DataWind began producing the UbiSlate 7+ tablet a few years ago. They unveiled the Ubislate 7C was released in November of 2011. It was originally only released in India. These were billed as “$35 laptops” even though they aren’t laptops and they cost more than USD $35. The UbiSlate 7C originally cost about USD $60, but the Indian government subsidized the device in order to get it down to that USD $35 price point. The goal was to get the tablet into as many hands as possible. DataWind is bringing their ultra-low-cost tablet option to the U.S. now, with a price tag of only $37.99.
Before you get really excited about this $38 Android tablet, take a deep breath and check out these specs. The UbiSlate 7Ci tablet has a 7-inch screen and is powered by a single-core ARM processor with 512 MB of RAM. It comes with 4 GB of internal storage runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It packs a front-facing VGA camera and only comes in a Wi-Fi variant. Yes, it’s cheap. And yes, it’s really low-end. But that’s about all that you get.
There are some other options available if you’re in the market for a low-cost tablet, though. The UbiSlate 7C+ is a bit of a step up, with the same specs but adding an EDGE data connection. EDGE? Really? Ok, it’s only $79.99, or $99.99 if you get it with a year of wireless connectivity. Then there’s the UbiSlate 3G7 that comes with 3G data and will let you make phone calls. This tablet has upgraded specs, too. It comes with a 1024 x 600 resolution display, dual-core 1.2 GHz CPU, a 2-megapixel camera and GPS. The UbiSlate 3G7 will set you back $129.99, or $149.99 with a year of data connection.
These tablets are aimed squarely at the cost conscious segment here in the U.S. They probably won’t provide you with good performance but they will get you a cheap Android tablet. As tech nerds we sometimes scoff at the idea of a device that doesn’t have the newest high-end specs. We may not be the demographic that these tablets are aimed at, but there is a market for devices like the ones that DataWind is offering. You can find all of these tablet options on the UbiSlate site.