Pakistan military introduces new Android tablet
The PAC Kamra, whose self-described mission is “to produce and support weapon systems for a high state of operational readiness of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)” has partnered with a Chinese company Innavtek International to produce Takhti 7, a better form of PAC Pad1.
The report said that Takhti 7, priced at Rs15,500, has an enhanced hardware with a double RAM and better ARM Cortex-A8 processor, and also boasts of a 7-inch capacitive screen and improved battery time. It also uses Android Ice Cream Sandwich instead of Android Gingerbread used by the PAC Pad1.
However, PAC is still struggling with its sales network. Earlier a PAC official told The Express Tribune that the products were initially being marketed in Rawalpindi, but modalities needed to be finalised so it could expand to other cities including Lahore and Karachi.
“We will get in touch with courier companies to see if we can reach a deal to transport them,” he said.
If you would like to write a review for this tablet, send it to blog@tribune.com.pk
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Plz tell us the way 2 order this ....
Pakistan & China collaboration has always proved 2 be best ...ZTE although chinese but gave its best ,,still working after 5 yrs ...PTCL Vfone is also very gud...moreover its better 2 share profits with china rather giving the whole 2 America...
@khalsa:
I have an apple Macbook Pro and an iPad. It says "Designed By Apple California; Assembled in China".
All Apple products, even in the US (as in my case) come from China. Not sure what fact you have been diving into.
Obama asked Steve Jobs in last corporate convention in Silicon Valley about bringing Apple jobs back to US which Steve just rejected.
Essentially all the Products of HP, DEL, APPLE, SONY and many other companies are "Made in China".
Please do some research. Thanks
Success: "Nothing to do with Pakistan, unless you are looking at Pre 1971 Pakistan or Muslim factor."
Salman is not from Pakistani but he has multiple connection with it.
Salman Khan is regular at conferences organized by OPEN, Org of Pak Entrepreneurs in Si Valley. And Pakistan is among the top countries from where Khan Academy gets visitors, according to Alexa. But beyond Pakistani visitors to his online academy; his wife is from Karachi, and the man in charge of translating Khan's videos to Urdu and other foreign languages is former Pakistani president's son Bilal Musharraf who lives in Silicon Valley.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2012/03/khan-academy-draws-pakistani-visitors.html
Aley, Rs. 15,500 is a very reasonable price if you compare this to any other tablet makde by the known brands. This is cheaper because there's no brand name behind it to hike the price up.
Waqas, PAC is putting the hardware together only and using Android OS like so many other tablets. If you knew a bit more, you would know that language support is a function of the software, not the hardware.
That would have been much better if Punjab gov have given these PAC PADS to students in place of laptops...
@Waqqas Iqbal: Do you not read the news article before commenting? It runs the ANDROID operating system which does not have Urdu. Seriously, people need to open their eyes
Military Inc. enters a new market...with interests ranging from real estate, fertilizers, logistics, manufacturing, banking, farming and fighting.
@Riaz Haq: 'Salman Khan of Khan Academy' is of mixed Indian-Bangladesh origin, his mother is Indian and father Bangladeshi. Nothing to do with Pakistan, unless you are looking at Pre 1971 Pakistan or Muslim factor.
Shabash Shahbaz Sharif! If only you'd been on talking terms with Gen. Kayani, you could've saved Punjab Goverment a couple of billion rupees with your Free Laptop Scheme. Next time, even just Google 'Pak Army Projects in the Pipeline.'
@TightChuddi: so moral of the story is ignore chinese product
@Jawad: "Why re-invent the wheel? Shouldn’t our forces focus on R&D in their primary mission area of defending the nation?"
PAC is not re-inventing the wheel; it's building a serious manufacturing base in Pakistan which will spawn manufacturing of other products like cell phones and computers and other electronic gadgets on large scale. Pakistan needs it for its own economy and employment opportunities for its people.
Developing commercial items is well and good but should be done by the private sector not government owned and subsidized organizations whose primary mission is something entirely different. I have one question : what was the investment in terms of manhours and cost for coming up with this tablet computer ? Here is another one : so now that it is developed and it is the latest and greatest, what is the plan to commercialize it ? And here is the third one : Which MD/DG/AVM etc. authorized Kamra to undertake this venture ? I feel he should be stripped of his rank and fired from his post as he is diverting valuable and scarce resources where they are not needed .
