot ever learn to use a simple device"? What I have mentioned is, the person will have to learn an extra script, and the device is certainly not worth that effort. But the Simputer certainly isn't simple enough nor is it sophisticated enough, it hangs somewhere in between with no identity what so ever. GPS positioning devices are one of the most sophisticated instruments I have come across and they are _verrrry_ expensive.
Relevant question here is whether there will be people who are willing to manufacture the device and also provide the content that is essential to the receiver of the content. I don't think a farmer in North India would be interested in the prices of fish down in kerala. The device is here as it the technology, but when do we see it in the hands of the masses?
People would be willing to manufacture it if they just want to hop on to the bandwagon, else they would want to manufacture it if the device makes some business sense.
Regarding receiving content: Well don't you think it to be stupid not to include a wireless interface _inside_ a handheld portable device? But since they wanted to keep the costs low they had to put in a standard modem which hooks on to a phone line, now if the person wants to surf he has to be sitting near a phone jack, so what the heck, why not add a keyboard, mouse and an inexpensive monitor, and voila, you have an ultra low cost desktop.
I don't see it in the hands of the masses in its current state, somehow I think the designers got their basic concepts wrong.
~Mayuresh