The Indian Cellular Association (ICA) has officially written a letter to the HRD Ministry, pointing out that it is based on outdated technology and inadequate specifications. The Association also continued to add that the project to make cheap tablets should have been handed over to large and integrated global players like, Samsung and Nokia who have global reputation in making similar devices. Instead the project was handed over to DataWind, a lesser company as compared to the likes of Samsung, Nokia etc.

ICA told that the use of resistive touch screen, which is not advised in Android operating systems. The accuracy and speed of input in resistive touch are inadequate and the experience sub-optimal. The association argued the Android 2.2/2.3 used as the operating system in Aakash is already two-three years old and is not optimized for a tablet experience. They have also criticized the use of a processor less than 1.2 GHz.

DataWind is making Aakash Tablets on behalf of the government. They are selling tablets in the range of Rs2500 – 3000. Meanwhile DataWind is challenging other firms to participate in open tenders and come out with a similar product with a similar price tag. Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO of DataWind, was quoted saying, “The cheapest tablets made by ICA members are not less than Rs 15,000. They are most welcome to participate in the forthcoming tenders. Their tablet products don’t serve 97 per cent of the Indian mass market. Ten months after the project was signed, they are now finding fault.”