PAC Kamra should be concentrating on improving the serviceability of PAF aircraft. God knows they are falling out of the sky these days at an alarming rate.
Good effort indeed. I will buy one for sure. Its the time for innovation and in these times of economic war, its important to innovate and rely on self built technology. I would strongly urge and adovate the development of tablet Operating System as well especially after knowing stuxnet and flame viruses. Just want to know how and where can I buy one?
@Zeta: Every joint venture between Pak and China ends up China making it and Pak applying made in Pak label on it. Is there any technical product Pak makes on it's own without "venturing" with China ?
Wonderful news for Pakistan. GO GO GO!
The same or better Android tablets are widely available around $75 or under at AliExpress.com . Why re-invent the wheel? Shouldn't our forces focus on R&D in their primary mission area of defending the nation? After ceding vast parts of the country to thugs and criminals in the interest of strategic depth, the forces are looking for ways to keep themselves busy and profitable. It would be sad if the military uses its muscle to impose this device upon hundreds of thousands of students to further the profits of this enterprise. After all, they are selling the device for at least 100% more than it costs at the source in China !
the touch screen doesnt work. One of the slowest systems around. Fail.
@Whats in the name.: hahahah, don't just write off other countries especially US when talking about innovations. I would advise you to please watch some National Geographic documentaries on US military technology. They may not have a branded tablet but they do have a LOT more. You need to know more about what happens in the world and not just in Pakistan.
@maverick: "if canadian company is developing akash then how come it is priced at just 4500..??"
Indian Akash tablet is very lightly configured with minimal memory resources, a very slow processor and uses older resistive touch-screen rather than state-of-the-art capacitive-coupling. De-featuring and using obsolete technology is how it reduces cost and yet it requires huge subsidy to get to $35 price point....a very poorly conceived offering.
Knowing the history of cost curve in electronics, I think letting market forces work would put tablet PCs in the hands of hundreds of millions much faster than ill-conceived government subsidies.
@Riaz Haq: if canadian company is developing akash then how come it is priced at just 4500..?? dont say govt subsidy because after govt subsidy it costs 2500...
@TightChuddi: "takhti" in hindu/urdu means a placard or simply a small board like in which small village kids write...
The real point is that neither India nor Pakistan can claim to be manufacturing these Tablets. They are just assembled in India and Pakistan. Very few components that go in these Tablets are manufactured in either of these countries. The Semiconductor Industry in India is better than Pakistan but still they only design the chips and do not manufacture them. Not a single company in India manufactures silicon wafers used in the manufacture of devices.
The much talked about Nuclear Bomb manufacturing capability in both countries are also not really so. For example, to my knowledge, neither country manufactures the Trigger Switches without which you cannot explode the bomb. They import these (mainly clandestinely) from USA. The companies that manufacture these in USA are just medium to small sized manufacturing companies and they have the capability to manufacture. China is far ahead of India in manufacturing and Pakistan does not come even close to India in Manufacturing. Both have companies that claim to be manufacturers but in fact are just assemblers. India has an edge over China in Pharmaceuticals but China is far ahead in Chemicals and Materials.
@khalsa: iphone i got is assembled in CHINA and designed in california fyi.
I agree with some of the guys on the post that the word 'Takhti' sounds like a very bad word in hindi/urdu (related to human waste). Is this intentional? What does 'takhti' mean anyway?
@zeta : u want to term my comment as pathetic so let it be.but u can run from reality u cannot hide from it.there is a very old saying in my country.. u can wake a person up who is sleeping,but u cannot wake a person who is acting to be sleeping. u ppl are just acting to be developing and booming but the real scenario is that ur country is in UN list of top 10 failed nation.u cannot deny that fact.i just gave ur govt a thumbs up for atleast thinking about common ppl but u dont deserve things like this tablet.u r meant to be bombed from air and thats what is being done.
@Tdragon: Yes, you choose to hear or keep your ears plugged. The truth would not change just because you do or do not want to hear. Rgds P
Pathetic comments from indians as always. Always trying to drift away from the topic. 15k Price is absolutely fine. People here can afford 55k cell phones easily. 15k is peanuts for students
good effort by pakistan.atlest it can benefit the students and farmers.though the price can be reduced ,i think 15k is a bit high in pakistan.also u need wifi/internet facility to actually use it to maximum.In india we have aakash tablet just for 4500 rs and for students its for only 2500... also govt is installing in remote villages so that farmers can get its benefit... but good effort indeed...
