New Delhi: After its phenomenal success in the UK, DataWind Ltd, a leading provider of wireless web access products and services today announced the launch of its ultra-portable netbook with free internet connectivity: the UbiSurfer for ‘Ubiquitous Surfing’. The UbiSurfer offers DataWind’s revolutionary free-usage model, which eliminates the complexity of getting online.  With the UbiSurfer you pay for the device not the usage. For the average user, there are no monthly fees, airtime tariffs, contracts or recurring fees.  

Making online access faster and simpler, the UbiSurfer allows connectivity at the touch of a button.  The UbiSurfer comes bundled with 30 hours per month of free internet access for the first full year useable across India.  In comparison, at an average price of Rs.500/month, comparative rates for internet access would cost Rs.6,000 per year, which is delivered for free on the UbiSurfer. 

For heavy users, unlimited internet is available for only Rs 99 per month and each subsequent year of usage is only Rs.999.  This powerful and most affordable service is powered by Tata Teleservices’ CDMA network across India.  The UbiSurfer with a year of free-mobile internet is priced at only Rs.7,999.

Setting a new standard for anytime and anywhere internet access, the UbiSurfer is not only armed with WiFi and LAN connectivity, but also has an in-built cellular modem and an embedded SIM card that allows access to the internet anywhere a mobile phone signal is available all over India. Users are not limited to Wi-Fi hotspots and there is no need to buy a costly USB dongle to ensure connection, making internet access truly ubiquitous.   

Speaking at the launch event, Suneet S. Tuli, President and CEO of Datawind, commented, “Our goal was to deliver the real web, fast, free, anytime and everywhere.  The UbiSurfer is another step in the Company’s vision of taking the internet to the masses. This device is going to revolutionize the way we work, play, communicate and take advantage of the wireless web ”.

In addition to being a superb mobile browsing solution, the UbiSurfer is also a practical computer that comes pre-loaded with the Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 operating system and Softmaker Office Suite.  With Microsoft Windows CE, the new UbiSurfer boots-up in ten seconds, and applications launch instantly, providing consumers an excellent system with the familiarity of a PC.  Windows CE is a pre-emptive real-time operating system that delivers a compelling user experience. 

With the SoftMaker Office Suite, the UbiSurfer offers the full feature set of a modern desktop-league office suite.  SoftMaker Office lets customers open, edit, and save Microsoft Office 2003 Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files, directly and without conversion, retaining all the formatting, functions, and contents of the original Office files.

Suneet Singh Tuli also added, “TRAI’s recent figures peg Internet subscribers in India at only 14.5 million, which is only 1.5% of the population.  We are confident that our mix of cutting edge technology at attractive price points will change the dynamics of the mobile internet device market in India. We estimate that internet penetration will exceed 50% of the population in the next decade and exceed 500 million users.  DataWind expects to garner a significant share of this pie by delivering more affordable products that are simpler to use.”

The UbiSurfer is supported by DataWind’s multi-patented data compression and acceleration technology, which allows end-users to access web pages at high speeds even over slow network connections.  This content reduction also helps facilitate DataWind’s free-usage model.

DataWind has signed Sunrise Distributors to import the product in India and establish a reseller channel network.  Established in 2001, Sunrise is a leading distributor and super stockist with an extensive pan India reach and network.
 
UbiSurfer Product Specifications

   Speed:
    Loads Web Pages in less than 7 Seconds
 
   Size/Weight:
    222 x 165 x 29.5 mm/   700 grams
 
   Display:
    7 inch TFT – Wide screen display
   800 x 480 pixels (WVGA)
 
   Memory:
    128MB Ram; 1GB Flash
   Online: 50 GB
 
   Networking:
    Embedded Cellular Modem
   Wireless LAN WiFi IEEE 802.11 b/g
   10BaseT Ethernet Interface
 
   Audio(Offline):
    Built-in Dual Speaker System
   Stereo Sound Earphone Jack
 
   Control:
    Touch Mouse Pad – Dual Button
   Keyboard: Standard 80 Key
 
   Software:
    Operating System: Available in Linux & Win CE

   Primary Application: Datawind Web Browser
   Offline Applications: Calendar, Media Player,
   Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Presentation, PDF
   Viewer, Email, Paint, Games
 
   Battery & Power:
    Lithium Polymer or External DC Adapter
   Approximate Working Time: 3 hours
 
   Ports:
    Push-Push SD card socket
   USB Port, Earphone & Ethernet jacks.