A few days ago, the Indian government sent the tech world into a frenzy by announcing a $35 touchscreen tablet PC that will put iPad-like technology in the hands of students and low-income families across the subcontinent. Needless to say, it's a total game changer—it reminds us that technological advancement is supposed to be for the greater good of the people, not for status or CEO's coffers—but it's hardly the first preposterously cheap tech to come out of South Asia. Below, we check out the best affordable technology India has to offer.
Tablet PC
PRICE: $35
RELEASED: 2010
FEATURES: Touchscreen, Linux-based OS, 2GB of RAM, multimedia player, word processor, PDF reader, USB port, wi-fi, built-in web cam for video conferencing
COMPLEX SAYS: Your dinky little Netbook doesn't seem so awesome for the price now, does it?
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Tata Group Nano Car
PRICE: $2,127
RELEASED: 2008
FEATURES: 33 horsepower, 4.8 feet wide, 10 feet long, holds four passengers
COMPLEX SAYS: It's kind of like a glorified golf cart, but it's pretty dope that there's a road-ready car out there that costs less than most dudes spend on their rims—plus, it allows a nation full of moped riders a safer alternative.
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Tata Group Swach Water Purifier
PRICE: $16 or $21 (depending on the material)
RELEASED: 2009
FEATURES: Kills 80% of waterborne bacteria, can be used for up to 3,000 liters of water in its lifetime, runs without electricity
COMPLEX SAYS: This is by far the most important piece of affordable tech to drop in India. A large portion of the country's rural population is without access to clean, disease-free water, making this purifier a literal lifesaver.
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Reliance ZTE C321 Cell Phone
PRICE: $17
RELEASED: 2009
FEATURES: 1.5" color display, speakerphone, 1000-entry phonebook, high-capacity battery
COMPLEX SAYS: The ZTE 321 isn't exactly the iPhone 4, but at least you can hold it however you like.
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Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital's Open-Heart Surgery
PRICE: $3,000-$10,000
RELEASED: 2008
FEATURES: At the 1000-bed Narayana Hrudayalaya started by Dr. Devi Shetty (Mother Teresa's cardiac surgeon), artery-bypass graft surgery starts at $2,000 (compared to around $40,000 in the U.S.). And with a 1.4% mortality rate—compared to America's national average of 1.9%—they're relatively safe.
COMPLEX SAYS: While Barry and co. work to figure out the healthcare system, India's dirt-cheap surgeries have saved hundreds of lives.
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