@Tdragon
In comparison to Pakistani army Indian army seems like a shining beacon of discipline.
Where in the world would the army start a war with another country without the rulers being aware of it, and the poor PM has to run to US to douse the flames.
@Raj: "The Chinese company is : Shanghai Xinre Machinery Manufacturing Co."
And the name of the Canadian company manufacturing Indian Akash tablet is Datawind.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2012/02/pakistan-starts-tablet-pc-notebook.html
@Riaz Haq:
If a retired PLA officer dies, does that mean that PLA and Chiense Govt. are dead too?! You based your argument on wrong information. Accept it and move on.
I'm not mocking the tablet or the country name (I'm a Pakistani as well). But, being a marketing student and also having seen how a product get its higher global demand; I believe the name should be changed to something else other than Takhti. English name would definitely get it to new height- It's just my opinion. Name plays an important role in marketing the product.
The Chinese company is : Shanghai Xinre Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd..
I wouldn't buy it, besides doesn't the military get enough funding?
Why is PAC not making better radars to detect helicopters and planes? What is the sense of copying tablet hardware without contributing anything unique in the hardware or software?
@Raj - USA: why no names
Did I hear someone say.India has the most.disciplined army in the world ......my good lord what a joke .
A little promotion in the media and I am certain this would sell well.
Surpringly I do have NTN number and pay more tax in one year then many pay over ten and it is substantial i.e in the lacs of Rupees so haha don't write things which you don't know anything about. Army is a business and nothing more.
@Have a nice day
Firstly only 2% of the total populace pays tax and that too the govt employees i am sure even you dont have your NTN no ! ... i dont know why everyone is so adamant on the fact that it is his tax with which the Army is running !! Secondly ...As far as running projects are concerned Armies all accross the world are running such projects for generating their own funds ... Thirdly dornes ... yes i am aganist their strikes but it doesnot imply that our Army is not defending us our cannot defend us .... They just dont have orders by your govt too shoot them down ! First clear your slate pay your tax and then you can come clean !!
@Truth Bites: apple does not make anything in china. it doesnt even sell anything in china. check ur facts
Good to see my tax being used to produce consumer electronics rather then defend the nation. I am sure if the business makes a loss next years military budget will make up for it. Really like our mililtary they produce fertilizer, run real estate and banks, and even produce cereals the only thing they have stop doing is defending us. For those who don't agree look at the impunity in which drones bomb us.
@"Sir, with all due respect, your response is factually incorrect. It is not run by military"
Please check your facts. Huawei was started by retired PLA officers with the support of the PLA and the Chinese government. Regardless of labels, it's the creation of the Chinese military for all intents and purposes....as are most of the major state-owned companies in China.
As to the Indian govt, the Indian officials are very concerned about heavy dependence on Chinese products. India's government has sent letters to the country's telecom companies ordering them not to buy equipment from Huawei, ZTE, and several other Chinese companies due to security risks, according to a report in Businessweek. A few weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that there was a similar move by Delhi to limit China's growing role in building India's power sector.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2010/05/soaring-chinese-imports-worry-india.html
@Riaz Haq:"...... PLA has founded and run most of the big-name Chinese companies including Huawei." Sir, with all due respect, your response is factually incorrect. It is not run by military. In fact Huawei has a center in Bangalore, India, the 2nd largest outside of Mainland china. It is run by an individual who had once served in the Army and the PLA has no stake in it whatsoever. Or do you think the Govt of India would have allowed them to set shop in India whose major stake holder is the PLA. Rgds P
@Lobster
if is done transparently, I don't see any problem with defense org generating revenues for its projects but you are right, who will guarantee that?
@Whats in the name: "the PLA of china has not brought a tablet of its own"
Chinese Army has done a lot more than than that to rapidly industrialize China. PLA has founded and run most of the big-name Chinese companies including Huawei.
