The Simputer, a handheld device launched by PicoPeta Simputers last year was probably the first to try and fill this gap. The hype that surrounded its launch was overwhelming, with several reports in the press, reviews and even a Yahoo! group to discuss the device. Priced at about Rs 9000 (in large units) the Simputer has been specifically designed to reach rural Indians in a bid to close the digital divide.

Following in line is the KAII (meaning the hand, in Kannada), which is pegged as the first PDA (personal digital assistant) to be designed and developed in the country. But instead of targeting rural India, this device will be going out to a global market, including India. The company is set for a developers' launch this December.

In 2001, iNabling Technologies had also launched a device called the istation. A simple device, it allowed one to send and receive text-based email without a PC or an ISP. One of its unique features included sending mails in Indian languages - Tamil, Hindi and Kannada. However, this report indicated troubled times for the company behind istation. Calls and emails asking for information to their office also drew a blank.

While istation was a simple communications device, what Aparate offers in terms of low costing computing to the business world is much more. Large enterprises can use the portable Aparate (developed by Sasken) to link those on the field to the headquarters. Employees can be in constant touch, log in their sales, data collected and procure information needed for the task at hand. The device is a Linux based platform that can be customised in terms of screen size, connectivity and applications and is planning on a release early next year.

Rediff Guide to the Net profiles the KAII, Aparate and Simputer.

KAII

According to Devesh Agarwal, managing director of Infomart (India) Ltd (the company behind the KAII), the device has been developed for a global audience, India being just another market. The unique 'USB (Universal Serial Bus) Host control' feature allows it to be used as a low-cost alternative to the home computer or corporate special purpose workstation. Agarwal claims that several companies from USA, France, Germany, Korea, Australia, Middle East have expressed interest in procuring KAII for vertical applications or for general-purpose PDA applications.

Salient Features:

• Power management: Power management system to ensure battery life at least twice that of any PocketPC available.
• USB host control: Allows you to connect USB mouse, keyboard, external hard disk etc.
• Mass customisation: Allows customers to choose software and hardware components.
• High-end features of a PocketPC but available at the cost of a Palm.

• Pharmaceutical companies: Medical representatives can capture data and make sales presentations. It facilitates a two-way flow of information between the company and its field representatives.
• Financial institutions and insurance companies with a large mobile sales force can contact field representatives and capture, store, and access sales-related data.
• Media agencies and journalists can browse the Web to research and file stories while on the move.
• Market research firms can capture information directly from the source and upload it on to a central server.