Bicycles, Indian Villages and the Internet

[Woz]

A long time ago we reported on Pedal Powering the Internet in Laos [webmasterworld.com] According to this article [globetechnology.com] bicycles are being used in India to take computers and the internet out into the villages. Two examples cited are using the mobile computeing centers for Education and Medical Diagnosis.

Thsi seems an excellent way to open up rural areas as "with only 12 computers and four Internet connections per 1,000 people, India has one of the world's lowest Internet usage rates and much of rural India remains oblivious to the sweep of technology."

This is the eye-opener though - "India churns out 300,000 engineers each year and is a growing software power." Quite a power bloc in the making.

Onya
Woz

[Warren]

"India churns out 300,000 engineers each year and is a growing software power."

No wonder the Indian software outsourcing market is so big, with 300,000 grads each year to act as code monkies :s

[vibgyor79]

If you want weird technology stories about India, ask me. Sample these for starters -

Indian IT Scene Kashmir's pride Dal Lake becomes the first Wi-Fi enabled lake in the world

[skoch.org...]

We have a big bank here called State Bank of India. They recently launched the world's first floating ATM

The ATM has already been fitted on a ferry and is undergoing trial runs. The code division multiple access (CDMA) technology is used for keeping it operational. The floating boat with the ATM on board will berth at jetties in Kerala's huge backwaters through which hundreds of thousands of people travel daily.

[rediff.com...]