Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal unveils the low cost computing-cum-access device in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: V. Sudershan -The Hindu

It's a laptop, it runs Linux, it has iPad-like touchscreen features and it costs $35. This is the world's cheapest laptop, a LInux powered device that is being developed in India and is poised to start an affordable computing revolution of its own.

India's Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal unveiled the low-cost computing device that is designed for students, explaining his department had started talks with global manufacturers to start mass production.

Sibal said the Linux based computing device is geared to higher education institutions and will be available starting 2011 but the aim was to drop the price further to $20 and ultimately to $10.

Once this is sold in the global market it should make a big impact in educational sectors as well as give users in developing nations a viable option for a truly connected and capable device. Earlier attempts at low cost educational computers include the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) initiative that wanted to develop $100 computers but was unable to break through the $200 cost threshold.

"We have reached a developmental stage that today, the motherboard, its chip, the processing, connectivity, all of them cumulatively cost around $35, including memory, display, everything," SIbal said.

The device is said to come with an Internet browser, PDF reader and video conferencing facilities but more importantly its was developed to be flexible and incorporate new components according to user requirements.

 The device was developed by research teams at India's premier technological institutes, the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science.