Simputer

The Simputer is a small inexpensive handheld computer, intended to bring computing power to the poor masses of India and other developing countries. The device was designed by the Simputer Trust, a non-profit organization formed in November 1999. The word "Simputer" stands for "simple, inexpensive and multilingual computer", and is a trademark of the Simputer Trust.

It uses a StrongARM processor powered by three AAA batteries, has 32 or 64 mebibytes of RAM, 32 MB of flash memory and can use cheap removable smartcards, each able to hold 8KB of data. It includes text-to-speech software and runs the Linux operating system. Similar in appearance to the Palm Pilot class of handheld computers, the touch sensitive screen is operated on with a stylus; simple handwriting recognition software is provided by the program tap-a-tap. The Simputer specifications are released under an open distribution license called the Simputer General Public License or the SGPL. Pilot production of the Simputer started in September 2002. The target price is $200 to $400.

External links:

• http://www.simputer.org/
• BBC News, 10 September, 2001 Computer deal for India's poor (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1535992.stm)
• Outlook India, September 22, 2002: Pilot production of Simputer begins (http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=85140)