DataWind to integrate GetJar app store in Aakash tablet

An app store was definitely a missing feature in the ultra low-cost Aakash tablet. But now the makers of the world's cheapest tablet, DataWind, have filled the gap by incorporating a GetJar app store that features more than 350,000 free applications.

“GetJar is an established partner with a very large selection of free applications that users can download onto their UbiSlate or Aakash tablets. We’re excited by the added value this brings to our end users,” says DataWind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli, while announcing partnership with GetJar.

DataWind's partnership with GetJar will definitely bring more value to the upgraded Aakash tablet, which will be coming out with better specifications such as better processor and a capacitive touchscreen at the same price of the original Aakash tablet. The Aakash tablet is slated to receive a major hardware upgrade - dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, and the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS later this year.

“Low-cost tablets open the capabilities of applications and the Internet for millions of people. We are happy to help Datawind make free applications and our GetJar Gold program available to these new tablet customers,” Chris Dury, GetJar’s CEO adds.

DataWind is currently going through a tough phase as it finds itself embroiled in a spate of controversies. The Canadian company has already been criticised for its public tiff with IIT Rajasthan and its ex-vendor Quad Electronics. DataWind recently sued the Indian Cellular Association for making defamatory comments.

That being said, DataWind is still the vendor for the Aakash tablet. The company is hopeful it will start supplying the tablets to the government later this month.

The Aakash tablet project has been hit by a spate of snags since it was unveiled in October last year. The first lot of tablets supplied by DataWind was discarded by the government over poor specifications. The Canadian company will be providing an upgraded Aakash at same price of original device. Meanwhile, the government plans to open a new tender for the Aakash tablet and wants to rope in state-run bodies to push the project with escalating costs.