25,000 Aakash tablets booked by Mumbai University

After almost a week of distress, things seem to be looking up for India's maiden attempt at low-cost computing. Reports now confirm that the tablet still has many takers. According toThe Economic Times, the Mumbai University has booked for almost 25,000 units of the Aakash tablet, with each tablet roughly costing around Rs.1,138. The university claims to have received these requests from over 90 colleges and departments that fall under the university's jurisdiction. That's not all. Reports also confirm that several requests have also been coming across from relatively far-flung places, like Alibaug, bearing testimony to the fact that, despite glitches and shortcomings, the tablet's still managing to stir the masses. Reportedly, Mumbai's Vivek College, located in suburban Goregaon has received the highest number of applications from its students, some 2,262 of them.

Things looking up! 

While the existing numbers are high, the university is hopeful that the number is poised to only grow further. As a part of the scheme, initiated by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, who have been the visionaries of this project, this initiative will see students across the state get access to this affordable technology. The scheme, reportedly has been made available to all universities across the state. In a circular issued last month, students from several colleges across the university have been asked to contact the respective heads, to avail the tablets.

The tablet has been subjected to a lot of criticism over the past few days, over issues of poor performance, less than satisfactory battery life, delays, among other things. Only a while back, we also reported the interest of the Andhra Pradesh government in the project, and their plans of promoting e-learning through it. To know all about the Aakash tablet, click here.