The Amida Simputer is a brand new handheld computer from India. It runs on a Linux and X Windows base, with a 206MHz processor, 64MB of RAM, 32MB of “permanent storage” (flash memory, I’d assume), and a pair of USB ports.
Among the more innovative features is a built-in accelerometer, which allows the user to control applications by moving the handheld around or wiggling it in certain directions. For example, flicking your wrist a bit can turn pages in an electronic book, or rotating the device ninety degrees switches between portrait and landscape display of images.
It comes with a vast array of applications, from the usual date book and memo pad, to “Panchanga”, an astrology program for planning events during auspicious times of day. It’s got support for English, Hindi, and Kannada text, and if the screen shots are any indication, it looks like you can annotate most applications by scribbling digital ink directly over the application.
I’m curious what the reaction at PalmSource and Microsoft is. If the Amida works as well as advertised, it’s easily competetive with high-end handhelds running Palm OS or Windows Mobile. Amida appears to be primarily targeted at the Indian market, but given that it’s already a trilingual device, it could become another important player in the global mobile devices market.
There are three versions available: a high-end consumer model with 64K-color TFT screen, a low-end consumer model with a greyscale screen, and an enterprise model with a greyscale screen and fewer bells and whistles. They’re shipping around the world, and if I could afford to drop US$480 on a whim, I’d be tempted to pick up the high-end Amida 4200.
via Slashdot
One Comment
It’s nice to know that people from around the world are all working toward easier economical gadgets and computers, I think google should look at that to join their 100$ computer.