TechGazing

Yep, you got that headline right. The folks at DataWind (the same gents who gave us the PocketSurfer) have come up with a netbook with an Internet package for a year (30 hours per month)   - all for a piffling Rs 7999. Called the UbiSurfer, the device comes with an inbuilt modem and a sim card that will connect users to Tata Indicom’s CDMA network all over India. On the spec front, it has a 7 inch display, a full standard 80-key keyboard, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, a USB port, 128 MB RAM, 1 GB onboard flash memory storage (and 50GB online), dual speakers and an onboard office suite, all powered by Windows 6 CE(an OS seen in GPS and other mobile devices running Windows Mobile) - all that in a sleek package that tips the scales at around 700 grammes. And that’s not all - the company claims that thanks to its data compression technology, the device will be able to access the Internet at very high speeds, even on slow networks. Finally, if you think that 30 hours a month is too little for your Internet needs, go ahead and take an unlimited package that will let you surf the Net as much as you want - for Rs 99 per month!

All of which sounds nothing short of awesome, we admit (we would have liked the battery life to be more than 3 hours, though). So awesome that we are actually wondering if the device can deliver on its promise. If it does, it could well prove to be a major headache for netbook manufacturers all over the country as it seems to serve up staggering value for not too much money  - after all, a decent netbook costs anything upwards of Rs 15,000 these days and unlimited mobile Internet connectivity (provided by a data card, whether high-speed or normal/slow speed) can put you back by upwards of  around Rs 500 per month, not to mention the cost of the card itself, which works out to be in the region of Rs 2,000.

“Our goal was to deliver the real web, fast, free, anytime and everywhere.  The UbiSurfer is another step in the Company’s vision of taking the internet to the masses. This device is going to revolutionize the way we work, play, communicate and take advantage of the wireless Web,” said Suneet S. Tuli, President and CEO of DataWind, at the launch of the device.

Bold words, those. But the device, on paper (we hasten to add), seems capable of living up to them. We are not saying any more until we get our review unit.