India Launches ‘World’s Cheapest’ Tablet

India hopes that the launch of what is being called “the world’s cheapest tablet computer” will help tens of thousands of low-income students connect to the digital world.

The $45 device with a seven-inch color touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity, and two USB ports is meant to bridge the digital divide in a country where only three percent of the population has computers.

The world’s cheapest computer is called “Aakash,” the Hindi word for sky. It was the brainchild of the Indian government, which put out an offer for it to be developed. While made by a British-based company, the tablets are being assembled in India.