Simputer Story.
Email this pageWhen the invention of the Simputer (Simple Computer) was announced in 2001, it instantly captured the imagination of the world. So much so, that the venerable New York Times called it the most important invention of 2001 ahead of Apples G4 and Microsofts Windows XP operating system.
Not only was the vision behind the Simputer stunningly ambitious (to bring computing to the gigabyte-less masses, as the London Guardian put it), but here was a computer that was rewriting every rule associated with computers.
- Where traditional computers demanded computer literacy the Simputer aimed to be, well... Simple.
- Other computers demanded a profound knowledge of English: this one was multilingual.
- Other computers either stayed rooted to a desk, or weighed several kilos; but the Simputer fit snugly your shirt pocket& and your wallet
- Most innovations in other computers were zealously protected by an endless array of patents; but any one could buy a Simputer license and manufacture one. Heck, the inventors actually hated monopolies and encouraged competition.
- For the first time in history, a computer was designed in the third world, to be used by people in all worlds
As the world realized that the Simputer could make an enormous impact on the digital divide, its inventors (professors at Bangalores Indian Institute of Science) formed PicoPeta Simputers Pvt. Ltd. they were determined not to let their invention remain in the confines of a lab.
And yes, they also improved their invention beyond all recognition: we now have the Amida Simputer, a commercial-strength Simputer that will rewrite even more rules associated with computing.
Evolution of Simputer
Simputer then
More about the Simputer at: www.simputer.org