computer science

Simputer

Simputer is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Simputer rather than just read about it. In short: The Simputer is a self-contained, open hardware Linux-based handheld computer that was first released in 2002, developed in, and primarily distributed within India. The product was envisioned as a low-cost alternative to personal computers.

Key takeaways

Simputer belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Simputer to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Simputer from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Simputer is a self-contained, open hardware Linux-based handheld computer that was first released in 2002, developed in, and primarily distributed within India. The product was envisioned as a low-cost alternative to personal computers. The Simputer project had the initial goal of selling 50,000 units, but only sold about 4,000 units by 2005, and has been called a failure by news sources.

Design and hardware The device was designed by the Simputer Trust, a non-profit organization formed in November 1999 by seven Indian scientists and engineers led by Dr. Swami Manohar. The word "Simputer" is an acronym for "simple, inexpensive and multilingual people's computer", and is a trademark of the Simputer Trust. The device includes text-to-speech software and runs the Linux operating system. Similar in appearance to the PalmPilot class of handheld computers, the touch sensitive screen is operated on with a stylus; simple handwriting recognition software is provided by the program Tapatap. The Simputer Trust licensed two manufacturers to build the devices, Encore Software, which has also built the Mobilis for Corporate/Educational purposes and the SATHI for Defence purposes, and PicoPeta Simputers, which released a consumer product named the Amida Simputer. The device features include touchscreen, smart card, Serial port, and USB connections, and an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) port. It was released in both greyscale and color versions. The hardware specifications are licensed under the Simputer General Public License (SGPL), a public copyright license.

Software The Simputer uses the Linux kernel (2.4.18 Kernel as of July 2005), and the Alchemy Window Manager (only the Amida Simputer). Software packages include: Scheduling, Calendar, Voice Recording and Playback, simple spreadsheet application, Internet and network connectivity, Web browsing and email, an e-Library, games, and support for Java ME, DotGNU (a free software implementation of .NET), and Flash. In addition, both licensees developed custom applications for microbanking, traffic police, and medical applications.

Deployments In 2004, Simputers were used by the government of Karnataka to automate the process of land records procurement. Simputers were also used in a project in Chhattisgarh for the purpose of e-education. In 2005, they were used in a variety of applications, such as automobile engine diagnostics (Mahindra & Mahindra in Mumbai), tracking of iron-ore movement from mine pithead to shipping point (Dempo, Goa), Microcredit (Sanghamitra, Mysore), Electronic Money Transfer between UK and Ghana (XK8 Systems, UK), and others. In recent times, the Simputer has seen deployment by the police force to track traffic offenders and issue traffic tickets.

Commercial production Pilot production of the Simputer started in September 2002. In 2004, the Amida Simputer became commercially available for ₹12450 and up (approximately US$240). The prices for Amida Simputer vary depending on the screen type (monochrome or colour). By 2006, both licensees had stopped actively marketing their Simputer devices. PicoPeta was acquired by Geodesic Information Systems (a developer of communication and collaboration systems) in 2005.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Simputer

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Simputer claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Simputer before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Simputer ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Simputer

In research: Simputer appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Simputer in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Simputer is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Appropriate technology, Embedded Linux, Indian inventions, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Simputer outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Simputer in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Simputer means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Simputer out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Simputer in simple terms?

Why does Simputer matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Simputer?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Simputer.