AFRO-NETS> Simputer to be Launched in Africa, Middle East Markets

[Don Osborn <dzo@bisharat.net>]

Simputer to be Launched in Africa, Middle East Markets
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By Sudeshna Banerjee, Indo-Asian News Service
 
New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) - Simputer, a hand-held computing device de-
veloped in India to take Internet to the rural masses, is set to be 
launched in the Middle East and African markets soon, its promoter 
said Monday.
 
"We are looking at the market potentials of Africa and the Middle 
East to give out Simputer for contract manufacturing," said Vinay 
Deshpande, chairman and chief executive officer of Encore Software.
 
"We are currently looking at volume demand in those markets so that 
manufacturing becomes a cheaper option," Deshpande, whose firm is one 
of the two key licence holders of the Simputer, told IANS on the 
sidelines of a business summit here.
 
Deshpande and two of Encore's other co-founders are part of the Sim-
puter Trust, which developed the device with a group of computer sci-
entists from Bangalore's prestigious Indian Institute of Science.
 
The Simputer, or Simple, Inexpensive, Multilingual Computer, is 
slightly larger than a regular handheld personal computer and uses 
the free-to-use Linux operating system.
 
In India, Encore has already entered into manufacturing tie-ups with 
TVS Electronics and Peninsular Electronics in the state of Karnataka.
 
The company is also scouting for a third manufacturer in the state, 
and the deal is likely to be finalised in the next few days, said 
Deshpande.
 
Encore has already entered into a joint venture agreement with Singa-
pore Economic Development Board to manufacture the device. "The idea 
is to manufacture and market Simputer at a competitive price," 
Deshpande said.
 
Simputer, which is currently being promoted only in educational in-
stitutions in India, is expected to hit the domestic market in a big 
way next month.

--
Indo-Asian News Service

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