Since the 1980s, many of the PLA companies have now become part of the global economy. According research done by David Welker for Multinational Monitor, in pursuit of hard currency, many of the companies have listed themselves on capital markets in Hong Kong and elsewhere, opened representative offices in overseas markets, solicited foreign companies for joint ventures and partnerships in China and emphasized exports. The so-called red chips, companies listed on the Hong Kong exchange but which are in fact mainland Chinese firms, are the hottest stocks on the market. Hong Kong is the PLA's favored stock exchange because of its loose disclosure guidelines. China Poly Group has two listed companies: Continental Mariner Company Ltd. and Poly Investments Holdings Ltd. Both Continental Mariner and Poly Investments have a large number of subsidiary companies in mainland China,
http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/06/militarys-role-in-pakistans-industrial.html
I dont know if Pakistan as a nation is the envy amongst the comity of nations. But I am sure that Pakistani military is certainly the envy of most militaries around the world. I guess, the worlds mightiest army/military the US Army has not brought out a tablet. or the country with the largest standing army, the PLA of china has not brought a tablet of its own. Even the worlds most professional army, the Indian Army has not got one. Hats off to the Pakistani Army/Military. Expecting More however... Rgds P
At a recent Silicon Valley conference of Pakistani-American entrepreneurs, Slaman Khan of Khan Academy said the ubiquity and price declines of connected tablets make them ideal devices for watching and learning from his videos. With twenty students sharing a $100 tablet, the cost is only $5 per student, he said.
http://www.riazhaq.com/2012/06/open-forum-2012-pakistani-american.html
@TightChuddi: I would not agree with you entirely on this. I have bought a China Made equipment. The equivalent US made cost $5000 and the Chinese cost only $150. The US made is more precise and sophisticated though. But for my purpose the China made was OK. I damaged it by using wrong power input. I ordered a new one from the same manufacturer. They asked me what went wrong with the unit I just purchased. I told them that I damaged it by using 3 times the prescribed power input and it is not their fault but needed another unit. I asked them to ship a new unit immediately and gave them my credit card number to charge. To my surprise, the Chinese manufacturer called me and told me that though the unit was spoiled due to my mis-handling, it is still under warranty and shipped me a new unit free of cost and asked me to ship back the old unit. There are good and bad companies.
While i started typing this comments, a pop-up appears on the right below corner of my screen with heading "Fighter jet crashes in Balochistan, no casualties". With my weak memory, i still can remember that the third military crash in the last 30 or so days. If this is the standard of our technical marvelous, how can we spend public money on marketing Chinese gadgets. We have not forgot Abbottabad incident and drones are making headlines on daily basis. Have they made our defense invincible. I am sorry.. NOT
PAC should spend public money on making the country defense stronger. If they had any surplus budget then they should give it back government instead of wasting on failed commercial ventures.
More specs about resolution, touch input, internet connectivity & others are needed.......if it is 50% indigenous......i will buy one
@Truth Detector: No corruption or Hanky Panky..really? Who dare asks them? Why a defense organization need to be involved in consumer products?
I brought one Chinese tablet from Amazon for 200 GBP. Ran it for a day only and the screen went into recalibration mode. Now the problem is that I cannot recalibrate it as the touching the screen does not actually take the pointer anywhere. complete waste of money.
another cheap chinese product makes a backdoor entry to flood local market. These cheap chinese products are killing the local industry as it gets manufactured in china, all parts are sourced from china, and major part of profit sent back to china.
Better then spending billions on useless nukes
Invent the tool, don't just make the tool.
The effort should be left to the private sector.
Whats wrong with it? when Apple get all ipad pod phone made from China, its all perfect. When a Pakistani company makes, it becomes target! good effort by them. If look back in history all the computing and sapce ventures came from US defence projects, Internet is one of them. May be PAC is making a first step but a positive one to manufacture semi conductor and silicon based components in Pakistan. There are few already making microchips in Pakistan, not very well known to the world or Pakistan at present as they also produce primeraly for defence and government agencies.
@Waqqas Iqbal: Its a joint venture dude PAC with innavtek of China
Very Reasonable price seeing it coming with Android ICS 4.0 I am looking forward to own one.
Its made by Pakistani company but still they forgot to add Urdu language :D
Supported Languages... English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Chinese Simple, Chinese traditional.
BUT NO URDU :P :) hahahahah lolzzz... Looks like they are just selling Chinese products with their label :)
@roadkashehzada: The report said that Takhti 7, priced at Rs15,500..........Is this a reasonable price??
They should issue this to farmers and provide important agricultural info on it. They can also use it in schools. If we have the technology we should use it and market it properly.
Warranty & After sale service ???
Good going. Doesn't matter who develops what, till the time they are doing something productive, it will ultimately benefit the country.
What about other details?
ET, reason for this sarcasm?
I think it is good effort provided its sole purpose is financial support for projects in PAC and no corruption or hanky-panky.
if they price it reasonably, or make it rugged, i would love to have one