The $46 Android-running Aakash is the cheapest tablet in the world

The “$35 tablet” project has finally started bearing fruit as today the first Datawind-made slate was announced. Called Aakash, the slate actually costs $46 dollars, runs on Android 2.2 Froyo and comes with a 7″ resistive touchscreen.



The first edition of the Aakash tablet will be exclusively manufactured for the Indian government (which plans to distribute it to students around the country) and comes with a really modest 366 MHz CPU, but packs a dedicated GPU.

The available RAM is 256 MB and there’s also a microSD card slot and two USB ports on board. The 2100 mAh battery inside the Aakash slate should offer between 2 and 3 hours of power autonomy. The initial order for that one is for 100, 000 units, with the total production expected to reach several million.

The company promises that a retail version of the slate will come up in November. It will come with a more decently sounding 600 MHz CPU and will cost $61.

Both Aakash versions will come with a 12 month replacement warranty, but unfortunately neither will have access to the Android market. The manufacturer has come up with its own app repository, but we are yet to see if that is any good.